Bent Minnows

Scotto James

If using bent minnows is new to you, the first thing that’s good to know is that these things work. They catch and attract larger than average browns because they can be a relatively big lure with an aggressive action that’s regularly too imposing for smaller fish. And whilst their action and shape are unique, the area they can effectively exploit within the column remains mostly under-utilised within hard body lure genres. This is a lure that does its best work from the surface to a foot or so under the surface, with this depth being open to subtle manipulation. Lure forms like bents and other presentations devoid of a pre-governed velocityinduced action need to be fished or angled, while the manufacturer’s specs allow for depth and movement, providing adequate manipulation from the angler incites the lure to move enticingly. So a bent minnow in one set of hands is unlikely to move the same in the hands of another. They can’t be slow-rolled. Fishing bents is an acquired skill and one that hopefully leads to a specific skill set particular to this lure alone. And within this lies the enjoyment, excitement and exhilaration of using bents. Their action probably remains unpredictable to the fish because there’s a level of unpredictability for the user too. In short, they’re a buzz to fish with and the first time a big brown trout detonates all over one, the picture procured in one’s mind is not easily forgotten.

The first thing to do is to find some bent minnows in the 86-90mm range. A smaller one in the 76 mm range is available and no doubt has trout applications, however, it might be worth concentrating on the bigger units for the moment as they’re the ones being used. These are the size that has worked on trout. Far bigger models are forging a reputation on species like flathead, whilst many bream anglers may be carrying appropriate bents anyway. A visit to your local tackle shop may or may not solve the problem. It’s not a widely used lure type in general terms and not all outlets carry them. Some research online may help offer up some solutions and some info on brands and pricing. Offerings start from as little as a cent from some online outlets through to more staple brands like OSP that run in the mid-30 dollar range. This lure has accounted for some of the fish pictured herein. Other brands like D&A

Lures produce bents at well under half that and have accounted for many fine fish. Boutique operators like Dave Kimber at ‘Breabaits’ offer handmade versions that have been eaten and supporting local lure builders is always a good thing. Starting with lures with a proven track record may be advantageous. It would probably be naive to think all lures this shape and size will work the same.

Bent minnows in the size discussed above come in both floating and sinking versions. Whilst sinking bents are far easier to use at the beginning, it’s worth considering why and where the lure style is being used. The floating version is deadly in shallow water and on top of and through patches of grasses and weeds. This takes place at the very top of the column and the floating versions allow for brief pauses where the lure will be close to stationary or slowly rising. Meanwhile, the sinking version will sink on pauses and they’re more likely to get hung up on the underwater structure to be fished through. Regarding the 50cm to sevenmetre depth range, about a million aggressive lures are proven in this space. If there’s a time for reinventing the wheel, this isn’t it. One of the first issues that may be encountered fishing floating bents is their inconsistency to do as they’re asked. Some retrieves will stay on the surface for too long, some will break the surface during retrieval and some will do both. This is a very simple technical issue that should be rectified by a couple of turns of the reel handle after the lure hits the water. This should get the lure under the surface. Starting with jabs or walk-the-dog-style movements will encourage inconsistencies. Whilst walk-the-dog type retrievals will work once the lure is under the water, it is far from the most effective way to use them. It’s a starting point at best.

The lure is designed to dart from side to side (for want of a better description). It is shaped and weighted to do that and has no bib. Every nuance of the rod tip will encourage the lure to do slightly different things. And because the exact direction of the lure laying in the water is rarely seen, the presentation can react differently to the same stimuli delivered by the angler. If we can’t guess its literal movement with some precision, what hope has the fish got? Its movement is best described as erratic, but it is only as erratic as it is asked to be. What we can do is control the power going through the lure and how many times we want it to dart. This is why a walk-the-dog style retrieves is a starting point only. Movement can be far more precise than that, as can the time frame between the lures darting style of action from one direction to the other. Speed will further accentuate lure movement and how aggressively you wish to fish the lure. Pauses encourage strikes at times and they will also see fish spook or lose interest. There’s no rule book on retrieves that will work on any given day. Write your own.

Gear, especially rods, is an individual choice and I’m using different rods than most folks and that’s better addressed in a separate article. Suffice it to say if they weren’t doing a better job than conventional or more popular length rods they wouldn’t be being used. In brief, Messiah Fishing’s fast-actioned 9’6” 2-4 kilo does a superlative job and attains casting distances many people could only dream about. Their 10’ 5” 2-4 kilo is a tad softer (not much) and less effective on this particular lure style, although it would be a first choice for most other lures for trout fishing in lakes. This observation does open the door for some thoughts regarding action. Softer rods commonly used on trout like 1-2 kg sticks around 7 feet or soft to moderate 1-3kg rods will probably be less effective. This is primarily due to their recoil time when pushing power through the lure. The physics of the rod means the lure will still be moving to where it wants to be as the rod continues to straighten between movements/jabs. The next movement of the rod will come while the lure is still gathering speed on its current trajectory and can cause the lure to disorientate and blow out through the surface. Faster rods achieve this almost instantly and are more user-friendly. In saying that, most conventional trout-purposed rods and actions will get you started and certainly work well enough to present the lure well and catch big fish. The observations above may be a tad technical but that shouldn’t decrease their relevance.

Regarding the hardware they carry, some brands offer quality trebles and some less so. Quality trebles are worth the money and reap their rewards. Big trout, especially bucks, have big mouths and replacing the standard hooks with slightly bigger ones makes sense and offers more lure body coverage, especially to the gut section. The wider gapes in larger trebles probably enable more jaw hinge hookups and these are worth their weight in gold. No hook set is more secure. Increasing hook size comes with the proviso that it doesn’t inhibit lure action. A quick play with the lure in the water after the refit will tell that story.

Rod tip orientation is most comfortable pointed toward the water and on the angler’s backhand side at about 10.30 through 9.30 on the clock dial, as an example. The backhand side or the rod tip pointing to the left of the centre of the rod is held in the right hand and accommodates a modern Australian light spin stick design with up-locking seats and short fore grips. These designs allow the forefinger to lay over the foregrip and rest on the bare blank. This encourages rod movement against the forefinger on the blank and there’s simply no design feature that can transmit a message to the brain faster than this. Australian light spin rod designs lead the world in this field. Directional orientation also allows for rod movement to create lure action and offers a capacity for the rod to load before the drag engages upon a hookup. Rod tips pointed directly at lures will lead to bust-offs using light lines if strikes are violent. These things are easily overlooked but remain important.

Reels in the 2000 to 2500 size range work well on big trout. They carry enough line and can generally keep up with large fish hitting the afterburners during directional changes. Slackline in this situation can lead to heartbreak. Both braided and conventional lines are suitable.

The single best piece of advice that can be given regarding catching large brown trout is to fish where they live. There are countless Tasmanian Lakes that hold fish over four pounds and a little research will provide those answers. Some have fish over ten pounds. There are probably even more waters that hold fish predominantly under three pounds. They will contain a huge head of fish that bents of this size will likely intimidate and not entice. Obviously, there are rivers in Tasmania with very large fish however the capacity of this lure style to effectively deal with the current has not been explored.

This season alone has offered up 11 fish over eight pounds on these lures in the Central Highlands while more conventional and popular branded hard bodies and flies have seen many fish at six pounds and under. It is not a coincidence. But, they’re far more than a Tasmania big fish lure. For travelling fisho’s, Victoria is also producing large fish on bents.

Shane Stevens is a well-known fly fisher who plies his trade in many Victorian waters including Lake Wendouree at Ballarat. Shane fishes lure as well and his captures on OSP 86 Bents have been notable. Those interested can follow Shane online @shanesfishin. Further west in the state, few if any anglers have caught more big trout on bents than Mick Evans of Victorian Inland Charters. Mick runs a highly successful guiding business and has introduced more people to bents and genre techniques than anyone I know. He concentrates a lot of time and effort on big fish waters like Purrembete and Bullen Merri using 90mm bents from D&A lures, which he regards highly.

Making things work for the sake of saying it can be done isn’t a great way to spend fishing time. It is also not what people that embrace different or new lure types do. Not that there’s anything new about bents. But commonplace acceptance as a big trout weapon has so far eluded them. That said, bents are carving out a reputation as a high-column classic because the opportunity to really exploit this niche area just under the surface probably hasn’t presented itself within the current limitations of popular hardbody bibbed lures. Seizing new opportunities via observation allows for presentations that should work. There can’t be any real surprises that a wounded fish profile of this size will catch big trout. The surprise is they didn’t go mainstream years ago.

Bent minnows work well along bank side structure and over shallow weed beds.

You’re an Angler, and no matter how many times you go fishing you’ll want to go again and no matter how many fish you catch (or nearly catch) it will never be enough.

There will be days when the fishing is better than one’s most optimistic forecast, others when it is far worse. Either is a gain over just staying home. You’re hooked, along with us.

WE ARE TONIC!