Tackle Tester

After a month of trialling these plastics in different locations, for different species I got a good idea of how the plastics perform. Freshwater was my aim but I would have liked to test them in the salt but sadly didn't get the time to do so. What did I like about it? • The tail action on both the curly and paddle tails was exceptional and exceed that of others I have tried. • The tail action was sensitive enough that I could drop down to the lightest of jig heads. • The plastics presented well for the fish when sitting stationary on the river/dam bed. • The plastics are versatile, suiting large rivers to creeks to lakes. • Packaging was excellent and presented well. What did I not like about it and that needs improving? • Are extremely sticky, so when bush bashing it would collect dirt, sticks and leaves ending in me having to clean the lure off each time before use. • The stickiness also resulted in the tails of the plastic, especially the curly tails, to stick to the main body which often resulted in a 'wasted cast'. • I struggled to keep the plastics on a weedless hook (tried a few brands). Creating Daiwa branded weedless hooks to suit these plastics could be preferable. • Due to the softer material of the plastics they were not as durable as other elastomor plastic that I have used in the past but it does feel nicer to touch than others. Overall, the plastics worked really well. Ended up catching two of my personal bests in just one month of testing them. Will definitely be continuing to use these in the future. Other colours? The range of colours were really good. I personally believe colours don't affect fishing. If you were to create another colour I would love to see lime green with a flash like strip. Where did I first hear about the Bait Junkie? Through Daiwa’s Instagram pages and through people’s stories.

Firstly, I want to say a huge thank you for allowing me to take part in being a Bait Junkie tackle tester for you guys, it was an absolute memorable journey for me as a Daiwa enthusiast. The double clam shell packaging is sensational keeping all my plastics fresh, flawless and in pristine condition. The detailed directions outlined on the back of packaging are clear and informative. I was pleasantly surprised with the durability, as the Bait Junkies are much softer than most other brand plastics. The Elastomax material provided a superb and real-life swimming action along with the design giving me amtrouble free and precise rig. The variety of colours are fantastic, my personal favourite is the Voltage it caught the most for me. The 3.2-inch Yuzu UV Minnow caught the eye of a variety of fish which was exciting, and the Bream loved the 4inch Motor Oil Grub. I also found that the fish just strike and swallow the Bait Junkies there was no touch ups at all really, which is how I landed my 40cm Silver Trevally in my local Nambucca River (Macksville) - pretty stocked with that catch! I rate the Bait Junkies highly and they will be a part of my tackle box always. I hope I have covered everything. I personally cannot fault them at all, they are a well thought out lure sure to be ahead of the rest. I have really valued the opportunity the be a part of the launching of the Bait Junkies and want to congratulate the team that put these bad boys together, another stand out product made by Daiwa.

Hey guys, I was selected in late September to test out the Bait Junkie range of soft plastics from Daiwa Australia. I had the chance to fish with them both inshore and offshore, from freshwater creeks to the barrier reef. This is not a comparison to other brands of soft plastics, as I believe that is down to personal preference and confidence in what you trust, this simply an open and honest review. First impressions are great, the plastics are easily identifiable and well presented in the packaging so you don’t get any twisted tails and bent bodies making them easy to rig and get the perfect action. The plastics are very tough and durable, meaning rigging on a standard jig head takes a little more attention to create the right presentation, I simply pinch the plastic lightly between my fingers in an attempt to centre the hook as I thread it along the length of the lure, moving my fingers along with the point of the hook. (The moulds of these plastics have been designed in such a way as to create the cleanest possible cut, meaning a FLAT and tidy front to allow for perfect rigging on the jig head) The colour range is right up my alley, lots of hard contrasting patterns which I find ideal for creating a bait that is easily tracked by predators, but also some really natural patterns, better suited to pressured populations. You can take advantage of the bouyancy of these plastics in several ways, my favourite being an EWG hook with no additional weight, rigged with both the grub tails and paddle tail profiles. This combination burnt across the surface proved really productive and genuinely looks incredible when rolled though the water. I also found these are an effective option when fishing deeper water, as the natural consistency of the plastic is rigid enough to prevent fouling on the drop (nothing worse than dropping 60m+ to initiate your retrieve and instantly foul up). One thing I do really, really like, and I’m not sure how to convey this, is the tacky texture these lures have. A certain tacky feeling that to me, feels incredibly natural and I think will account for fish holding on for longer, meaning more chance to set the hook. This coupled with the scent imbedded within the material is a deadly combination. All in all, I am stoked to have been a part of this, and stoked I have another reliable and convenient option when fishing plastics.