Ledges n Edges
NEW: Sea Iron Casting Spoons now available!!
These exciting and innovative casting lures are now available in Western Australia!
These high quality metal lures were designed and fully field-tested in Port Elizabeth South Africa by Ian van Loggenberg, in conjunction with several well-known lure and tackle makers. Sea Iron casting spoons have several unique features that make them very suitable for use by progressive, innovative fishermen in Australia on a wide range of inshore and pelagic predatory fish species. In the short time they have been available in Western Australia, they have proven to be productive takers of many game-fish species.
Why have we chosen this stainless steel to make these lures?
Our experience shows that this steel offers us a wide range of attributes, including the following:
- Stainless steel is non-toxic. It can be safely worked during the manufacture process. Also, our lures are completely safe when handled and stored by anglers. Finally, if lost on rock or reef, or swallowed by fish or sharks, they are very greatly less toxic or harmful to marine life than spoons made with lead.
- Stainless steel lures are extremely strong and durable. They will retain their shape and action since these lures are highly unlikely to ever be bent out of shape by contact with rocks, reefs or tortured out of shape by large and powerful fish with bolt cutter-like jaws.
- Our steel lures are extremely hard, and their surfaces offer little grip or purchase for sharp teeth, unlike many lures made with softer materials. We believe that this might increase their hook-up rates, relative to other "hard-bodied" lures made of softer materials.
- Our steel be worked readily during manufacture and lures so worked hold the appearance of its dimpled and bright silvery-white finish. Also, the colour of the polished metal closely simulates the basic colour of many common baitfishes.
- This steel provides an excellent compromise between the size of lure and its weight. Our lures cast well.
- This steel can be finished by electro-polishing, which further increases its resistance to corrosion, and brightens its finish.
What are the features of these lures?
Although this steel was chosen for a combination of attributes, even so-called "marine grade" stainless steel is not completely resistant to corrosion in warm salt water. With this in mind, these slab-sided, deeply dimpled spoons, after forging and polishing, are electro-polished to a smooth, whitish-silver finish. This process brings the chrome present in this steel to the surface of the lure, brightening its colour, smoothing the lure's surface of any high spots that might attract galvanic corrosion, and thereby increasing its resistance to that enemy of all metal lures, salt water. The shape of these lures resembles many important baitfish found in estuaries, in-shore and in pelagic waters in Australia and Oceania. All lures have a unique one-piece construction, featuring drilled eyelets accommodating the strong stainless split rings and ovals with which the lures are fitted. The combination of dimpled top and bottom of the lures, plus the slab sides and polished flats at both front and back of the lures throws light over some distance underwater, and strongly suggests the presence of scales. Also, under-water video footage we have taken shows that lures skipped over the water surface (a retrieve that attracts strikes from many powerful game-fish) pull a large bubble trail in their wake, something that the deeply dimpled surfaces of the lure make possible. Many game fish appear to find this bubble trail hard to resist. Lures are fitted with high quality single hooks. The hooks chosen, in our view offer, the best compromise between reduced rates of snagging on rocks and coral, hooking ability, ease of removing the hook from the fish (and hopefully FAR less commonly, from clothing, equipment, pets and people!) plus ease of sharpening. Finally, we are always looking to refine and improve the function and effectiveness of these lures, so the Sea Iron Series will always be a work in progress.
Above: A Spaniard taken on a 3 oz Sea Iron Casting spoon last winter.
How are these lures fished?
Each lure comes in a reusable vinyl sleeve with the hook rigged from the narrow end of the spoon. Rigged this way, a wide, swaying wobble results on a slow retrieve. However, when casting to distant, surface-breaking, fast moving pelagics like long-tailed tuna, these spoons can alternatively be rigged with the hook fitted to the ring at the broad end. Rigged this way, the lure can be retrieved much faster through or over the water, and has a tighter, more snaking action. We believe they also cast slightly further into the wind. Whichever way you choose, they can be skipped over the water's surface: a deadly method in rougher, foamier or murkier water, or at night during the full moon. People should try various retrieves. Lures can also be jigged, slowly or rapidly reeled in, or simply dropped and allowed to sink, before being twitched up through the water column. Their versatility is limited only by the angler's imagination. Get tweaking, and let us know how you go!
- The sea iron lures are in 4 sizes with the following prices:
- 1/2oz = $7.50
- 1oz = $8.50
- 2oz = $10.50
- 3oz = $11.50
