Hammerhead I Cups

[David Sharples]

Cheers Brandon, how about a Baker with 2 x 11/0 SJ41's?

I can probably get some big Decoys from Jarvis at Shimreels, the Recorders are just ridiculously expensive!

[Pat Victorino]

  Hi David,

     GT Recorders only are available up to 8/0.Talked with Jarvis a few weeks ago and he had a report from one of his customers who had a recent trip to X-Mas island.Unfortunately,two big GT were lost on opened 8/0 Recorders.We've had isolated incidents with failed recorders,although not common.Given the right situation and angle probally any treble will eventually give.
 Just to let you know he's in Fiji at the moment until the 6th.
 The SJ-41(11/0) will be way to small for a baker rig.
 On price,haven't checked but if i'm not mistaken the Gama's are cheaper than the Decoy(10/0).

       Pat

[Brandon Khoo]

David, Pat has pretty much summed it up.

SJ-41s are way too small for a baker rig for the I Cup. Also, any treble on the market will open if the fish gets it the wrong way (well, right way for the fish!). From what I've seen over time, the Recorders hold up better than the Decoys. The Decoys were good a few years back and then they obviously changed the hook - and not for the better.

If you're using a popper like an I Cup, you're targeting serious fish. Maybe an option is to consider running big singles instead like Jobus in a 9/0 or 10/0. Look for a heavy guage single - there are lots on the markets. I find the shank on the Jobu just a bit too long to be ideal myself.

Price-wise, both Recorders and Decoys are expensive. Pretty much lineball from what I've seen in the past - depends on where you buy them.

I've attached a few photos below for comparative purposes so you can see that the difference. First photo is an I CUP with a ST-76 5/0 followed by the Decoy 10/0 followed by the Gamakatsu Recorder 8/0. It's a big popper!!

[Mick Cunningham]

Brandon ... GOOD JOB ... keep it up ...


well i guess he will have to pay more money for the Gamakatsu Recorder 8/0 .

i have the decoy 10/0 but they are okay but i am waiting for them to be bended so i can show it off on my wall  .

but i mostly like the ST76 cos it,s so tough 

[Luke Wyrsta]

The I-Cup being such a heavy lure as it is - I prefer to run 11/0 Decoy Singles. Work very well - good hook-ups on fish where it counts and minimal fouling. You'll also find that you will avoid unwanted by-catch (not completely, but significantly) - GT under 60lb/Trout/Bluefin etc. by using bigger singles.

[Brandon Khoo]

that's the reason why I prefeer the Decoys. on a mega-popper like the I Cup, it's already so damn heavy without the hooks. The Gamakatsu Recorder is a deadset grappling hook. All in all, I think you might be better off with singles.

The I-Cup being such a heavy lure as it is - I prefer to run 11/0 Decoy Singles. Work very well - good hook-ups on fish where it counts and minimal fouling. You'll also find that you will avoid unwanted by-catch (not completely, but significantly) - GT under 60lb/Trout/Bluefin etc. by using bigger singles.

[David Sharples]

Cheers Brandon. always going the extra mile! Really appreciate it!

That popper is huge, it even makes the big recorder look a bit small. I'm getting a few Shout Kudako hooks to run as a Baker underneath, may get a few recorders as well just to see how it all goes together.

Does a spinner blade off the back help at all with balance and stopping it flying out of the water?

[Aaron Concord]

David,

The blade on the tail might work well, though it would need to be a large one! There is merit in trying it.
The Shout Kudako 7/0 hooks I tried on today swung very well under the belly of the I Cup...perfect fit. They are a BIG 7/0!!
If you want less trouble un-hooking GT's, then a Baker rigged belly and a blade on the tail should work fine...no worse than a treble-blade combo and lighter to boot...

Aaron.

[Brandon Khoo]

holy smoke, that will be the biggest popper I have ever seen with a spinner blade!

Kudakos make good Baker although the slight offset eye is a bit of a pain. If you're prepared to go to the effort, they're made of a metal that bends reasonably easily in a vice. Go for the biggest Kudako which is the 7/0 Aaron is recommending.

[Aaron Concord]

Brandon,

I've used BIG willow blades on the Lively Lures GT popper, which is 200mm long and it worked a treat!
Flails around a bit during the cast, though it flashes around like mad when retreived and holds the lure's bum in the drink a bit better.
Had a 30kg GT poke holes through it, and spaniards like to munch on the silver blade as well.
I'd like to see an I Cup tried like this...with the Baker belly rig.
Can't hurt to try eh?

Aaron.

[David Sharples]

Off to Musandam on the 20th September or so so I'll let you know how it works. Apparently they have a run of spaniards at that time of year, big fish at 20kg plus.. just hope I don't get too many poppers clipped off by these things.

Last time one chased a popper out of the water right at my feet. If it had been six inches higher my baby making days would have been over. As it was it smashed into the rail. Serves it right.

[Brandon Khoo]

if there are a lot of spaniards around, they're going to terrorise your poppers. It may pay to add a bite segment of wire to the end of your leaders if you find they're stealing your poppers sp it may pay to take some wire along

[Aaron Concord]

David,

I'm with Brandon on taking wire.
Single strand wire does a great job of flossing spaniard gums!
The flashy blade DOES make them more prone to the 'mack attack', though since it is at the rear, you are a lot less likely for a spaniard, or big GT to bite you off since they line the blade up pretty well.

[Travis Heaps]

....You'll also find that you will avoid unwanted by-catch (not completely, but significantly) - GT under 60lb/Trout/Bluefin etc...

  Yeah I hate catching all those things Luke