3D TUNA

This dredge offering is far from just another rubber fish

- CAMERON J. RHODES

Do you remember those dinosaur toys made of wood pieces that would lock together to form the skeletons of Jurassic Park's most formidable characters? Well, those kits weren't the flashiest of toys, but it seems that folks from various generations recall playing with them at some point in their childhood. One man's experiences with those rudimentary puzzle pieces would inspire a design that is now popping up in dredges and teaser chains around the world.

When you walk the docks of any active marina, especially during a tournament, it's common to catch a glimpse of each crew's choice of tackle. You'll likely see a multitude of squid chains in an array of colors similar to what you might find in a box of crayons. You'll also see schools of flat, black rubber tuna-commonly referred to as mud flaps-cut to various sizes. These two-dimensional mud flaps intend to mimic the silhouette of a live tuna, which have been around for quite a while but are now an important artificial teaser bait on almost every boat that targets billfish using dead bait or lures.

FLICKERS OF INNOVATION

Capt. Grant Bentley runs Home Run, a 60-foot Spencer based out of Charleston, South Carolina, and has decades of experience raising blue marlin at home as well as destinations such as Mexico and Virginia Beach. Bentley has been using mud flaps in his spread since they were first made available many years ago. There are many perks to using mud flaps, and unlike dead baits such as ballyhoo or mullet, they can be used multiple times over. Tuna in general also make for pretty enticing prey. "Blue marlin want big meals," Bentley explains. "If they're going to exert the energy, it's got to be worth the calories, and having low-drag flaps on your dredge looks like a banquet for any hungry or inquisitive blue marlin."