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I recently had a weakened of fishing the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton and I was astounded at how dirty the water was … it was strong milk coffee in colour and if I dangled a lure over the side of the boat I could only see it in the top couple of inches.

No point fishing a fly in water like that and no softies in the kit that barra would see or hear.

When I returned home, I investigated further and found that a very popular lure colour (as a response to water as described above) is the Guns and Roses colour combination of green, yellow and red. And then all the better if you can include a rattle to make the lure all the more obvious.

I have put that all together in my favourite barra lure.

When to use the Guns and Roses Alpha Gar.

Steps in making an Alpha Gar in Guns and Roses colours and with a rattle.

A	Put a plate over the first 1/5 of the head of the soft plastic (4cm for the 20cm version)… make sure the bottom side of the plate as well as the rest of the inside of the mould has been coated with petroleum jelly so the lure will release from the mould once its set.

B	Make sure the mould is not cold and if necessary warm it a little. I have an old elctric fry pan that I use for that purpose). This is important to get a good result in step "D" below. When you have your red plastersol at its pouring temperature half fill the void under that plate with red plastersol whilst holding the mould vertical.

C	Rotate the mould 45 degrees toward upside down.

D	When the plastersol is nearly ready to tip out over the edge of the plate gradually turn the mould back upright releasing the red plastersol to run along the bottom of the mould stopping short of the tail. Prop the mould up almost vertical against the wall, tail down, so that any still fluid plastersol runs back into the head cavity.

E	Return the mould back onto a horizontal surface. When the red plastersol has reached its bonding temperature, which needs to be the same time as your yellow plastersol reaches its pouring temperature gradually pour yellow plastersol along the lure and partially fill the lower 1/2 of the tail and body of the mould. Using forceps pick up a 16mm glass rattle. Place the glass rattle across the void in the tail and bring the pour of yellow plastersol up to 2/3 of the tail and body of the mould.The remaining 1/3 of the soft plastic is the dark green plastersol.

F	When the yellow plastersol has reached its bonding temperature, which needs to be the same time as your green plastersol reaches its pouring temperature, fill the final 1/3 of the mould up to the top with green plastersol. Straight away lightly sprinkle green 0.3 green strip sparkle along the top surfaces of the lure.

 
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G	Once the plastersol has cured take the soft plastic out of the mould and lightly sprinkle 0.3mm gold hex flex over each side of the Alpha Gar. Using a gas torch progressively heat both sides and the top of the soft plastic to gloss them up and to lock the green strip flex and and gold hex flex into their respective surfaces. The final step is to stick on 7-8 mm white eyes and then to dip the head of the Alpha Gar into clear plastersol. Allow the finished lure to cure for a while and then rig it up and you ready to go.

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