Killalure - QLD,N.T:
Dave Killalea has been making lures since the mid to late 1980's and the Killalure range is still being made today. The earlier Killalures are a well made lure with all the characteristics of a Queensland style with many influences - the range is primarily minnow style lures and the lures from the late 1980's and early 90's will have twisted wire eyelets and a hard wearing finish.
Right shows an experimental lure in the early days that is often referred to as the 'Gold Ball' but was in fact a 'Bass Bait' that never made it to market.
(Below) Shown is an early deep diver lure intact in original packaging with PO Box Townsville address. It corresponds to the colour chart code KL01.
(Below right) An early Barra Bait in packet
(Above) An early pre- Barra Bait that was confirmed and made by Dave Killalea. Found in Darwin. Gal hangers.
The earliest Killalures will have distinctive forward facing eyes with a black pupil over yellow. Note the eye in the early packaging.
Dave Killalea started making a C Lure which was based on Carl Grist's CL4 model and the catalogue colours are shown above.
Killalure range from the Harbord Tackle catalogue for 1990 and 1991
Below is an early advert that was in the April, 1989 publication of Modern Fishing. It lists 4 models of 'Barra Bait', 2 of the 'Killalure' model, the 6 inch 'C' Lure, 2 versions of the offshore trolling lure called the 'Devastator' and two sizes of popper.
Below shows a comparison between a timber and later moulded version of the 3 inch Barra Bait
Packing Information: Started 1984 at Beck St, Gulliver, QLD
1. Plastic bag with a brown card. PO Box 1698 Townsville. Late 1980's moved to PO Box 479 Garbutt
2. Black boxes. Same address + Killalure Australia Pty Ltd, Garbutt.
3. Green and yellow card which is now Piscatorial Enterprises, Garbutt. Early 1990's moved to Macrossan St, South Townsville (Piscatorial Enterprises).
4. Green and yellow card.
5. Purple card
6. Blue card
7. Blue card (now Killalure Pty Ltd, similar to early Garbutt.
8. Blue card with NSW phone number for sales enquires
9. Basser Millyard distributing Killalure
The flatter sided Killalure shape evolved quite early. The mixed bag of Killalures below show some of the earliest styles of the timber lure range. The lure top right in the photo is a 'Terminator 2' which resembles a Nilsmaster 'Spearhead' and was added to the range by 1996.
Killalure 'Barra Bait' on cards - shallow and deep diver 3 in.
Some different types of earlier Killalure packaging - the packaging above mentions the Piscatorial Enterprises Pty Ltd but address is via PO Box 479 at Garbutt in Townsville. This is an earlier packaging Type 3 c. early 1990's
Left shows some variation in the 'Barra Bait' from older to newer models and the difference between the earliest hand made versions and the copy lathe built versions.
The Killalure 2 inch 'Trout Bait' is another of the popular models to collect, The 'Trout Bait' is a small lure with shallow diving bib and the deep diving version is referred to as a 'Bream Bait'
The original lure advertising shown below was posted by Dave Killelea on Facebook in 2017. There were only ever a small number of these made and dates to the early 1990's.
Note that this promo board names the 'Bream Bait' and 'Trout Bait'
The 'Snarl' was released in 1994 and was still being distributed through Piscatorial Enterprises but in Macrossan St, South Townsville. It was at this stage that the slogan 'Lures that bite back' was used in marketing campaigns and advertising.
By 1996 The 'Snarl' was well establised and Killalures were being distributed by Basser-Millyard in Sydney.
The 'Pack Rat 65' was a moulded lure that was released to compete with the Deception range of lures.
