JDM Ultralight Crankbaits 2014

[T-Grub]

While the Grace Minnow looks like a number of other minnow lures, it seems to perform at a much higher level. Allsorts, I am curious about some of the Duo sinking minnow lures, like the Spearhead Ryuki 45 and the Tetra Works Minnow 42. I supsect from past posts that you have used these two lures. How have they performed?

[Allsorts]

T-Grub that is the sort of question I love to answer! I'm going to go into a bit of detail that will help guide your buying decisions - it is easy to end up with the wrong minnow! I would first put these JDM trout minnows into some distinct sub-categories:

1. Traditional trout minnow baits: These are long and slim, floating or sinking, the body cross-section is oval, they can handle serious current without broaching and are designed to roll more and wobble less - basically the exact opposite of a floating Rapala which is more of a wobbler (side-to-side or yawing in boat terms). The Japanese have discovered that this erratic, side flashing action is very appealing to trout. If you look at this ITO Craft video http://www.itocraft.com/MOVIE/movie02.html you will see what I mean - incidentally you need to twitch your rod tip to get the full action but you will notice that in the video. Examples of this type include the Grace Minnow, Zip Baits Rigge, Smith Panish and Tackle House Mute Twinkle to name a few. These are basically quite shallow-running, even the sinking models. The fast sinking models need quite a fast retrieve to get good action, for warmwater use I'd tend to favour the floaters - the Rigge floaters are especially lively and excellent twitchbaits (Rigge 35F is well known to you, the bigger models are even more erratic). Unless you're fishing fast in big current I'd steer clear of anything weighing more than 4.5g as a general rule.

ZipBaitsRigge.jpg (4.27 KiB) Viewed 6207 times

2. Flat bottom fast-sinkers: These are deeper in the body, more heavily weighted and have flat bellys which allow them to wobble on the drop - they are designed for deeper and faster water where the minnows can't get deep enough. So in a deep pool you'd use one of these whereas at the head and tailout as well as the riffles you'd use a traditional minnow. Best known is the Tackle House Buffet Mute. I believe the Lucky Craft Watch falls into this category. My favourite is very hard to find - Duo Vogue Markbait . These can be fished slowly in deep water - I really like them for fishing lakes for our predatory barbs where you need to get down 6-10 foot and stay there. The Tetra Works Toto 42 fits in this category but it is a true UL, wobbles on the drop, very flashy - it's a real killer which will work a little deeper than the Rigge 35. Bluegills here eat it up. It's bigger brother, the new Duo Tetra Works 45 is one I'm not getting on with - need to play with it some more I guess.

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DuoVougeMarkbait.jpg (8 KiB) Viewed 6207 times

3. New 'flat' minnows: these include the Duo Ryuki, Ima Sukari, Smith D-Contact and the best of the bunch IMO, the Smith D-Incite. Basic idea was to flatten the body to maximise flash - they also wobble on the drop, not because of flat bottom but more of the falling leaf effect. These are quite heavy and good for deeper or still water. They generate an enormous amount of flash and are truly lethal on trout. I've caught bass and barbs on them as well but unless you have a lot of current they tend to run quite deep - I've used them down to 12' in lakes to catch barbs. If you go with the smallest models (Ryuki 45, D-Incite 43) I think you'll have a good UL warmwater option which won't have to be worked too quickly. Do get a D-Incite 53 though, I predict it will be a smallie killer. Here endeth the lesson. Any questions

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[uljersey]

That Duo has a similar profile to a Yo Zuri L Minnow. Yo Zuri has a knack for killing off baits I take a liking to. I'm down to my last L Minnow, nice to know there is an alternative out there.

[T-Grub]

Just ordered the DUO Tetra Works Toto 42 floater. I always thought the Toto only came in a sinker, but found that in Russia a floating model is available. Most of the rivers that I fish are very shallow so a floating lure tends to work better. I fished the Ecogear MX48 this weekend. This lure is suppose to be a suspender, but I found that it was a sinker that sank tail first. It seemed to have decent action during a retreive, but as soon as I stipped the bait, it sank. I swithced the a Jackall Chubby 35 and immediatly began catching fish. Later I switched to the DUO Grace Minnow and caught better fish. This was only one experience on a river that was running high, but I gained some confidence in both the Chubby 35 and the GraceMinnow, while I lost confidence in the MX48. Has anyone else had this experience with the Ecogear MX48?

[Afrayedknot]

Have you all used the BPS xts minnow? Specifically the 1/16 oz, 2" bait.

http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-X ... LL_PRODUCT

I have caught a ton of fish on these things and they cast far for an UL crank.

[MondayMonkey]

Have you all used the BPS xts minnow? Specifically the 1/16 oz, 2" bait.

http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-X ... LL_PRODUCT

I have caught a ton of fish on these things and they cast far for an UL crank.

Those look interesting thanks. Grabbed 1 of every color they are about $10 cheaper than any similar JDM offerings I have. It'll be interesting to see how they perform.

[T-Grub]

I have fished those lures before and for the money they work great. They were the old Lews Speed minnow when I first purchased them several years ago.

[archy]

wow！ where did you get those crankbaits?

[Nate P]

I personally love to use ultralight crankbaits for fishing. I think the light line and the ultralight rod work great for the small cranks!
One of my favorite is Ugly Duckling 2F and 2S - http://udlures.com/

[ayo8]

Ive had success with the Megabass X-30 (SINKING) 33mm 1/18oz (1.5g)

[jigmaster5]

I just happened to think about this thread when I was fishing this past weekend and decided to take a picture for it. The lure is a Lucky Craft Bevy Shad MkII 50SP in Lake Biwa Bluegill.

I'll have to try 1 of those!

Cool thread, guys! Thx!

[zodiak311]

Also want to add that Salmon (Poland) makes some pretty cool UL cranks as well. I have had a lot of luck with them.
http://www.salmo.com.pl/en/about-us/