Let's start this way: You will never walk right past a Jackall bait. These baits – with their creative designs, top-of-the-line materials and superb paint schemes – command you to take a closer look. That's why we stopped and spent some time at their booth at the 2004 ICAST fishing tackle trade show. And we're glad we did.
Two of the most killer products we've seen in recent years are their new soft hybrid jerkbait and vibration-style baits, called the Mask 100 and Mask Vib 70 respectfully. Both baits are molded over a hard-plastic head, but have a soft (and durable) body and tail connected to the head with a titanium-nickel alloy wire that runs the entire length of the bait.
The baits are nearly indestructible – they bend and return to their original shapes. And the action absolutely has to be seen. The slow sink of the jerkbait (Mask 100) when twitched and stopped mimics a dying baitfish like the best of soft- and hard-jerkbaits. Equally impressive is the wobble and vibration of the Mask Vib 70. It not only imitates a scurrying baitfish, but can burned over and through grass equally well without rolling over. The action is phenomenally lifelike.
In addition to that great action, our tests found that the baits' hook-up ratio was superb. Normal jerkbaits and lipless crankbaits, because they are rigid, allow bass to gain leverage and can come unhooked as a result. Not true with the Jackall Mask models. Once a bass is buttoned up, it gets a free boat ride.
If you want to catch fish, and have a boatload of fun working these baits, you have to get your hands on a few.
Notable
> The pearl shad and regular shad colors were our favorites.
> Jackall baits are used and endorsed by tour pro Kota Kiriyama, who is a stickler for fine details. He noted that Jackall designs and manufactures its baits using the latest 3D-imaging technology (spec'd to 1/100th of a millimeter), which allows faster production and increases the probability of having the exact same action from bait to bait. Kiriyama said: "I truly believe these are the best baits I've fished. They catch fish in all types of water clarity and depths."
> Other Jackall products we tested performed equally well. The Mikey (5.5 inches) and Mikey Jr. (3.8 inches) were two of our favorites, and if you like topwater strikes you'll love these wake-producing lures. They dive to a depth of 2 to 3 feet, depending on the model, and can easily be fished over grass or heavy cover. When retrieved quickly cranking, or waked with the rod tip held high, the three-piece jointed baits look like a fleeing shad. Both baits were easily fished around and over blowdowns and stickups, and because they float, they can be retrieved right up to the structure and stopped for some unbelievable blow-ups.
> Jackall baits became available in the U.S. in September of this year. Ten lines are in production, including the Mudsucker, Smash Minnow, Bonnie, SK-Pop Grande, O Cherry, D Cherry, DD Cherry and TN/70.
> The new Jackall web site is now up (click here)!
