Product Review: Drown Dragonfly

By Mitch Taylor

The start of spring marks arguably one of the best times of the year — well, for me anyway — the opening of Aussie bass season. This day always gets me pumped, and the anticipation toward the end of winter is almost too much to bear, especially when there are new lures to try for the upcoming season.

I love topwater fishing for bass. In fact, 95% of my bass fishing is almost exclusively topwater, even when the bite is slow. There’s just something exciting about seeing a big, aggressive boof off the surface from these native predators. Over the years, I’ve often thought about what the next best topwater lure could be. And if you chase bass like I do, I bet you’ve seen swarms of dragonflies each season and thought, “I reckon one of those would work for sure.”

Well, you’re not wrong — and Daiwa has made it possible with their newest addition to the bass lure family: the Drown Dragonfly. As the name suggests, it’s a great imitation of a dragonfly sitting on the water’s surface. This floating topwater lure can be worked in a variety of ways and comes in four colour variations that suit most waterways.

Does it work? I could just say yes — but instead, I’ll tell you why this is now your new favourite bass lure.

The Drown Dragonfly comes in a single size, but it’s the perfect profile for imitating most dragonflies. It’s light enough to be fished with finesse gear, but still heavy enough to cast down into tight snags. The lure is jointed, with a hard upper body and a soft tail. A small twitch gives it a lifelike pivot and pause — perfectly mimicking a dragonfly that’s fallen into the water. You can also retrieve it steadily for a subtle surface wobble that can trigger more aggressive strikes.

Another standout feature is the pair of soft silicone wings that create natural ripples on the surface with each twitch or slow retrieve, adding realism that can be the difference on tough days.

I fished the Drown Dragonfly toward the end of last bass season — typically a slower period — and found it surprisingly effective. The lifelike presentation and ability to fish it slowly helped me stay in the strike zone longer and entice more bites from timid fish.

Overall, this lure is a must-have addition to any bass angler’s kit. It’s already landed me some quality fish — and I’ve got no doubt it’ll do the same for you.