Nomad Squidtrex

[NAGG]

Now who doesn't like a good squid lure ?

I managed to pick up a couple of these bad boys yesterday - before they hit the shelves 8-) 126592


These are the 130mm ones (92 grams)

They come in 4 sizes & the 130mm is the second largest . (Cost $25 ish)

They come in some great colours , use BKK hooks
They look like they will be quite durable too - I like that the candles are extra stretchy (not unlike a ZMan)

At this size & weight - they should be awesome for fishing those deeper waters & I plan to give them a good go on the Samson grounds off Evans Had in the next week or so
I'd imagine these will be a killer on those North Qld reds/ nannies etc ...... but my guess everything will eat them

Anyhow they should be in the tackle stores now .... or close to it Check em out! 8-)

Chris

[alleycat]

Looks good, be a good snapper or jew lure .
https://youtu.be/VdGQySC-MQo

[Volvo]

Amazing what a little Youtube can do for promoting our latest Toys lol.
Yes Chris i am also looking out for some of these to try out :).

[alleycat]

The smaller vertrex is one of my favorite flathead lures when the water is over say 2 meters deep , I take the trebles off and just have a double on the rear , less foul ups on casting and I hate trebles , a flathead thrashing around in a landing net can tie tangles you couldn't imagine and I don't want one in my hand , silver color is my favorite.

Nomad Vertrex Swim and Vertrex Max - What's the Difference? - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO5qia7KogQ)

[NAGG]

The smaller vertrex is one of my favorite flathead lures when the water is over say 2 meters deep , I take the trebles off and just have a double on the rear , less foul ups on casting and I hate trebles , a flathead thrashing around in a landing net can tie tangles you couldn't imagine and I don't want one in my hand , silver color is my favorite.

Nomad Vertrex Swim and Vertrex Max - What's the Difference? - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO5qia7KogQ)

try using assist hooks …… work quite well

chris

[chris69]

There nice ive allways liked the Chasebait ones these ones glow real nice.

[Volvo]

Just bought two 95s n three 110s try out.
Tackle shop i bought from reckons they sell soon as they hit on the wall.

[chris69]

Just bought two 95s n three 110s try out.
Tackle shop i bought from reckons they sell soon as they hit on the wall.

Well there a good lure then they catch fishermen.

[Volvo]

Have a feeling you might be spot on there Mate :).

[NAGG]

Well there a good lure then they catch fishermen.

I reckon they will catch much more than fishoes

Chris

[NAGG]

There nice ive allways liked the Chasebait ones these ones glow real nice.

I've used the chasebaits for the last 4 or 5 years (have a nice collection) & they work well - the downside is how they are rigged & the candles are torn off real easy

without using one yet I reckon these things are something else though - ditto for the Daiwa soft shell for smaller species .

Chris

[Volvo]

My only concern was the hooks looked a tad on the smallish side and tinny ??.

[NAGG]

My only concern was the hooks looked a tad on the smallish side and tinny ??.

Look ok(ish) on the 130 - BKK hooks are pretty well top of the tree these days so no concerns for me ...... I should know in the next couple of weeks

easy enough to go up a size though

Chris

[Volvo]

So they are supposed to be , will have to suss out some BKK hooks see if they look the same ??.
Otherwise they are look the goods .
Will try the 95s for Fingermark, Grunter inside and keep the 110 in heavier run.
Do the job I'll certainly get some 130s n 150s.

[chris69]

So they are supposed to be , will have to suss out some BKK hooks see if they look the same ??.
Otherwise they are look the goods .
Will try the 95s for Fingermark, Grunter inside and keep the 110 in heavier run.
Do the job I'll certainly get some 130s n 150s.

They look like they would be good for some Red Empire up your way do you ever fish the Gutter that runs out to Tyron ?.

[Volvo]

Most certainly have and far more than once :).

[tunaticer]

Seems like the wheel keeps getting re-invented all the time....Nomad had a much bigger marketing presence than anyone else though.
Sure it will work....better than the others is debatable, but one thing for sure is it will reap lots of coin from lots of anglers wallets quickly simply with the marketing strategy.

[Volvo]

Seems like the wheel keeps getting re-invented all the time....Nomad had a much bigger marketing presence than anyone else though.
Sure it will work....better than the others is debatable, but one thing for sure is it will reap lots of coin from lots of anglers wallets quickly simply with the marketing strategy.

Not wrong there :) , like i previousely said . Where i got mine the shelfe had been emptied twice lol..

[Dignity]

Caloundra Bait and Tackle had full shelves early in the week.

[Volvo]

Dig most the so called "Bait n tackle Stores were first off the rank to get them in and in good supplies too as BCF and adjascent tackle stores are still waiting till next week from what im told..

[NAGG]

Seems like the wheel keeps getting re-invented all the time....Nomad had a much bigger marketing presence than anyone else though.
Sure it will work....better than the others is debatable, but one thing for sure is it will reap lots of coin from lots of anglers wallets quickly simply with the marketing strategy.

I think this lure is quite different to what else is on the market ….. and it’s even different to the daiwa soft shell 90. Unlike the vertrex which is just a large trans am . So hats off to Nomad on this one.
Fishoes who are progressive do like innovation & will climb over everyone else to get their hands on the latest n greatest ….. they will sell out fast like the Daiwa soft shell which lasted just a few hours before selling out….. 6 week wait followed..

unlike the Daiwa soft shell where there was video out with guys testing them weeks before their release this squidtrex was kept hush hush with pretty well the stuff appearing on social media coinciding with store arrivals. Nomad clearly did their research on these lures & after watching a few of the videos yesterday …. They clearly work up north. It will be interesting to see how they go down South. I’ll let you know how I go with them

Chris

[NAGG]

Dig most the so called "Bait n tackle Stores were first off the rank to get them in and in good supplies too as BCF and adjascent tackle stores are still waiting till next week from what im told..

Nomad did their homework….. Daiwa by comparison stuffed up with the release of the soft shell 90. I know of 3 stores that sold their stock in 1 day with one selling out in 4 hours ….. I actually got mine from WA.

Chris

[chris69]

A smart man could make something very close with a vibe that’s lost it’s tail by adding some stingers and tenticals and some sent.

[NAGG]

A smart man could make something very close with a vibe that’s lost it’s tail by adding some stingers and tenticals and some sent.

& with all the resources that the big tackle & lure manufacturers have - it took a Aussie company to actually do it 8-)

Shame they don't make it here in Australia

Chris

[alleycat]

Tackleworld at
Lawnton has a good supply of squidtrex and vortex

[disorderly]

$25 for a soft plastic aint gunna happen for me....

Bad enough when I lose so many Reds to the Sharks as it is but I'd be filthy losing 25 bucks a drop using plastics..

Anyway, when they are on the chew any lump of fish fillet will do the job..mostly they really arent that fussy..

Sometimes the Nannies, particularly Smallmouth will just suck on the Squid and you dont really know that its in their mouth till you lift the rod tip and feel the weight, then strike and they are on...wonder how they would go if they tasted plastic instead of slimy squid...

[NAGG]

$25 for a soft plastic aint gunna happen for me....

Bad enough when I lose so many Reds to the Sharks as it is but I'd be filthy losing 25 bucks a drop using plastics..

Anyway, when they are on the chew any lump of fish fillet will do the job..mostly they really arent that fussy..

Sometimes the Nannies, particularly Smallmouth will just suck on the Squid and you dont really know that its in their mouth till you lift the rod tip and feel the weight, then strike and they are on...wonder how they would go if they tasted plastic instead of slimy squid...

I'm actually surprised the cost wasn't higher (specially for the 130 & 150mm) . Most soft vibes are in that bracket & these are priced around the same as the Vertrex . still beats $37 for a jackall trans-am .

But I hear you ......

The reality is that lure fishing isn't cheap ...... go throw hardbodies at Jacks or bream in the oyster racks - the losses can add up real quick.

then again bait fishing isn't cheap either - I'll go through $75-$90 / day in pilchards next week at Evans Head (between 2 or us)

It will be interesting to hear the thoughts of the members here who try them

Chris

[Dignity]

I'm actually surprised the cost wasn't higher (specially for the 130 & 150mm) . Most soft vibes are in that bracket & these are priced around the same as the Vertrex . still beats $37 for a jackall trans-am .

But I hear you ......

The reality is that lure fishing isn't cheap ...... go throw hardbodies at Jacks or bream in the oyster racks - the losses can add up real quick.

then again bait fishing isn't cheap either - I'll go through $75-$90 / day in pilchards next week at Evans Head (between 2 or us)

It will be interesting to hear the thoughts of the members here who try them

Chris

The fuel to run your motor probably a bigger cost.
That's a lot of pillies a day, I buy solid blocks to cut up as berley (often lasts 2 trips) and then only take out 2kg IQF for bait. We do jig for yakkas and slimmies on way out to supplement our bait.
We used to camp on NW Island for 10 days and each person got 10 pillies a day as starter baits, we just didn't have the storage or refrigeration available for more, these days with solar panels we probably would have but it changes the way you fish.

Edit: lost too many $25/30 lures first drop to unstoppables to buy them now, bad enough losing hooks that cost a fair bit these days.

[Volvo]

What did someone post earlier , that these Toys are meant to catch Fishermen more so than Fish lol ??.
Sometimes i wander if the Fish attack the lure due to its appeal or because its bobbing up n down in their face and they attack it being annoying as we swat flies that get in our face lol..
Also Fish feeding in a frenzy i presume would attack at anything.
When i had the 6 metery i would also use it for chasing Whiting and all Whiting frames were kept for Red Emperor bait.
Can assurre you that beside live yakkas Whiting Frames get mauled by Reds and sometimes couldnt have enough if the Reds were borderline in size.
I have three Bunnings tool bags near choccers with lures not counting what here n there elsewhere and i do believe those purchases were made due to Good advertising , what ide hear from others who mainly use lures etc etc like all of us in the same Boat lol.
Like so many Rods , Knives , and other bits n pieces i wander if its part of the Disease :)??.
In all honest if its just a feed one is after then some starter bait till one catches somethin good enough for bait should surfice , a little spare time of an arvo or during the day chasing small Mullet or Herring (Grrenbacks ) works well out on the reef also.
Maybe not ass pretty as Nomads or some of the other Plastics?? but they do the job.
Otherwise if its a clean esky to start off with save carrying Pillies , Cutlefish heads , Squid etc then Vibes . Plastics , Jigs and Occy lookalike Plastics Do the job and you can get to feel like some of the Yayatube Fishing heros lol..( maybe thats a tad nasty saying that n should appologise ??)
Anyhoos im guilty like most so no excuses But like i said previousely that if its the Big Reds n Nannies your after and you also like chasing Whiting then dont waster their frames , Use them n you might be mildly surprised :)..
Mmmmmm wander if i should get a coulple more of those squidtress 95s for inside ??::)::)..

[Dignity]

On Fraser Island we'd target tailor to use for red emperor, they can't resist them.

[NAGG]

The fuel to run your motor probably a bigger cost.
That's a lot of pillies a day, I buy solid blocks to cut up as berley (often lasts 2 trips) and then only take out 2kg IQF for bait. We do jig for yakkas and slimmies on way out to supplement our bait.
We used to camp on NW Island for 10 days and each person got 10 pillies a day as starter baits, we just didn't have the storage or refrigeration available for more, these days with solar panels we probably would have but it changes the way you fish.

Edit: lost too many $25/30 lures first drop to unstoppables to buy them now, bad enough losing hooks that cost a fair bit these days.


Yes - we do go through a hell of a lot of pillies at Evans Head - particularly at our honey hole aka "Carnage Corner"

This is a shallow (5m) location where we fish whole (quality) Large IQF pillies for bait ...... When the fish are on a pillie wont last 5 mins - sometimes it's measured in seconds. We've had sessions (plenty) where we could only fish 1 rod each. So when they are on you could be going a 2kg bag every hour ($15) . .... we usually buy a 15kg box of IQF & bag them up.
On top of that - we use 1-2 blocks of pilchards for cubes a day.

One memorable day last May - by 2pm we were scrounging every pillie we could get our hands on .

The big pillies work an absolute treat - be it on the snapper , mackerel , jew , cobes etc etc & whole pilchards much better than halves .

Most people are surprised at how well the "big" pillies work for us up at Evans ...... Personally I believe it was due to the lack of slimies up there over the last couple of years. (couldn't catch one in the last 2 years).

Chris

[Volvo]

Have to admit would hardly go out without at least one block of Pillies , though mainly floating out for Lipper.

[Lovey80]

Yes - we do go through a hell of a lot of pillies at Evans Head - particularly at our honey hole aka "Carnage Corner"

This is a shallow (5m) location where we fish whole (quality) Large IQF pillies for bait ...... When the fish are on a pillie wont last 5 mins - sometimes it's measured in seconds. We've had sessions (plenty) where we could only fish 1 rod each. So when they are on you could be going a 2kg bag every hour ($15) . .... we usually buy a 15kg box of IQF & bag them up.
On top of that - we use 1-2 blocks of pilchards for cubes a day.

One memorable day last May - by 2pm we were scrounging every pillie we could get our hands on .

The big pillies work an absolute treat - be it on the snapper , mackerel , jew , cobes etc etc & whole pilchards much better than halves .

Most people are surprised at how well the "big" pillies work for us up at Evans ...... Personally I believe it was due to the lack of slimies up there over the last couple of years. (couldn't catch one in the last 2 years).

Chris

Funny you say that. I've noticed a severe lack of slimies on the Sunshine Coast over the past few years also. Go back 5 years and there was tonnes of them around.

[NAGG]

Funny you say that. I've noticed a severe lack of slimies on the Sunshine Coast over the past few years also. Go back 5 years and there was tonnes of them around.

Prior to the Feb 2020 floods - I had a location that was a consistent producer .... & there were a couple of reefs that the schools would show up & you would catch them then & there ...... I've done 3 trips & about 18 days on the water ...... not one slimey just yakkas.
It was interesting a couple of years ago I pulled up at a garage just north of Coffs - the lady behind the counter asked if we got any spotties ...." yeh about a dozen " did you get any slimies ...... nope ! - cant get em down here either she said

My guess - now days they are a commercial species

Chris

[Dignity]

And the yakkas are getting bigger, quite a few have been around 30cm and the odd one bigger still. Had to upgrade my bait jigs for them as a string of them was enough to snap the jigs. There is a spot 5 mins from the ramp that used to be my go to but it only produses them around 75mm but further out getting the big ones. Can't get a bait past hhem for a decent reefie, have to move away from them. Slilimes are rare as mentioned. Still occasionally get the odd pilchard though, these got wiped out when the Qld Govt permitted netting of them for a 2 year trial. That was enough to make them a rarity here.

[NAGG]

And the yakkas are getting bigger, quite a few have been around 30cm and the odd one bigger still. Had to upgrade my bait jigs for them as a string of them was enough to snap the jigs. There is a spot 5 mins from the ramp that used to be my go to but it only produses them around 75mm but further out getting the big ones. Can't get a bait past hhem for a decent reefie, have to move away from them. Slilimes are rare as mentioned. Still occasionally get the odd pilchard though, these got wiped out when the Qld Govt permitted netting of them for a 2 year trial. That was enough to make them a rarity here.

In 40 plus years of serious offshore fishing ...... it was only 4 or 5 years ago that I caught my first pilchards - (down off Batemans bay) What a magnificent looking fish when alive ......what a live / fresh bait

Only had the one experience though

Chris

[Dignity]

We had heaps off the Sunshine Coast until netting trial wiped them out. They were as you say a beautiful looking fish compared to WA pillies but they weren't as good as bait as they had a lot less oil content.

[NAGG]

We had heaps off the Sunshine Coast until netting trial wiped them out. They were as you say a beautiful looking fish compared to WA pillies but they weren't as good as bait as they had a lot less oil content.

When fishing slows ..... I still dip my pillies in tuna oil - this trip I have a syringe to inject the pillies

chris

[chris69]

When fishing slows ..... I still dip my pillies in tuna oil - this trip I have a syringe to inject the pillies

chris

Now all the secrets are coming out,cat biscuits in tuna oil in the berley can just got to remember to pull it in when a fish is on.

[Dignity]

Now all the secrets are coming out,cat biscuits in tuna oil in the berley can just got to remember to pull it in when a fish is on.

Hang the berley can off the bow, doesn't get in the way and tends to disperse the berley a bit deeper. I usually have a rope with a carabiner attached to it so I can pull it up from the stern to refill or pull in when leaving.

[NAGG]

Hang the berley can off the bow, doesn't get in the way and tends to disperse the berley a bit deeper. I usually have a rope with a carabiner attached to it so I can pull it up from the stern to refill or pull in when leaving.

I found that fishing with cubes of pillies as burley improved my results - it attracts less of the rubbish

the only time I use other things - like cat food or chicken pellets is if I'm trying to catch live bait

Chris

PS - I think we got sidetracked

[Dignity]

I found that fishing with cubes of pillies as burley improved my results - it attracts less of the rubbish

the only time I use other things - like cat food or chicken pellets is if I'm trying to catch live bait

Chris

PS - I think we got sidetracked
Back to squidtrex or crankbaits, do you still berley with pillies while using them or using other style jigs. I do, I use the block pillies as berley by small cubes thrown over as you do and fill the berley pot with cubes and bits and pieces. It's good to spread the scent as it does tend to bring fish closer to the surface. I will berley from 25m to 65m.

[Volvo]

Using Pillies for Berly ??, good for short term i found otherwise gets a tad exy??. Can one still buy big bags of Pollard or Chook Pellets and at least keep the bait about the Boat which in turn brings their predators around ??.
Pellets or Pollard i know isnt for deepwater but for surface where schools of Yakkas or slimies may be about does the job ..

[Dignity]

Using Pillies for Berly ??, good for short term i found otherwise gets a tad exy??. Can one still buy big bags of Pollard or Chook Pellets and at least keep the bait about the Boat which in turn brings their predators around ??.
Pellets or Pollard i know isnt for deepwater but for surface where schools of Yakkas or slimies may be about does the job ..
I'll use them in water up to 65m. Left overs that have defrosted get cut up for berley or solid cheap blocks if I've run out.
Back on track I was at Caloundra Bait and Tackle and their shelves were absolutely full of the Squidtrex lures. I'm tempted use a 92gm one as the weight for a paternoster rig in the deeper water this weekend although I wonder why they didn't have any side fins similar to the chasebaits.

[NAGG]

Back to squidtrex or crankbaits, do you still berley with pillies while using them or using other style jigs. I do, I use the block pillies as berley by small cubes thrown over as you do and fill the berley pot with cubes and bits and pieces. It's good to spread the scent as it does tend to bring fish closer to the surface. I will berley from 25m to 65m.

No I went away from banging on berley pots many many moons ago - back in the day I did use chicken pellets etc , minced fish etc . While it works it also brings around the rubbish fish .
When I started fishing down around Shell Hbr (The crank) in the late 90s I started to use small pilly pieces & floating / lightly weighted pilchards on baitrunners - My results improved big time & the snapper or kingies were often full of my cubes .

So my technique in <10m is to cast 20m or so back of the boat ....... throw those cubes in ( a couple every minute or so ) . Reels are bit runners & placed in those 3 way wire rod holders. Fishing this way also brings around Mackerel , Cobes etc Fishing this way has proven it's self to be an absolute winner .

If I fish lures ( not often) - it's generally in a bit deeper water & done in conjunction with floating baits - with cubes

Chris

[NAGG]

Using Pillies for Berly ??, good for short term i found otherwise gets a tad exy??. Can one still buy big bags of Pollard or Chook Pellets and at least keep the bait about the Boat which in turn brings their predators around ??.
Pellets or Pollard i know isnt for deepwater but for surface where schools of Yakkas or slimies may be about does the job ..

As just mentioned - pilly pieces just flogs any other & doesn't attract the rubbish .

The trick is just to put enough pieces in the water to keep those bigger fish like snapper & jew interested (a couple of pieces per minute). It's this technique that at a place like Evans Head allows us to extend bite periods into hours ........ We fish 5m of water & are catching fish from sunrise to often well into the afternoon .

Expensive yeh but I only get up to fish this way maybe 8-14 days a year. the results are plenty of fish caught / missed - big smiles & the excitement of booking the next trip

Chris

[Volvo]

Watched a
Popular Yayatube following (Fishing) whereas they head out with these new Nomad Squidtrex and list four/five in the space of the viewing to sharks before reverting back to fish baits.
Which brings to mind they work out a costly expense at times ey.
Thoughts here ??.

[Dignity]

I'll let you know next week if the sharks like them up here.

[Volvo]

:) , Mate after that I'm not game use mine till head outside n sure I'll lose half of them to greycoats.
As the Sharks have been of late inshore not game.

[Dignity]

:) , Mate after that I'm not game use mine till head outside n sure I'll lose half of them to greycoats.
As the Sharks have been of late inshore not game.

Not even the sharks wanted them although we only got the one shark today. We struggled to catch fish on bait but on artificials not a touch.

[Volvo]

Not even the sharks wanted them although we only got the one shark today. We struggled to catch fish on bait but on artificials not a touch.

least you got out lol , im still looking out the window at the weather apart from Grandkids :)..Which offcourse we dont mind at all ..