In Galway yesterday so I dropped into the tackle shops to see if there was anything new. I came across a plug made by ABU Garcia called the Tormentor. I think this has been around for while, it is just I hadn’t seen them until now. Jointed and unjointed are available so I invested in one of each.
The only colours I found were silver/black, gold / orange and a lime green which looked OK for Pike but not for salmon. There may be other colours in the range so I will keep an eye out for them. The only sizes I saw in Galway were 11cm, fairly substantial baits! They are definitely available in smaller sizes too which could be useful for grilse.
When compared to a 11cm Rapala these Tormentors look like they have been on steroids. I suspect they will flash and reflect light much better than the normal Rapala which may be an advantage in murky water. Here is a link to the ABU Garcia youtube videos of the swimming action of these plugs:
I also bought a Cormoran N35 Minnow. These are beautifully crafted plugs with amazingly detailed bodies. The one I bought is coloured like a baby Brown Trout. At only 7 grams it would be light to cast but I intend trolling it behind the boat so casting weight is not a concern. The makers claim this small plug (only 85mm long) swims at a depth of 1.5 metres, and that is just about the right level for most of the trolling I do on Lough Conn. Any deeper and you are plagued with snagging on the bottom.
For now they will all have to reside in the lure box with the rest of my salmon plugs, tucked away in the tackle bag until next spring.
Claretbumbler 