Good vibrations - the TT Switchblade

Tournament bream fishing over the last three years has steadily developed into the biggest fishing craze to have ever swept the nation. Bream angling has evolved into a glamorous star-studded event in its own right and continues to grow more and more every year. The list of equipment being used by tournament and specialist bream anglers is growing at a phenomenal rate.

Written by: Jay Perham

Just keeping on top of all the new products being released seems a full time effort. Numerous overseas tackle imports are flooding the market and have found their niche within Australian style competitions. Unfortunately, these imported products also carry a hefty price tag that can see anglers' tackle boxes becoming their most costly items to maintain, besides their boats of course. Soft plastics, hardbodies, wake baits, surface baits, stick baits, poppers... but what to use? This is the ultimate question that has anglers walking around in some sort of possessed zombie like state prior to competition day. Recently bursting onto the scene are blade baits. They dominated the winner's circle with several first place wins in the 2008 Summer Series events. Not only have blade baits outclassed other techniques by bagging bigger fish, they have also been boasting a higher turnover of fish to enable the angler to continually upgrade, which in a competition is paramount. These lures have solved a problem that has plagued anglers for several years; pulling fish from deep reef systems and pylons during strong tidal flow. With minimal water resistance, blade baits have overcome this quandary giving fishers access to areas, normally unfishable, which hold bigger fish. In recent times, supplies of blade baits have only been available in Australia via import from American and Japanese companies. This is now all set to change!

Switchblade
Tackle Tactics is leading the way with their hot new and innovative blade bait design, equipped with hardware built to fish the harsh Australian environment. Aptly named the Switchblade, it's an incredible piece of tackle that is so good it should be illegal.
Remember the expensive side of breaming? With the Switchblade having a suggested retail price of $13.95, angler's budgets are one thing that won't get busted up! The finish TT has achieved on the Switchblade is exceptional and definitely holds its own when compared to similar imported lures currently on the market. Coupled with this, TT has gone to great lengths to research a wide range of common bait fish to inspire their 10 colours.

These beaut little lures are proving to be more than just bream killers, the species list is escalating all the time. What makes the Switchblade so attractive is its tight shimmy action that is evident even at the slightest movement of the rod tip. This instantaneous response allows for the blade to be retrieved in all manner of styles, from vertical jigging to slow hopping across sandbars and rock walls. The adjustable tow point gives the Switchblade even more versatility allowing the angler to adjust the lure from a tight shimmy to a strong darting action.
On a recent trip to target bream in the Brisbane River, I tied on a Switchblade for the first time and my buddy tied on a 3" soft plastic. The Switchblade easily out-fished the plastic! On one pier alone the Switchblade subdued three nicely conditioned bream and the plastic never received a touch. In my eyes these results speak for themselves. Needless to say, subsequent trips have seen heavy usage of the Switchblade with outstanding fishing coming from deep water locations not usually fished for bream. But don't just take my word for it... give it a try for yourself and I guarantee you won't be disappointed. Initially, TT Lures has released the 1/8th ounce, 37mm Switchblade to specifically target the bream market, but I'm sure that trout, redfin and flathead anglers will soon realise the benefits of this lure. The 1/4 and 1/2oz sizes further broaden the range of species that can be targeted in a variety of situations... I can't wait to give them a go in snapper season.