Storm Flatstick Glider, a deadly new lure!

I have been playing with the Storm Flatstick Glider in my swimming pool for a while now, getting the feel for this lure and how best to use it. I was immediately impressed by its erratic action on the slow twitch and the big wobble it does at the end of each twitch, causing it to throw an enticing flash. I couldn’t wait to get the opportunity to put it to the real test, in the Indian Ocean.

On a trip to Madagascar last week I had the perfect opportunity to give this lure a decent test run. I was fishing out of Sakatia Lodge with James from Madagascar Fishing Adventures. James told me that the kingies had been very skittish over the last couple of weeks and weren’t hitting any poppers, and only occasionally taking smaller, more subtle surface stickbaits. He asked if I had any sub-surface stickbaits with me and I was happy to tie on the Storm Flatstick Glider. I had changed the hooks on the lure, removing the trebles that it comes rigged with, replacing them with the new VMC in-line single hooks, ideal for rigging on lures.

It is always nice to test lures when conditions are tricky or fish are skittish, as this gives a true result, unlike testing a new lure when the fish eat anything you throw at them….

The first strike of the morning came on the Flatstick Glider and turned out to be a very decent bluefin kingfish, which gave me a good fight on the light tackle I was using. I had decided to use the Shimano Trevala 7′ MH with a Shimano Spheros 6000 and 50lb Power Pro braid. A nice light outfit to cast with for hours, but with plenty of power if needed.

Not long after that I got a teenage GT on the same lure, also gave a good fight as GT’s do, regardless of size! What was remarkable was the fact that I had a number of hits and landed two fish in a pretty short space of time on this lure when nothing else was producing. James was also impressed with the Flatstick Glider, and I have no doubt that it will become one of the recommended lures for any trip to the tropics for jigging and popping. Storm have produced a winner here, which comes in at a very decent price and is sure to account for a large variety of fish both locally and abroad over the next few years. I am very excited to see how it does with kob in estuaries, I think it will be ideal for the job!