The FORKTAIL 75 was designed around one clear idea... a small, natural baitfish profile that could be fished with subtle action when fish are cautious, pressured, or feeding on smaller bait.

We didn’t want to create an oversized, aggressive minnow that needed to be worked hard to get noticed.

We wanted something slim, natural, and responsive. A lure that looked right in the water and could be fished slow, fast, or with only the smallest rod movements.

That is where the FORKTAIL 75 came from.

At 75mm / 2.95 inches, it sits in a strong finesse size range. It has enough length to attract quality fish, but still matches the smaller baitfish that predators often key in on during tough bite conditions.

Why I Wanted to Build a Forktail Minnow

There are plenty of soft plastic minnows on the market, but I wanted to build one around subtle movement and control.

Not every fish wants a big paddle tail, heavy vibration, or aggressive presentation. In clear water, pressured systems, or when fish are locked onto small bait, a more natural minnow profile can be the better option.

The FORKTAIL 75 was built to imitate a nervous little minnow trying to escape.

It needed to twitch, pause, dart, drift, and move naturally without looking overworked.

Built Around a Slimline Baitfish Body

The body shape was one of the first things we focused on. We wanted the FORKTAIL 75 to have a slimline body with a realistic baitfish taper. The profile needed to look natural from the side, while still having enough shape to be seen in the water.

At 75mm, the lure has enough length to represent a small baitfish, but it is not bulky or heavy-looking.

That slim profile helps the lure move cleanly through the water and makes it a strong option when fish are feeding on smaller bait.

The realistic 3D eyes were also important. They finish off the baitfish look and give predators a clear target point when they commit.

Small details matter when fish are cautious.

The Tail Was Designed for Subtle Darting Action

The forked tail is what gives the FORKTAIL 75 its character. We didn’t want a tail that kicked hard like a paddle tail. This lure was never designed around heavy vibration.

The goal was a thin forked tail that responds to small movements, a light rod twitch, a pause, a slow lift, current movement, or a quick wind.

The tail gives the lure a subtle, nervous action without making it look unnatural.

That action matters because baitfish do not always swim perfectly. When they are separated, pressured, or being chased, they dart, pause, twitch, and try to escape.

That is the movement we wanted the FORKTAIL 75 to create.

Designed to Fish Slow or Fast

One of the biggest things I wanted from the FORKTAIL 75 was versatility.

It can be fished extra slow with small twitches and pauses when fish are following but not eating. It can also be worked faster when predators are chasing bait and reacting to quick movement.

That makes it useful in a lot of different situations.

You can fish it slow around structure, flats, weed edges, clear water, and pressured fish. You can also burn it, twitch it, or work it faster when pelagics are pushing bait to the surface.

That balance is what makes the lure practical.

It is not locked into one retrieve.

Made for Tough Bite Conditions

The FORKTAIL 75 was built for sessions where fish are there, but they are not committing properly.

When fish are pressured, cautious, or feeding on small baitfish, a lure that looks too big or moves too aggressively can get ignored.

The FORKTAIL 75 gives anglers a softer option.

It is a subtle baitfish imitation that can be slowed down, paused, twitched, or worked through the strike zone without looking forced.

That is where this lure fits best.

Not Just for One Species

The FORKTAIL 75 was designed as a finesse minnow, but it is not limited to one fish.

It is ideal for light pelagics such as Australian salmon, tailor, bonito, and other fast-moving predators when they are feeding on small baitfish and refusing larger presentations.

Those fish can be aggressive, but they can also become selective when they are locked onto tiny bait.

That is when a smaller, natural minnow profile can make the difference.

The FORKTAIL 75 can also be fished ultra slow for species like bream, giving anglers a subtle soft plastic minnow that works around pressured estuary fish as well as open-water predators.

That crossover was important to us, we wanted it to work across finesse estuary fishing and light pelagic fishing, without becoming too specialized in one direction.

Built from Ultra-Durable TPE Material

The FORKTAIL 75 is made from ultra-durable, stretchy TPE material.

That material gives the lure a soft, responsive feel in the water, while still being tough enough to handle repeated strikes, For a slimline baitfish profile, material matters.

The lure needs to move naturally, but it also needs to survive fish hitting it hard, especially when fishing for salmon, tailor, bonito, flathead, bream, and other species that can damage soft plastics quickly.

The goal was to keep the action soft and responsive without making the lure weak.

Where We Fish It

The FORKTAIL 75 can be used anywhere fish are feeding on small baitfish.

It works well across flats, weed edges, clear water, current lines, rock walls, pontoons, jetties, open bait schools, estuary structure, and light pelagic surface activity, For bream and estuary species, We like fishing it slow with small twitches and pauses.

For salmon, tailor, bonito, and fast-moving predators, We work it quicker to imitate a fleeing minnow,The retrieve depends on what the fish are doing, If they are cautious, slow it down, If they are chasing, speed it up.

How We Fish It

The FORKTAIL 75 was designed to be simple to fish.

You do not need to overwork it.

Twitch and Pause

This is one of the best ways to fish the FORKTAIL 75 when fish are cautious.

Cast it out, let it sink to the depth you want, then use small twitches with pauses between each movement.

The lure will dart subtly, then sit naturally in the water.

This works well around bream, flathead, weed edges, pontoons, and clear water.

Slow Roll

A slow roll is useful when fish are spread out or feeding lightly.

Let the lure sink, then retrieve it slowly and steadily. The slimline body and forked tail give it a natural baitfish movement without too much action.

This is a good option when you want to cover water.

Fast Twitch Retrieve

When fish are chasing bait, the FORKTAIL 75 can be worked faster.

Use sharper twitches, faster winds, and short pauses to imitate a fleeing minnow.

This works well for light pelagics like Australian salmon, tailor, bonito, and other fast-moving predators feeding on small bait.

Why This Lure Matters to BLAKO

At BLAKO, we do not want to create products just to add more options. Every lure needs a reason to exist. The FORKTAIL 75 exists because we wanted a slim, natural, finesse minnow that could be used when fish are feeding on small bait or refusing aggressive presentations.

It has a realistic baitfish taper, subtle forked-tail action, and the ability to be fished slow or fast. It works around pressured fish, clear water, tough bite conditions, estuary species, and light pelagics, That is the thinking behind it.

The FORKTAIL 75 is not built to be loud, it is built to look natural.

Final Thoughts

The FORKTAIL 75 was built for anglers who need a natural, subtle, darting minnow presentation when fish are cautious, pressured, or feeding on small baitfish.

From the 75mm / 2.95-inch profile to the slimline baitfish body, realistic taper, 3D eyes, thin forked tail, and ultra-durable TPE material, every part of the lure was designed with purpose.

It can be fished slow when fish are cautious.

It can be worked fast when predators are chasing bait.

It is simple, practical, and built for those moments when a natural baitfish presentation matters.