The superb casting sub-surface lure Masa recommended got punctured by a long tooth kaku a few weeks back. When I fished it the next time, it slowly sank instead of floating. I opened up the puncture, let the water drain out, sprayed some Salt Away to keep the sliding weight mechanism from rusting, and sealed the wound with epoxy glue.
To add to the wounded look I painted it with a white nail polish base and colored it in with a red marker. It floated, just barely, in an empty oama tub. The lure did look like a freshly scraped up bait fish so I started with it when Frank and I hit his whipping test grounds.
The lure cast further than the original lure. Within the first couple of casts a kaku hit it, missed and came back to finish it off. Hmm, maybe the mods made the lure more attractive? I walked the kaku in to tag, and Frank asked me if I wanted 2 fish to tag. His sub-surface lure got hit right after mine did! The fish that hit my wounded sardine taped out at 18.75 inches, the largest kaku I’ve tagged so far. Frank’s was just 1/4 inch shorter. The bigger kaku must be coming in now to feed on bait fish we have yet to locate.
The released kaku took their friends with them so we walked out to the dropoff as the tide rose to its top third. Nothing wanted our lures except for the two roi that thought my lure was dying. I killed the first but the second slipped off the hook before I could net it.
We walked back to the kaku spot and Frank hooked another one casting toward the shore.
This one measured 17 inches, a little smaller than his first but still pretty big to be so close to shore this time of year. In just a few whipping trips, Frank has gone from a neophyte whipper to one who can consistently catch the hard to hook kaku. Time for us go after some harder fighting fish.
And it sure seems that the doctored up lure I was throwing has been improved. Masa is still not letting me puncture and weigh down his lures though.
Hard to say if it’s an improvement but if it still works you’re already on the upside! I’ve been getting the itch to try for these stinky buggers again. You guys lose many lures to them? I know you guys don’t use wire leaders.
Hey Jason,
I might have lost 3 lures to kaku since fishing for them last spring. All were the bigger eastside kaku that either gulped the lure down or hit the leader instead of the lure. I use 40lb fluoro leader now and often see nicks on the leader but the leader holds.
I forget if you can use wire leader with your fly setup. I think you’ve used heavier fluoro before?
-scott
I have used knottable wire but it’s humbug to carry an extra spool and the cutters for it. I’d rather use flouro anyway for its obvious advantages. I’ve been cutoff with 20 and 25 lb test but may give 40 a try. Thanks for the tip.