It’s the Primal Fishing Prawnstar™ lure! Soon to be found in all good bait shops on waterways around the world. Jokes aside, these little critters have taken two years in the making. After thorough research and development, Prawnstar™ is now being marketed at major recreational fishing sites around Australia.
Life-like mouldings of sparkle filled polyurethane in hot pink or fluoro green make for a very realistic lure that is strong yet flexible. Tugging a fishing line causes the Prawnstar™ to curl and flick, imitating the exact movements and sounds of wild prawns in the ocean and making them irresistible to fish.
According to Paul Signitzer, a director at Primal Fishing, Prawnstar™ is the brainchild of aquaculturalist and lure designer, Andrew Fogarty, who came up with the original idea. Andrew and toolmaker Michael Fogarty are co-directors with Paul, the engineer, at Queensland-based Primal Fishing.
Emu Design, an industrial design consultancy in Brisbane with a reputation for innovation and excellence, was the perfect partner to assist in developing the product.
Scott Hutchison, director of Emu Design, and his team worked with the crew at Primal Fishing to solid model Primal Fishing’s prototypes and detail Prawnstar™ for production. Emu also designed and developed graphics, packaging and a display system to carry the concept to market.
Primal tested the lure both out of the water and in controlled, million-litre tanks, with different breeds of ocean fish. The movement of Prawnstar™ (and its attraction to various fish) could then be accurately monitored.
The lure is complex in design. It houses two adjustable weights that clip into retainers. These are changed to suit weight and fishing conditions. Two three-pronged fishing hooks are positioned in the tail and the body. Most fish don’t stand a chance!
Prawnstar™ is available in a range of fish catching colours and sizes, ‘el natural, funky fluoro, honey pot, lumenite (a night stalking version), pink fink and kakadu blue’.