If you’ve ever watched tuna, mackerel or trevally busting bait on the surface, fired a metal slice into the chaos and still come back with nothing, you’ll know how frustrating it can be.
I’ve been chasing pelagics for a fair while now, from working on mackerel boats back in the day to more than 35 years running fishing charters. We’d often pick up tuna on the way out to the reef for bottom-fishing bait, so metal slices have always been one of those simple lures I like having handy.
But simple doesn’t mean foolproof!
That’s usually where metal slice lures get written off. A lot of fishos throw whatever slice happens to be in the tackle box into a bust-up, get ignored and decide they’re just cheap bits of metal that only work when the fish are mad enough to eat anything.
Most of the time, the lure itself isn’t the problem. It’s the size, the technique, the gear, the leader or simply throwing it at the wrong fish in the wrong situation.
If metal slices have always felt a bit hit and miss, by the end of this blog you’ll have a much clearer idea of which metal slice to throw, when to throw it and why.
What metal slice lures actually do!
The best thing about metal slices is that they cast a long way and give you distance.
That matters when pelagics are feeding on the surface, because they are often moving fast. By the time you get close, they might already be gone.
It also flashes through the water like a fleeing baitfish. That is the whole idea. You are trying to make it look like one little baitfish has split away from the school and is trying to escape.
Metal slices can also be worked very fast without constantly flying out of the water. That lets you keep them just under the surface, which is where you want them when fish are feeding aggressively.
When pelagics are switched on, they often don’t sit there and study the lure. They see something small, shiny and panicked, then peel away and smash it.
What fish are metal slices best for?
Metal slices are mainly for pelagics in open water chasing baitfish.
I like to use them for fish such as:
- Tuna (e.g. Mac Tuna and Northern Bluefin, also known as Longtails)
- Mackerel (e.g. Doggies, Greys and Spanish mackerel)
- Queenfish
- GTs
- Other Trevally species (e.g. Tea-Leaf Trevally or Diamond Trevally)
That does not mean they can never catch anything else. But if you’re thinking about metal lures for pelagics, this is where they really fit.
Although, on the odd occasion, some metal slices can also be used on bottom species like fingermark and coral trout and I’ll touch on that further down.
How to use metal lures when fish are feeding on top
The main way I use metal slice lures is casting them at pelagics that are busting up on the surface.
That is when they really come into their own. The fish are already chasing bait, they’re switched on, and a small flashing lure moving quickly can look like one baitfish trying very hard not to become lunch.
The important bit is getting the slice into the action while the fish are actually feeding. Once they go down and you can’t see them on the surface, they often won’t respond the same way.
In the video below, I show a bit of what this looks like in practice, including the retrieve speed and rod position. It’s not a full casting tutorial, but it gives you a better idea of how quickly these lures are worked.
The simple version is this: cast past the school, or slightly to either side of it if that gives you a better angle, then wind fast with the rod tip down.
That’s about as complicated as it needs to be.
This is not a lure I’m usually pausing, twitching or working like a soft plastic. With surface-feeding pelagics, the speed is a big part of the trigger. If you wind too slowly, the slice stops looking like a fleeing baitfish and becomes much easier for the fish to ignore.
Why metal slice lure size matters so much
This is where a lot of fishos go wrong.
They see fish feeding, tie on whatever metal slice lure is already in the box, throw it into the action and wonder why nothing eats it.
But pelagics can get very fixated on bait size.
If the baitfish are two inches long and you throw a five-inch metal slice through them, it might be completely ignored. Not because metal slices don’t work, but because you’re not matching what those fish are feeding on.
2-inch metal slices
Smaller metal slices are a good choice when tuna are feeding on tiny bait.
Mac tuna and northern bluefin, also known as longtail tuna, often feed on small juvenile pilchards around that 2-inch size.
That is when a smaller slice can make a big difference.
Even though the fish themselves are not tiny, the bait they are locked onto can be. If you throw something too big, they may just keep eating the real bait and ignore your lure.
3-inch metal slices
3-inch metal slices are a good middle ground for smaller mackerel species, such as doggies and greys, when they are chasing slightly bigger bait.
This is also a handy size when you are not exactly sure what you’re going to run into.
If you’re looking at metal slices for mackerel, this size range is often a good place to start for the smaller species.
4 to 6 inch metal slices
Once you start chasing bigger fish like Spanish mackerel and GTs, you can move up into the bigger slices.
These fish are often chasing larger bait such as yakkas, pilchards and herring.
The bigger slice gives you more profile, more casting weight and more presence in the water.
Just don’t go bigger for the sake of it!
If the bait is small, go small. If the bait is bigger, move up in lure size. Pretty simple, really, but it is one of the biggest reasons metal slice lures either work or don’t.
Best gear for fishing metal slice lures
Metal slice lures are simple lures, but the setup still matters.
The wrong gear can cost you casting distance, slow down your retrieve, or restrict the lure so it doesn’t flutter properly.
For fishing with metal lures, I want:
- a high-speed spinning reel
- a graphite spin rod
- braided line
- leader or wire that still lets the lure move
Rods and reels for metal slice lures
For this style of fishing, I prefer spin gear.
Overheads and baitcasters are fine for plenty of other jobs, but with metal slice lures I want distance and speed. When pelagics are busting up and moving quickly, you need to get the lure out there and get it moving straight away.
Graphite rods help because they are light and responsive. That makes it easier to cast smaller metal lures and stay in touch with what the slice is doing.
A simple guide would be:
Small to medium metal slices (2-3 inches)
Best for tuna and smaller mackerel species.
- 4000 to 5000 size spinning reel
- graphite spin rod
- braided line
- good for smaller to medium slices
Larger metal slices (4-6 inches)
Best for bigger fish like Spanish mackerel, GTs and bigger trevally.
- 7000 to 8000 size spinning reel
- slightly heavier spin outfit
- stronger hooks and terminals
Also, make sure your spool is full.
A half-empty spinning reel spool picks up less line with every turn of the handle. That means your lure may be coming back slower than you think, even if you feel like you’re cranking hard.
Leader and wire setup
This is where a lot of fishos accidentally kill the action.
A metal slice needs to flash, flick and flutter. If the leader or wire is too stiff, the lure can’t move properly.
For smaller slices and less toothy fish:
- Around 80 lb mono leader is a good option (It lets the lure move more freely).
For bigger toothy fish like Spanish mackerel:
- Use a short piece of wire.
- Seven-strand wire is better than single-strand (Too stiff, which can restrict the lure action)
You can also add a small, good-quality swivel to the split ring if line twist becomes a problem.
Alternative ways to fish metal slices
Casting at surface-feeding pelagics is the main way I use metal slices, but it is not the only way.
There are a few other situations where they can come in handy.
Cranking them vertically for pelagics sitting deeper
Sometimes the fish stop crashing on the surface and go deeper.
This happens a lot with Spanish mackerel and other mackerel species when the run slows down. You might not see them on top anymore, but you can still mark them on the sounder.
That is when you can get over the top of the school or just up-current, drop the metal slice down past them and crank it vertically back up fast.
There is something about a metal slice shooting upwards that can switch them on.
They might not be feeding aggressively at that moment, but that fast upward movement can get a reaction.
Trolling metal slices
You can also troll metal slices.
Unlike spoons, which spin, metal slices flash erratically from side to side. That gives them more of an injured or fleeing baitfish look.
If you’re fishing metal lures for mackerel, trolling can be another option worth trying, especially when you’re covering ground.
Jigging them around bottom structure
Some heavier metal slice or flasher-style lures can also be used, more like slow pitch jigs.
This can be handy if you’re chasing pelagics and suddenly see a nice bit of structure or fish on the bottom.
In that case, you can drop one down and work it like a jig.
Some fishos have had good success doing this on bottom species such as fingermark and coral trout.
But I wouldn’t make this the main way of fishing for bottom fish.
If you’re going to target bottom species all day, use proper slow pitch jigs. Metal slices can do the job at the right moment, but that doesn’t mean they’re the best tool for that job all day.
Read my slow pitch jigging guide to learn all about my favourite lure fishing technique for bottom fishing!
My birthday, your excuse for a tackle bargain!
Speaking of slow pitch jigging, our Levitator jigs are getting a birthday discount too! And they’re not the only things I’m clearing out.
Our tackle shop is back up and running, and I’m celebrating with a birthday clear-out from 12–15 October 2026. We need room for new gear, so there’ll be up to 60% off selected lures, fishing shirts and more.
The standout? Scaleblazer 125mm shallow-diving hardbodies for just $8.49, down from $16.99. That’s 50% off and the lowest price we’ve ever offered them. We’re clearing the last silver and blue colours, so this is a good chance to grab a few while they’re still around.
There’ll also be RMF fishing shirts for $28, down from $69.99, plus 20% off our 24g Pillager sinking stickbaits and 80g and 100g Levitator slow-pitch jigs.
And every lure purchase comes with a how-to video, so you’ll know how to work it rather than just adding another mystery to the tackle box.
The clearance ends 15 October, or earlier if stock sells out.
