If I could only choose one lure to take offshore, it would be a Hex Head trolling lure.
There are plenty of flash new lures around now. Every season someone brings out a new skirt, hardbody, bibbed lure, high-speed lure or metal head. Some of them are good, too. But if we are talking about one lure I would always want on the boat when fishing offshore, the old-school Hex Head is still right up the top.
I first came across these lures over 20 years ago, probably closer to 23 or 25 years ago now. Back then, a bloke on the Gold Coast was making them, and we used to run them offshore around places like Nine Mile off the Tweed.
They worked then, and they still work now.
A Hex Head trolling lure is basically a heavy-headed, skirted offshore lure designed to be trolled fast. The 90g size is the one I like most. It is heavy enough to run properly at speed, but still a good practical size for chasing wahoo, tuna, mackerel, dolphin fish and other pelagics.
Anglers Warehouse lists the 6.5 inch, 90g Hex Head trolling lure as a fast-trolling lure designed for around 8 to 18 knots, pre-rigged with wire and a double hook rig, and suitable for pelagic species like wahoo, mackerel, dolphin fish, tuna, queenfish, trevally and billfish. You can see the product example here Hex Head Trolling Lure .
This article is based on your offshore lure transcript covering 90g Hex Heads, high-speed trolling, wahoo, tuna, mackerel, dark colours and using these lures while travelling between reefs.
Why the Hex Head Trolling Lure Is So Good Offshore
The biggest strength of a Hex Head trolling lure is simple: it lets you fish while travelling.
If you are running from one reef to another, you do not have to waste that time. Instead of just sitting on 20 or 25 knots and blasting between spots, you can slow down to around 12 to 15 knots, put a Hex Head out the back, and fish the whole way.
That is what makes these lures so valuable.
You might be travelling 10km or 20km between reefs. Yes, slowing down a bit might add a few minutes to the run, but now your lure is in the water and fishing. If there are wahoo, tuna, mackerel or dolphin fish moving through, you are in with a real shot.
That is why I have always liked these lures. They are not just something you run when you are officially “trolling.” They are something you can run while moving, searching, scouting and travelling.
Best Speed for a Hex Head Trolling Lure
A Hex Head trolling lure is made for speed.
Some people run them very fast, even close to 20 knots, but I have always liked them around 12 to 15 knots. For me, that is the sweet spot.
At that speed, the lure runs properly, throws a nice smoke trail, and gives off that fleeing baitfish look that pelagics love. It is not too slow, but it is not completely out of control either.
The goal is to get the lure working cleanly behind the boat. You want it smoking, porpoising and looking alive. When it is tracking right, it is deadly.
Fishing Australia notes that Hex Head style lures are designed for high-speed trolling and are often used for species such as wahoo, tuna and billfish.
For my own fishing, especially around Southeast Queensland, the Tweed, the Gold Coast and now heading into Great Barrier Reef country, I would be very comfortable running them at 12 to 15 knots whenever I am moving between offshore grounds.
Best Fish to Catch on Hex Head Trolling Lures
The main two fish I think of with a Hex Head trolling lure are wahoo and tuna.
That is where they really shine.
We used to run them around the Nine Mile area off the Tweed, which is known for wahoo and tuna, and they were deadly. Yellowfin loved them, and wahoo absolutely smashed them.
But they are not limited to just those two species.
Over the years, these lures have caught or hooked:
- Wahoo
- Yellowfin tuna
- Other tuna species
- Spanish mackerel
- Dolphin fish
- Trevally
- Small black marlin
I would not call them my number one Spanish mackerel lure, but Spaniards will definitely eat them. They are aggressive pelagic fish, and if a Hex Head comes past at speed looking like something fleeing, a mackerel will have a crack.
That is what makes them such a good all-round offshore lure. They are not locked into one species. They catch fast, powerful fish, and that is always good fun.
Why 90g Hex Heads Are My Favourite Size
The 90g Hex Head trolling lure is the size I like best.
There are bigger sizes available, and they all have their place, but the 90g model has always felt right for general offshore fishing. It is heavy enough to stay in the water and run properly, but not so large that it becomes too much lure for mixed pelagics.
For wahoo, tuna, mackerel and dolphin fish, the 90g model is a great practical choice.
It also suits the way I like to use them. I usually have one rigged and ready on a rod. If I am moving from reef to reef, I can clip it on, throw it out, slow the boat down, and start fishing straight away.
No mucking around.
That is one of the best things about a Hex Head trolling lure. It is easy. You do not need to overcomplicate it.
Dark Colours Work Best
I have caught fish on a few different colours, including black and gold, but the darker colours have always been the standouts for me.
Black and purple is a ripper.
Black and green is another good one.
Dark colour combinations just seem to get eaten.
For tuna and wahoo, those darker skirts are hard to beat. Down south, some mates in Victoria tried the black and purple and black and green 90g Hex Heads for southern bluefin tuna after I told them about the lure.
They took the wire off, re rigged them on heavy mono, put a single hook down near the back of the skirt, and trolled them around 15 knots. They said the southern bluefin loved them.
That is the sort of feedback that tells you the lure is not just a Queensland thing. It works wherever pelagics are feeding on fast-moving bait.
Pre-Rigged and Ready to Fish
Another big advantage of a Hex Head trolling lure is that most of them come ready to go.
You do not always have to buy the skirt, head, hooks, wire and rigging gear separately. The 90g Hex Head models are commonly sold pre-rigged with wire and a double hook rig, which makes them simple for everyday fishos.
That matters.
A lot of offshore lures need rigging properly before they are ready. If you do not know what you are doing, that can be a weak point. With these, you can usually clip them on and fish.
The ones I have used came rigged on soft multistrand wire, with double hooks already fitted. That wire is important because wahoo and mackerel have serious teeth. If you are chasing those fish, wire makes sense.
If you are specifically chasing tuna down south, some anglers prefer rerigging on heavy mono instead of wire. That can make the lure look cleaner in the water for tuna, especially southern bluefin. But for general offshore use, especially where wahoo and mackerel are around, the wire rig is a big plus.
Great for the Great Barrier Reef and Offshore Runs
For the fishing I am planning to do more of now, especially around the Great Barrier Reef and offshore tropical water, the Hex Head trolling lure makes even more sense.
There are mackerel, tuna, wahoo and other pelagics moving around that country. If you are heading between reef systems or pushing out toward deeper blue water, this is exactly the sort of lure I want swimming behind the boat.
It is perfect for covering ground.
You can run one or two out while travelling, keep an eye on the water, watch for bait, birds, current lines or colour changes, and be fishing the whole time.
That is the type of lure I like. Practical. Tough. Proven. Easy to use. And capable of catching proper offshore fish.
Final Thoughts on the Hex Head Trolling Lure
The Hex Head trolling lure is old-school, but it still works.
It has been around for years because it catches fish. It does not need to be fancy. It does not need a massive marketing campaign. It just needs to be in the water at the right speed, in the right area, where pelagics are moving.
For me, the 90g model in dark colours is the one I would always have on the boat.
Run it around 12 to 15 knots.
Use it between reefs.
Fish it in blue water.
Keep it ready on a rod.
And hang on when a proper wahoo, tuna or mackerel eats it.
If you like offshore fishing, tuna fishing, wahoo fishing or just want one reliable high-speed lure on the boat, a Hex Head trolling lure is absolutely worth having.
It is one of my all-time favourite offshore lures, and I would not head wide without one.
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