Spy baits who's using them, and what brands?

From crankbaits to jerkbaits to wakebaits and more, TackleTour's new hardbait sub-forum has been a long time coming. Well, now your wait is over!
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Frosty
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Spy baits who's using them, and what brands?

Post by Frosty » Fri Feb 10, 2017 2:39 pm

I'm going to try one or two of these. A buddy says he's killing big smallies on them! He recommended the Duo Realis if I recall correctly. I was looking on TW and Lucky Craft had some pretty nice looking models/colors. What brands are you guys liking and what sizes and colors? Techniques helpful if you have any cool tricks... I am planning to work it like a jerkbait but with lighter twitches.

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Re: Spy baits who's using them, and what brands?

Post by smalljaw » Fri Feb 10, 2017 7:49 pm

I don't know how or where you're fishing but I can tell it isn't for everybody. I have a couple of the original spin bait 80s and the first thing is line, I hate fluorocarbon but with the spy bait it is a must. The second thing is the higher you go over 6lb line, even with fluorocarbon the more the bait wants to rise on the retrieve. The last thing is you really need clear water and decent electronics, fishing a spy bait isn't a search bait, thing of a jerkbait but with no action and a steady retrieve, so you are basically marking fish, not just cover and structure but actual fish because they don't seem like they come from a long way to hit these. I've tried a lot of different ways to incorporate the lure but it is really a niche bait, clear pressured water where fish are grouped together, for my waters the only time it really works well is early spring when the fish tend to still be in large groups near wintering holes, after that it is pretty much useless but if you live on a clear body of water that generates current or has some other type of thing going that causes the fish to school in big groups it could be a great asset. As I mentioned, it has worked for me but it is a small window where it works but a jerkbait works well in that situation as well.
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Re: Spy baits who's using them, and what brands?

Post by fati » Sat Feb 11, 2017 12:01 am

I got a few Duo 80 this winter and im kinda curious to try them for walleye this year.

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Re: Spy baits who's using them, and what brands?

Post by Quillback » Sat Feb 11, 2017 8:17 am

Only time I have had luck with them was when the bass were busting top water in the spring. Threw it at schooling bass and they bit it. But, they'll bite a lot of stuff in those conditions. I like the way they look, but just haven't had much luck with them. I'll keep trying.

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Re: Spy baits who's using them, and what brands?

Post by Real » Sat Feb 11, 2017 8:26 pm

I use them too. Pretty much in the same situations for smallmouth: very clear water, pressured visible fish. I use Jackall
I Props. Caught some really big fish. I use Power pro 10 pound test with a long fluoro leader ( 10-12 feet). To keep the bait down you have to lower the rod tip and slow down at the end of the retrieve. You have to fight the fish carefully. The hooks are small.

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Re: Spy baits who's using them, and what brands?

Post by jerkbait22 » Sat Feb 11, 2017 9:34 pm

I've caught a few on the duo gfix spinbait 80 which is meant for baitcasting gear and a little heavier line (10-12lb fluoro I believe). I've caught some smallmouth on it post spawn when they get a little finicky. I know some guys do well on them but I have other techniques that I have more confidence in. Honestly I don't really fish it that much at all after first getting it when they were a hot bait. It shimmies on the fall and I've caught some fish on the initial fall almost like a hard senko which is cool. Other than that duo recommends a slow steady retrieve. Sometimes they will hit it multiple times before getting it. Also I haven't caught any largemouth on it, it's been all smallmouth.

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Re: Spy baits who's using them, and what brands?

Post by Burntorangefan » Sun Feb 12, 2017 1:59 am

I really like them for fishing in WA. That being said, we have two colors of water: clear and clearer. I find they excel on the fall like others have noted - similar to a hard Senko. I use them frequently when jerkbaits aren't working or drop shots are slow. We also cast them when we've locked into fish on the finder that won't seem to take cranks and just reel them back really slowly. There's no doubt they work well - at least up here in the NW. I imagine in the south they would be much less productive.

Typically use Duo 80s in the Ghost colors: G M Shad, G Minnow, G Pearl (the best). The same colors that work with 110s and Pointers in clear water, basically. Ghost Pearl is pretty much like Pro Blue in a 110. If they won't bite it, they won't bite anything. Hope that helps!

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Re: Spy baits who's using them, and what brands?

Post by Frosty » Sun Feb 12, 2017 3:19 am

Real wrote:I use them too. Pretty much in the same situations for smallmouth: very clear water, pressured visible fish. I use Jackall
I Props. Caught some really big fish.
This is the result I'm hoping for. I love smallmouth, but in our local reservoirs 90% of them have more LMB's. I'm hoping this is a more finesse alternative to swimbaits, meaning I can target large smallies. That and the fact that my area is not early adopters to fishing innovation, or really any tech innovations lol, so I'm expecting the fish have not seen them.

Keep the experiences and ideas coming guys.

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Re: Spy baits who's using them, and what brands?

Post by KlingerNOK » Sun Feb 12, 2017 10:31 pm

I've tried the Duo 80, 90 and G-Fix 80's, Lucky Craft 80's and the new Storm Arashi.
Without a doubt I like the Duo baits the best. They seem to have a shimmy on retrieve that the others do not.
Around here I have had some decent days in cold water catching largemouth and crappie on them, but the last couple years they have really shined while on vacation in Michigan. Those smallies in prespawn/spawn mode absolutely kill them!
I'm throwing them on 8lb Sniper with an Alphas Ito and a ML NFC Edge rod. That Kickstarter rod was nothing at all like what I was hoping it would be, but it makes a great spybait rod.

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Re: Spy baits who's using them, and what brands?

Post by zalan » Mon Feb 13, 2017 12:45 am

I have the Megabass X-Plose Junior and the Original Duo. They are completely different baits. The Megabass is coming under the surface in a straight line, yet it worked great for clear water pressured bass. The Duo I used very little, so others might know more about.

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Re: Spy baits who's using them, and what brands?

Post by Burntorangefan » Mon Feb 13, 2017 4:26 am

I should have provided more info above. We pretty much always use these on Smallies, as that's the predominant species in the lakes we fish.

I'm also using various "drop shot" types of rods in different lengths with 5 lb Sniper. The Duo 80 casts a mile, so unless you REALLY need to reach out and touch one, I get by on a 6-3 St Croix M/XF and a 6-8 Megabass Ronin in M/F.

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Re: Spy baits who's using them, and what brands?

Post by Farnorth » Mon Feb 13, 2017 8:04 am

I have a few Duo's but haven't had the right day to pull them out for walleye fishing. I have had great success with the similar but much larger Gan Craft Screwbait 110's and 130's for pike fishing. Know it's not the kind of thing most of you do but those things are fantastic along the outside edge of a weed line.

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Re: Spy baits who's using them, and what brands?

Post by Frosty » Tue Feb 14, 2017 1:34 am

If you're new to this, or even if not, these two videos are very indepth and well shot. I learned a lot of tips, techs, and background from these:

https://youtu.be/MS3idsy52Hw

https://youtu.be/jxq5_o81Hbw

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Re: Spy baits who's using them, and what brands?

Post by jpmoney » Tue Feb 14, 2017 10:25 pm

I have only used the Duo realis spybaits in both 80 and 90 size, regular type not the G-fix. I really like them, the action is nice, the available colors are impressive, and are very well constructed. They have turned some slow days on the water around for the better.

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Re: Spy baits who's using them, and what brands?

Post by Frosty » Wed Feb 15, 2017 10:43 am

I just ordered two Duo Realis spy baits, one G-fix size 80 GF Oikawa and one size 90 in Komochi wakasagi. Excited to try them. I fish some clear water lakes, but we don't have those California super clear waters here. The ones I fish range anywhere from 4-7' visibility.

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