Many anglers run several lures that all do exactly the same job. They swim at the same depth, run at the same speed, and create a very similar vibration profile in the water. The result? Fish show interest, follow the spread, and sometimes even swipe at a lure… but rarely fully commit.

A smarter approach is to think about covering the entire water column. Instead of presenting the same lure multiple times, you present fish with options across different depths and behaviours. This dramatically increases the chances that one of your lures is running right in a fish’s strike window.

Nomad Design’s trolling philosophy follows exactly this concept build a spread that shows predators something at multiple levels of the water column, not just where you assume they’re feeding.

The easiest way to structure a tuna trolling spread is to think of it as three separate roles, each designed to cover a different depth zone.

Deep Water Diver – The Fish Finder

The deep diver is the lure that gets down below the prop wash and searches the water column for fish that may not be feeding on the surface.

Often this lure is the first one to get hit, simply because it reaches fish that would otherwise never see your spread.

A classic example is the Nomad DTX Minnow 200mm Heavy Duty, a proven bluewater trolling lure designed to dive to around 12 metres while trolling between 3–12 knots. It’s built specifically for serious offshore predators such as tuna and kingfish, making it an ideal “workhorse” lure when you want to get deeper in the water column.

Running a lure like this beneath the rest of your spread adds a completely different presentation – one that often pulls bites from fish holding deeper.

The next role in a spread is covering the mid-water zone, just below the surface.

This is often where tuna cruise while hunting bait schools. It’s also the depth where fish tend to react aggressively to fast-moving prey.

Nomad’s Madmacs 200mm fits this role perfectly. It’s designed to troll at a huge range of speeds – from slow trolling all the way up to 20 knots – and typically swims between 1 and 4.5 metres depending on boat speed.

That versatility makes it valuable in two real-world situations:

• High-speed prospecting when travelling between fishing areas
• Faster trolling speeds when predators respond better to reaction bites

By running a mid-water lure alongside a deep diver, you instantly create two different strike zones in your spread.

The final role is the surface presentation.

When tuna and kingfish are feeding high in the water column, baitfish often scatter near the surface. This is where poppers, stickbaits and surface lures shine.

While many anglers add a third trolling lure here, a very effective approach is simply to keep a casting setup ready.

If fish begin busting up around the boat, having a topwater stickbait or popper ready to cast allows you to immediately present a lure directly into the action.

Floating or slow-sinking stickbaits are especially effective for kingfish and tuna when fish are feeding aggressively near the surface.

If you're putting together a trolling spread that covers most New Zealand bluewater situations, you don’t need a huge number of lures. Two well-chosen lures covering different depths can be incredibly effective.

Option A: Offshore Trolling Setup

A simple and effective spread uses:

DTX Minnow 200mm HD
Deep diver running around 12m, trolling speed 3–12 knots

Madmacs 200mm
Mid-water runner swimming 1–4.5m, speeds up to 20 knots

Together these two lures create depth separation and different swimming actions, which is the entire purpose of diversifying your spread.

If you’re fishing closer to shore or matching smaller baitfish, a smaller minnow profile can be a better option.

The DTX Minnow 125mm is a great inshore trolling lure targeting species such as kahawai, snapper and kingfish. It dives to around 6 metres and trolls effectively between 2–9 knots.

This makes it a reliable everyday trolling lure for coastal fishing while still incorporating Nomad’s key design feature – the Auto-Tune system, which helps the lure track straight without constant tuning.

A good starting point for many Nomad trolling lures is around 6–9 knots, which is where many bibbed minnows perform best.

However, it’s important to always check the recommended speed range for the specific lure you’re using.

For example:

• DTX Minnow 200 HD: 3–12 knots
• Madmacs 200mm: up to 20 knots

A simple approach when trolling is:

1. Start at a steady mid-range speed.

2. Watch how the lure behaves beside the boat.

3. Adjust speed or lure position if it starts blowing out or losing its action.

Most modern Nomad lures are designed to track straight and remain stable without constant tuning, allowing you to focus more on fishing and less on adjusting gear.

Many traditional bibbed minnows can require manual tuning, especially after catching fish. If the tow point becomes slightly bent, the lure may start tracking off-centre.

Nomad tackled this issue by developing their Auto-Tune tow point system, which is designed to help the lure run straight even after repeated strikes.

For anglers – particularly those new to trolling – this can make a big difference. Less time adjusting lures means more time fishing and covering water.

One of the biggest advantages of running lures at different depths is the information it gives you.

If your deep diver gets hit first, it often means fish are holding deeper in the water column.

If your mid-water lure gets smashed at higher speed, it may signal aggressive feeding behaviour or fast-moving fish.

By paying attention to where the bites happen, you can adjust your spread, speed or lure selection to match the behaviour of the fish.