Hey guys, got a question I'd like some opinions on.

First questions are - what sort of boat, how is it rigged, and what speed will you troll at? Lures that work well off the back of a game fishing launch with big riggers etc at 8 or 9 knots may be lazy buggers being towed from the rodholder at 7knts in a 6m tinny. For a launch I would a resin head Legend Merlin in green/gold in the spread every time, but it is a straight runner and I don't know how it would run at lower heights and speeds (ask Obald). My personal favourite is the Hooker All American in red/white/blue and it has enough action to swim a little slower, but I don't know many people that run them other than myself. If you can I would try and borrow a small selection of lures and try running them off your boat down the harbour or whatever to see which ones will have a good action at your speeds and with your heights.

Cheers guys. Tagit, fishing mainly from 5.7m tinny, with riggers. Trolling at 7knt

Maybe a sprocket in evil and you are done.

the angler wrote: You are off to a good start courtesy of b.a., both those lures are proven performers and have probably caught more marlin in nz then any other lures, I wouldn't get to caught up into the hype of lure buying especially expensive ones , save the money for gas .

We changed over after a season running zukers and B/M freedom grand slam and other lures, with a couple fish in the gear but none landed. Till this season just been, First trip out with a Bonze spread landed our first stripy on a Bonze 'Grimmel'. Second trip to have another fish chasing a 'Money for Nothing' (Bonze). Had another fish up on the third trip out that pulled the hook during the fight once again on a 'Grimmel'. 

Stats from this season.
Lumo sprocket 4
Z b/p 1
Skipped dead bait 8
Swum dead bait 2
Must add we fished the lures differently this year ,switched way down in hook size and freespooled the lures back to the fish after a strike that didn't hook up.
Fuel is the single best investment you can make to increase your chances of catching a fish , if you are in the right spot at the right time a 10$ Kodak killer lure will do the same job as a 250$ status symbol show pony lure.

At slower trolling speeds you need more height (tall riggers etc) to get some lures to work, and may also have to lighten up on how they are rigged, plus get them swimming in the right place. Can take a bit or sorting out and I have lures that I could never get to run well from my tinny. I would initially at least focus on some lures with angled faces to go with the Sprocket and 5.5. Some angled head lures that are too active on a launch might be perfect on your boat. I would also look at some rod holder outriggers to give you some height to play with. Other thing I would do is get a smaller lure to run right out the back as a 'shotgun', but use a tall pole in the rocket launcher etc to give it as much height as you comfortably can. 

the angler wrote: Stats from this season. Lumo sprocket 4 Z b/p 1 Skipped dead bait 8 Swum dead bait 2 Must add we fished the lures differently this year ,switched way down in hook size and freespooled the lures back to the fish after a strike that didn't hook up. Fuel is the single best investment you can make to increase your chances of catching a fish , if you are in the right spot at the right time a 10$ Kodak killer lure will do the same job as a 250$ status symbol show pony lure.

Looks like anglers stats support the theory of billfish actually eat baitfish!!!! WTF
Save heaps, get some chin sinkers, waxed thread, and a sabiki, after that your lures will only cost 5 minutes on the way out to ya marlin grounds, much more chance of a fish chewing the sheet outta a bait than a lure