# The AKFF Tackle Box - 'Blades'



## craig450

*Species I'm targeting:*
Bream (yellowfin and black)

*Where I fish them:*
When blading i look for a minimum water depth of about 3m which is where ill use light blades like the TT ghost blades, Ecogear 35 series or the new Daiwa gekkabijin 3S vibe's.
I look for drop-offs, weedbed edges, or any underwater structure and schools of baitfish that are located on the sounder.
Casting alongside floating oyster racks with small blades and retrieving just below the rack is one of my favourite technique's for big bream and works equally as well around pontoon's and jetties as well.

*What Brand/Model/Size:*
My preferred brand of blades is the Ecogear range in both the VX and ZX series.
Size varies with the fishing conditions, in normal conditions, little to no wind and tidal flow in depths under 5m ill use the Ecogear VX35's or the ZX30's, and the Daiwa Gekkabijin 3s which all weigh 3.5grams, or the TT ghost blades which weigh in at 2.4grams.
Ecogear VX40's, and ZX35's weigh in at 5grams and are what i use in most conditions in anything more than 5m.
I will go as heavy as the Ecogear VX45's at 8grams or the ZX40's at 6.4grams if im fishing in strong wind or a fast tidal flow when i cant get the lighter blades down deep enough.

*My Favoured knot:*
I prefer the uni knot for all of my lure fishing.
All of the blades and vibes i have found come with a split ring or clip to tie the leader to, so a loop knot is not required to fish blades effectively.

*What colours when:*
Natural colours are always what i feel more confident with, and in most circumstances they get me more fish than anything else, especially in clear water.
When i fish dirty or murky water, chrome, or chrome gold blades seem to work very well with the extra flash to draw fish in.
In low light times of the day, in clear water, black or other dark colours can also work well, if natural colours dont work for me in these conditions a black or dark blade usually does

*Effect of line weight:*
In any form of lure fishing, i only fish as heavy as i need to, but i find the choice of line weight critical in deep water blading for a few reasons.
In my opinion, bream seem to spook easier by heavier leader in deep water than in shallower water, on many occasion's i have been blading with little to no result with 6lb leader and have then changed down as low as 2lb and have then had almost instant success.
Light lines will also help with a better sink rate, which is a major advantage when fishing in a strong tidal flow or strong wind's.
A light braid mainline and light leader will also increase sensitivity which will enable you to feel the lures action easier and detect even the slightest hit on the lure or if the lure fouls on weed.

*How I fish them:*
After casting i let the blade sink with the bail arm open all the way to the bottom.
I then use a slow lift, just enough to feel the lure's action and then drop and repeat, with a slow roll in between every few lift and drops.
If im casting over weedbeds or a rocky/snaggy bottom, i try to keep the lure about 1m over the top by using a constant wind and lift without any pauses.

*My hot tip:*
Keep a good range of colours and sizes with you when blading.
Only fish as heavy as you need to, with the right sink rate, bream will often take the blade on the drop.
And change colour's as often as you need to until you find the one that's working on the day, it can make a difference in different waterways and conditions.


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## killer

Thanks for that info, I've just started using blades & have been doing ok, but i'll take those tips on board 8) . 
cheers Ron.


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## Gene

Love the blades, especially for the flats. Had my doubts about the Ecogear ZXs at first, but they are now my favourite blade. Also like the Strike Pro Cyber Vibes.I would be a bit cautious about using them near the oyster racks as they snag pretty easily.

My tip is on the retrieve when you pause give the rod a subtle shake just so the blade is just fluttering on the bottom. Also when you cast them wait till they settle & give them a couple of hard rips to get the fishs' attention then retrieve as normal.


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## Nativeman

*Species I'm targeting:*
Impoundment Bass
*
Where I fish them:*
I mostly use blades on schooled bass that congregate on flats close to the river channel in South East Qld Dams. By using a quality sounder I first find the schooling bass and then use a cast and retrieve method to catch them.

*What Brand/Model/Size:*
I like Blades such as Jaz Deka Bokun, Evergreen Little Max and Jaz Rayza 65. I like to use blades ranging from 22 - 30 grams. As the water can often be at least 60 feet deep, I like the blade to flutter to the bottom as fast as possible.

*My Favoured knot:*
I use a blood knot and tie the leader directly to the split ring that is attached to the blade, Leader to braid I use an Albright Knot.

*
What colours when:*
When I fish dams the water is clean, time of day does not seem to matter for the bite. I have found purple, Chrome/Blue, Red/Silver, Gold/Black or any other colour in combination with gold to be most effective. My most favorite blade has a combination, of gold, purple and black. Gold and silver add extra flash and definately attract more fish.

*Effect of line weight:*
I use braid line of about 10lb and leaders of 14 lb and as I am using a b/c outfit with long casts I have found if I use lighter line and leader I get line breaks when casting due to the heavy weight of the blades.
*
How I fish them:*
Once schooled fish are found, I make long casts over the area. Wait for the blade to hit bottom and then burn the lure back. Meaning wind the reel as fast as you can for about 6 turns then pause, then burn again. If bass are hungry they will be on. Other times when the bass are not so active, same long cast, wait for the blade to hit bottom. Then hop, burn, hop. Different times, fish in different moods, slow roll can work but as I fish Wivenhoe Dam which is full of catfish you can get an increase catch rate of catfish if working the blade slow.
*
My hot tip:*
If bass are very active on the sounder or the screen is blacked out, just sit over the top of them and jig the lure up and down in a fast motion or burn the lure up through the water column and let the blade flutter back down through the school. A lot of the time the bass will hit the blade on the drop...

Cheers


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## robsea

Many thanks to The Patwah for initiating the thread and to Craig 450 and Nativeman for their advice on slingin' blades. Have recently bought some Ecogear VX 40s. Have much enjoyed ZX 35 and 40 and have found that flatties tend to be jaw hooked on these. From tending to use 10lb braid on these for fear of losing them to decent flatties or tailor a couple of years ago i have now dropped down to lighter leaders. 4, 6 and 8 max. Have lost a couple recently but do like those strikepros in 35 for bream.


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## GT79

Geat thread guys, always looking for a few tips from those in the know.
My two cents worth :
Don't be afraid to try blades in deep water, as said by Nativeman just try heavier blades.
Also look for those with a higher weight to blade surface area if needing to get deeper quicker.
I use them mostly in water from 20 to 100m deep and have found the Ti Sing blades to be very effective in the deep stuff.( Pearlies love em )
Also use TT's offerings and a few other randoms that have found their way into my tackle box.
In cleaner water offshore I use mainly natural looking colours but in the Bay have found that when the water is a little dirty the black over BRIGHT orange has become a favourite. These have accounted for Snapper/squire, Moses Perch, Pearl Perch, Bream, Flathead, Tuskfish, and the odd Tuna and Mackeral have been known to grab them on the drop or the way back up. Oh and the obligatory grinner, pike, stonefish etc. etc.
As I use these around rough terrain a lot and got sick of paying for more and more blades lost to the great big plug at the bottom of the sea I decided to try changing any trebbles over to doubles or "W" hooks. No noticable differance in hookup rate(on fish) but definitely lose a lot less to snags.

As I said, just my two cents worth.
If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.
Then, when you do catch a few on blades, go and spend way too much on way too many lures like I do.

Cheers GT79


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## Zed

For those not in the know, what's a blade? Pic please.


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## Zed

Are they narrow? What do they look like head-on? 
Never seen such a thing.


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## Nativeman

Zed

They are mostly thin, with the deciding weight being in the bottom of the blade where the front hook is attached, if you look closely at the picture above you can see what I mean, there is a weighed roundish section there. The lighter ones are usual small and as they increase in weight the overall length increases too. Depending on the brand they can have either double or treble hooks.

I have tried for years to buy them in the States, only a few supplies have them but no where near the quality we have here and the ones made in Japan. No doubt if someone fished with them in the US and was to import a full range they would be a hit.

Cheers


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## GregL

Holy shit Zed! - just order some - they'll rock your world man!!
Best thing you can put a hook on.
Regards,
Greg


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## robsea

Go Zed!

Awesome gear. Love small ones myself and the ones that a mate lent me recently which i need to return.

rob


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## Junglefisher

I've really only tried them once - in a very deep pool, on "River X". Hooked a jack, an archer fish and a large barra withing my first 10 casts. Didn't have much luck after that.
I may have to try them again one day. Do they work on trout? No lateral line......


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## robsea

So Patwah...do ya sling the blades? Slice the air waves? Feel that tremblin'? ....Think ...why have i ignored these for so long?


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## COATSEY1

I know the three holes in the top are for action,but please explain the differece in the holes
does they make sense
coatsey1


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## fishmica

Junglefisher said:


> I've really only tried them once - in a very deep pool, on "River X". Hooked a jack, an archer fish and a large barra withing my first 10 casts. Didn't have much luck after that.
> I may have to try them again one day. Do they work on trout? No lateral line......


We use them in Lake Eildon for redfin ( similar techniques to what Nativeman outlined for bass up north but we tend to lift /drop more than burn/kill ) and get a few trout and golden perch as bycatch. If you're still down in Tassie and you've got some with you I'd give them a try.


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## blueyak

COATSEY1 said:


> I know the three holes in the top are for action,but please explain the differece in the holes
> does they make sense
> coatsey1


The three holes change the action of the lure. The front hole put the least action into the lure and the back hole the most action. It also changes how they swim if you choose to roll them rather than hop them. 
If you use the front hole and slow roll it it will swim slightly nose down. 
If you use the rear hole and slow roll it it will swim with its nose pointing directly toward the bottom and will have its most aggressive wobble.

Lots and lots of stuff can be done with blades they are a very versatile lure.

Great thread.


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## GT79

> by BigGee » Tue May 03, 2011 2:16 pm
> 
> They also come in a range of sizes Zed. 1/2 oz, 1/4 oz and 1/8 ounce .... I think there are bigger ones too.


River2Sea make these, Have heard of XOS Cobes taking a liking to them.
"The Steel Tremor, a stainless-steel lure weighted with lead, comprises one of three new River2Sea saltwater lures. The Tremor, designed to sink and vibrate on the troll, comes in three sizes: 4 1/2 inches, 3 1/2 ounces; 5 3/4 inches, 6 3/8 ounces; and 7 inches, 10 ounces."
Big enough ???


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## goanywhere

For someone who has spent most of their life fishing from shore with bait, this whole lure thing is a bit intimidating. I have started using soft plastics but there are so many types and sizes of lures it's a world all of it's own. Now with blades seeming to be the new rage, it's a bit scary to know where to start.

What's the best way to get the learning curve going with lure fishing? Would it be to go species by species and learn the types and techniques for each as you go, or is it best to select a few lures and see what they catch with various colours, sizes and techniques?


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## Junglefisher

goanywhere said:


> For someone who has spent most of their life fishing from shore with bait, this whole lure thing is a bit intimidating. I have started using soft plastics but there are so many types and sizes of lures it's a world all of it's own. Now with blades seeming to be the new rage, it's a bit scary to know where to start.
> 
> What's the best way to get the learning curve going with lure fishing? Would it be to go species by species and learn the types and techniques for each as you go, or is it best to select a few lures and see what they catch with various colours, sizes and techniques?


I'm much the same, an ex-bait fisho who learned about lures a few years ago.
I don't worry too much about the fads and latest. 
I tend to fish almost exclusively HB's - I've caught one fish on an SP and a couple on blades. 
If SP's are your thing, get good at them first, then look at branching out I reckon.


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## Gene

Does anyone use blades off the beach? I imagine the bigger blades would pick up Tailor & Salmon OK, but wonder how the smaller ones would go with the Bream & Whiting. Unfortunately I don't get to the beach all that often to try the blades, but they work alright in the estuaries.


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## robsea

Gene

Have met someone who does/has chucked blades for fun off the beach. Ecogear Vx i think. Larger sizes probably but i did not ask to that detail. Caught fish...but heh...he works in a tackle store.


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## vertigrator

Awesome concept for this post. 8)  Very useful for blades newbies such as myself. 

I just started trying the blades this year. So far I have discovered that flathead adore them and so do big blue throat wrasse (though that usually ends in tears as they bury themselves in the rocks and you lose your lure  ).

A few people mention that they love using them on the flats. :? What do you guys class as flats? I generally use either surface lures or shallow running hard bodies on the flats down here for bream. These are the tidal flats that range from 20cm to 1m of water on the high tide. The blades I have would be on the bottom and snagged up/weeded up straight away on these flats.

Vert


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## troutfish

got a question,

i like blades a lot for bream and flatties, but now the collection is building, i am wondering what is the best way to store them?

I've just got them all together in my standard tackle box, and they all tangle together like buggery

does anyone have a clever storage solution they could share?


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## vertigrator

I was having the same problem and bought a small lure box with compartments just big enough to fit one blade. Each blade goes into it's own compartment so there's no tangling. and the box is small enough to go in my Revo's side pocket.


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## pescado

The best thing about blades is the random bycatch that turns up :shock: :shock:


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## immysdad

Man that "THING" got hit with the fugly stick HARD!!


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## granpop

Check out the current fishing magazines - one has a blade attached to the front cover. $7.95 for the blade and a free mag thrown in 

Dave


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## vertigrator

How shallow a depth of water do people use blades?

I've only been using the stiffy & the berkley big eye blades. And they are quite heavy fast sinkers at 8 grams for the Stiffy vibes and 4.6 & 5.6gm for the Berkleys. So I only use them in at least a couple of metres of water.


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## troutfish

My PB flattie was on a gold TT ghost blade, in about 400mm of water


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## goanywhere

That lovely looking fish looks like a stonefish. Hope you didn't step on it to take the hook out!


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## killer

pescado said:


> The best thing about blades is the random bycatch that turns up :shock: :shock:


Taking the hook out of that thing would be very interesting :shock: :shock: :shock: 
cheers killer.


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## pescado

My mate decided it would be a good idea to pick it up - i wasnt going anywhere near the thing!!


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## Stevie

My god thats an ugly MoFo!

Nice tips guys.


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## RackRaider

Are the Berkley Big Eye Blades any good?


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## eagle4031

Bertros said:


> pescado said:
> 
> 
> 
> The best thing about blades is the random bycatch that turns up :shock: :shock:
> 
> 
> 
> i reckon waking up next to that in the morning would be the perfect cure for any drinking problems.....
Click to expand...

thats why i dont drink anymore :shock:


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## Chilli

RackRaider » Sun Jul 03, 2011 12:24 pm

Are the Berkley Big Eye Blades any good?

Yeah mate they rock... in saying that i think its pretty bloody easy to duplicate a blade lure so wouldnt get hung up on brand names.... mate has cheapo ones that do the job just as well. Ive got the Jabberwocky and Bunyip Berkley Blades and we use them to catch Jews, particularly in the river systems and passages, in or around bridges etc. Trick is to find the deepest part of the hole and cast over it then bring it back down hopping through the trench... get many happy lizards doing this as well... Tends to really work in holes in the Clarence and Tweed a lot better than say Bribie passage and i think this may have something to do with current speed but havent quite sussed that out yet. You can hop it similar to how you would target flattys on plastics or like someone said burn it and pause... Jews tend to smash it on the drop.
Am yet to hit the bass with blades but got busted by a barra at Monduran in very shallow water in the timber off one of the points and that was on 30lb braid with 40lb leader... needless to say i dont have that particular blade any more!!


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## Rapala01

I have had great success with the rapala Clackin Cranks, which have a similar action to blades. the benefits of the clackin Cranks is they sink a bit slower and they produce heaps of noise. they are my new favourite flathead hardbody.


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## Mzuri

Hey Ezra (Troutfish)

In response to your tangled blade storage mess, I have a way around it, but it's not for everyone. I utilise small rubber bands that you can purchase in bags from you local News Agent. They are great when it comes to storing lures in bulk in the same box, saves a hell of a lot of tangles, though you may have to replace the rubber bands every so often due to rubber perishing, but that doesn't matter, they are cheap enough to replace.

The idea is to wrap the two trebles, or even single treble close against the lure body, being a standard hard body or blade, and the size of the lure may mean that a larger rubber band may be required. Also with blades, you will need to wrap the rubber band once more around the trebles then over the top of the body.

I have bee using this method for years and it works a treat, saves you lugging a lot of lure boxes around when you can through em all straight in a Tupperware box.

Tight Lines

Robin


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## 4weightfanatic

I've only been using the small 1/8 th TT blades and have been having good success on the local flatties. I've been using 4lb fireline with 6lb vanish leader and just casting up into the shallows and hopping them back to the deeper water with the odd quick wind or upward flick of the rod tip. As mentioned by someone else though flatties engulf them and have lost a couple through rub offs. I'm of the opinion that colour is secondary to the lures action considering it is a vibration lure not a suspending minnow but I'm no expert.#### As far as storing multiple blades a tackle box like those used for spinnerbaits (yes Occy :lol: ) would probably be best. These have vertical partitions with slots that you "hang" the spinnerbait on. I'm sure one could be made with closer slot spacings to slot the tail treble into and maybe a strip of high density foam stuck to the vertical face in line with the belly treble with slots cut into it with a razor blade that you could push one of the barbed hooks into. Anyone seen fly boxes that use slotted foam ? Same idea - you don't push the point in but the flat underside opposite the barb -Follow ? This would stop the swinging and tangling together. Cheers Pat.


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## wadefishes

.Everyone seems to only be catching flatties on the blades i smash the bream on them and these are my go to lure for bream if it isnt surface reaming i must say its easy to catch flatties on them but for bream it requires a more refined teqnique. By the way ive yet to try any other than the ttblades because there awsome

wade


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## troutfish

Mzuri said:


> Hey Ezra (Troutfish)
> 
> In response to your tangled blade storage mess, I have a way around it, but it's not for everyone. I utilise small rubber bands that you can purchase in bags from you local News Agent. They are great when it comes to storing lures in bulk in the same box, saves a hell of a lot of tangles, though you may have to replace the rubber bands every so often due to rubber perishing, but that doesn't matter, they are cheap enough to replace.
> 
> The idea is to wrap the two trebles, or even single treble close against the lure body, being a standard hard body or blade, and the size of the lure may mean that a larger rubber band may be required. Also with blades, you will need to wrap the rubber band once more around the trebles then over the top of the body.
> 
> I have bee using this method for years and it works a treat, saves you lugging a lot of lure boxes around when you can through em all straight in a Tupperware box.
> 
> Tight Lines
> 
> Robin


Thanks Robin,

i'm doing that!  ;-) 

simple solution are often the best


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## 4weightfanatic

I think you'll find if you store blades loose like that with only the trebles held with rubber bands the paint jobs will chip off quite easily when they make contact with each other. PAT.


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## Mzuri

Your totally right Pat, I may get the odd chipped blade, as I mentioned, the storage method I use is not for everyone.

It's mainly useful when I have to travel light, when yakking in trout streams, and portaging the yak over shallow runs, bulky boxes in these situations aren't the best.

If I had a larger yak with more space I will definitely be using the nifty effective storage method that you recommended earlier.

Regards

Rob


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