Blading and vibing

Blades and vibes have made themselves at home in the Australian market, and for good reason. Their ability to catch fish everywhere in the country in seemingly any depth of water appeals to those who use them, but for those who don’t, let’s take a look at what blades and vibes are.

A blade is simply a slice of metal (resembling a blade) that when pulled through the water or jigged will vibrate. A vibe is a more all-encompassing term, that includes those made of other materials like soft plastic and hard plastic and works in the same way. They can be cast, trolled or jigged vertically. They really are one of the most useful all-round lures available today!

Blades and vibes can be useful for bream, flathead and whiting in the estuaries, bass, yellowbelly and redfin in the freshwater, as well as snapper and various other reef fish on offshore grounds. There are of course more uses, and these options are only scratching the surface!

Some of the best known blades and vibes are the Berkley Shimma Fork, Zerek Fish Trap range and Ecogear ZX series blades, however there is a huge range and all of them will catch fish.

If you want to add another trick to your angling arsenal, make sure you stock up on some blades and vibes and learn about the subtleties of each one. Some blades require a lot of movement to get the desired action while others only need small movement to send out the seductive vibrations that call in hungry fish. Some will work better on the cast, while others will work better fished vertically under the boat. Some, such as the Berkley Bigeye Blade and Ecogear ZX series feature multiple tow points, meaning they have been designed for casting and jigging!

The list of species that have been fooled by these amazing lures is ever-growing, and just shows how versatile they are. Make sure you have a few next time you head out on the water!