tips marlin magnet
Few people can argue with the success of either the daisy-chain teaser or the Ilander Lure (Hawaiian Eye) from Tournament Tackle. Although I’ve seen quite a few teasers made by Iland Lures over the years, I think the one we pulled in this year’s New Smyrna Beach Billfish tournament would give any one of them a run for its money.
Start by making the first weighted lure in the daisy chain by crimping the section of 500-pound cable onto your trolling sinker. Slide down one of the Ilanders onto the weight, and crimp a loop in the tag end to form the attachment to your teaser line. Next, crimp down the swivel crimps in 2-foot increments along your 500-pound mono and crimp on a snap swivel at each end.
To make your branch lines, crimp a swivel on each end of the lines where you’ll attach them to the main line, slide on an Ilander and crimp a 2-inch loop in the other end with a section of Monel wire under the crimp. (Size the loop to match the bait you’re using.) Follow the same procedure for all the branch lines and then attach them to the main line with the snap swivels.
Prepare your ballyhoo by removing the eyes, and then slide a ballyhoo’s head through each of the loops, nesting the loop behind the bait’s gill plates. Now run the Monel through the eye sockets two times, then up through the chin and out through the soft spot in the hoo’s lip. Pull the Monel tight and wrap down the bill to finish.
Attach the front end of the teaser line to the weighted Ilander with the snap swivel and add one more Ilander and ballyhoo branch to the back and you’re done.
With this setup, you can prepare several branch lines in advance, so when a marlin comes up and mauls the teaser – and believe me, they will – you can change out the individual lines quickly and easily with the snaps.
This teaser also works well for both sails and white marlin when you downsize the lures to Tournament Tackle’s Tracker lures and use smaller ballyhoo.
Materials Needed
- 7 Ilander Lures or Hawaiian Eyes (all the same color)
- 1 24- to 36-ounce trolling sinker
- 15 feet of 500-pound mono
- 5 feet of 400-pound mono
- 5 swivel-crimps
- 6 horse ballyhoo
- Monel wire
- 7 snap swivels
- 2-foot section of 475-pound cable
- 14 2.2-millimeter crimps
