About 20 years ago Yo-Zuri made a lure like these. Took folks some time to get used to the idea, but those that did found the lure to be quite effective. They were rigged with a treble hook if my memory serves me correctly. The lure was discontinued, though we received calls for the next 10 years asking if we had any more available. Probably, as so often happens, Yo-Zuri simply didn’t see enough demand to warrant the commitment to the lure. That was back before vertical jigging gained widespread popularity.
Savage Gear originally introduced these lures to the fishing community in 2015. At that time there were two versions, the skinny model has gone away, far more angler interest in the wider version which is a great slow pitch type lure. What that refers to is the way the lure moves on the drop, there’s a wonderful slow flutter as the lure drops. That’s the enticement for hungry predators, appears to be stunned bait. These center balanced lures are two-faced, a baitfish on one side with a nice big eye, and on the other a squid imitation with a pair of eyes on the side of the lure (four eyes, no waiting…). The weight distribution and rigging was given some thought. Hook orientation is appropriate for both lure types, and the lure can work both vertically and as a cast/retrieve lure – however it’s really best employed vertically. Some may find these lures similar to some other nameless firms “flatfall” lures. Aside from the fact that these are rather small vertical jigs, the style is quite different.
The lures were extensively tested, and we’ve had enough tuna around that they’ve been used to very good effect for both the bluefin and yellowfin. These were not LARGE lures in terms of size when they were initially produced, they were quite good for schoolie size tuna. But, given the strong bluefin bite we’ve had on the West Coast, larger grade fish, deeper jigging, Savage Gear entered the market with larger, heavier models.
