Oriental Angler - From Tokyo to Seven Seas

Lure Rotation for Casting Dolphin Game

July 15, 2009

Editor: Jed

Introduction

Casting dolphin game is really exciting as I wrote at last article, "Exciting Dolphin Game." I really love this game but I have been feeling that I could have been able to catch more dolphins at my trip. “How can I improve my skill?” Talking to myself, I looked at my tackle box and I realized one simple thing. It is funny. I have been using only 4 lures!! This time, I would like to write my lure rotation and my next step to catch more fish.

Mangrove Studio Volador 130LS -Oriental Angler-

[Duel] Surface Bull and [Mangrove Studio] Volador 130LS

Lucky Craft B'Freeze 100S -Oriental Angler-

[Lucky Craft] B'Freeze 100S and [Jackal] Magsquad 128F

Before writing about my lure rotation, I would like to write about patterns. I have fished in 4 patterns below.

Pattern 1: Can’t see any dolphin.
Pattern 2: Dolphins blasting distance away
Pattern 3: Dolphin migrating around the boat
Pattern 4: Dolphin chased other anglers lure.

I have done same thing on pattern 1 and 2. I have always chosen Surface Bull. Since Surface Bull has long casting ability and sweet popping sound, I really love and trust this lure. If I knew there are a migration around the boat (pattern 3), my choice is Volador 130LS. This is a swim bait which slaloms under water. Many anglers choose small – medium sized top water plugs, but I don’t because under water baits are much easier to catch dolphin. In fact, usually hook one much earlier than top water anglers. But this game is not such exciting as top water game. Pattern 4 is a kind of hidden pattern. Many anglers think that the dolphins which detect a lure by the boat would not bite again. But this is wrong. They are aggressive enough to bite lure. That’s why they chased the lure by the boat. This is the pattern that I am the best at and I wrote at as article, “Challenge Boundary of Light Tackle.” The deadliest lure is Lucky Craft B’Freeze so far. But since Lucky Craft no longer makes this lure for Japanese market, I have used Magsquad 128F instead.

There are bite marks and scratches on those 4 lures, but others are very beautiful since I have not used much as the 4 lures. Since Taka always uses pencil baits as Daiwa Dorado Pencil and Guston T-2, so I always choose popper all the time to do different thing in pattern 1. I’m a contrary person. I don’t like to do same thing to other anglers. As a result, I have lost many dolphins that don’t like popping action. Pencil Baits swim much more natural than poppers, so they don’t feel suspicious on it as they do on poppers. Please don’t misunderstand. Poppers are still great bait to search wider area. If you can’t see any dolphin under water, splashes and bubbles attract dolphin miles away. Since many anglers try this exciting game from early summer, dolphins are high pressured by lures, boats and anglers. Therefore, they tend to be suspicious on big action after midsummer. To catch such pressured dolphin, pencil baits are deadly. I have known this fact, but I kept casting popper because I was contrary.

Thinking a pattern is the most important thing to choose lures. In other words, it is hard to choose lures without thinking patterns. I would like to expand my 4 patterns and choose lures.

Pattern 1: Can’t see any dolphin.
1-a: Dolphin migrates in deeper or further range.
1-b: Dolphin in 1-a realize lures and is coming to the boat.
Pattern 2: Dolphins blasting distance away
2-a: They are chasing small baitfish as anchovy.
2-b: They are chasing larger baitfish as mackerel
Pattern 3: Dolphin migrating around the boat
3-a: They are just migrating.
3-b: They desperately are searching for bait.
Pattern 4: Dolphin chased other anglers lure.

Now I can expand 4 patterns to 7 paterns.

In pattern 1, I was only thinking the pattern 1-a, so it is natural to choose a popper as a teaser. If dolphin is aggressive enough to bite popper, it is nice. But sometimes they are nervous because of decrease of salinity or water temperature. In that tough condition, they usually prefer much more natural bait, pencil baits, swim baits and minnows. I have lost fish in such situation. So, I will change a lure to those natural-action-bait when if I find dolphin behind my lure.

[Skagit Designs] Lip Slide 50g -Oriental Angler-

[Daiwa] Saltiga Dorado Pencil and [Maggy Gara] Jerking Bait Slim would appeal as poppers with their body size (left).[Skagit Designs] Lip Slide 50g will be necessary to fish under water with straight retrieve.

In pattern 2, I have to observe carefully to identify what kind of baitfish does dolphin is feeding. I have chosen Surface Bull since it has long casting ability. Yes. I have known there are many lures that have long casting ability, but I was fun with popping it (this is the biggest reason that I didn’t choose other lures). This pattern can be put to other predators. At casting tuna game, observing bait fish and choosing a right lure is the nearest way to hook the huge bullet. Consequently, tuna plugs have both long casting ability and variation of sizes.

[North Craft] SEGRO 110HS (upper, left) and [Halcyon System] Halshico 130 50g (upper, left) must be the final weapon if dolphins are blasting on anchovy. If I cannot identify the kind of baitfish, [Duel] Surface Slider 14S can be a sardine and anchovy. And don't forget minnow! [Jackson] Pin Tail Tune PT-50 looks like seabass minnow, but it has 50g weight and penetrated wire!!

In pattern 3, I don’t have to cast longer. The difference between 3-a and 3-b is that dolphin is aggressive to bite a lure or not. It is obvious that dolphin in pattern 3-a is not on it. To motivate them, I guess small poppers are good choice. A small popper can be a teaser with splash, and dolphin would not hesitate to bite it because silhouette is small. Furthermore, using medium or light class rods, it is possible to give an action delicately to act on the surface of the water much longer. But there would still be dolphins which don’t bite it. Then choosing small swim baits or small sinking pencil baits, I will imitate an injured baitfish which is the greatest target of predators.

Small poppers must be deadly!! [Tackle House] Contact Feed Popper (upper, left) and [Mangrove Studio] Mahi Box (Upper, right). [Halsyon System] Halshico 105 (lower, left) has 4 weight variation and high durable construction, so I can creativly use them in various situation. [Aims] Arrow Head 140F (lower, right) is my favorite seabass lure, but I will try using this minnow because it is extremely durable!!

In pattern 3-b, dolphins are aggressive enough. So I guess I should enjoy top water game, not under water game. Using light tackle on this pattern, it would be very exciting game!! If I cannot hook any dolphin with top water baits, then it is the time for under water game.

Daiwa TD Salt Pencil Dorado Tune 125F -Oriental Angler-

Tiemco Salty Red Pepper and Magrove Studio Mahi Pen -Oriental Angler-

[Daiwa] TD Salt Pencil (left) is the most trusted small pencil bait. Anglers call it "Esa (Real Bait)." Look at their freaked faces. [Tiemco] Salty Red Pepper and [Magrove Studio] Mahi Pen (Right) must be also "Esa."

I have established the pattern 4 and I can’t expand it so far. Maybe, if I will keep using B’Freeze and Magsquad, my fishing style wouldn’t be expanded. In this summer, I will try other lures to discover new pattern.

Yet, the expanded game is still in my brain with no experience. Taka and I will soon try those patterns shortly, and I will write a report at the next Experience.