Jerkbaits and rip baits are a mainstay for many bass anglers. No matter what part of the world, jerkbaits will play an important role for at least part of the year, if not all year long. I was given the opportunity to fish the Realis 110SP Jerkbait and was thoroughly amazed at the capabilities of these baits. From castability to action, the Duo Realis 110SP Jerkbait outperforms many of the high priced jerkbaits on the market.
The first thing a jerkbait angler will notice about the Realis 110SP is its castability. The internal weight transfer system is remarkable. While most high-end jerkbaits are now built to prevent helicoptering during casts, the 110SP has raised the bar. When casting, a weight from the suspension system slides to the rear of the bait. A magnet holds it in place throughout the cast. The holding power of the magnet allows for very long, smooth casts. When a retrieve starts, the nose of the bait dives and the weight rolls forward creating a perfectly balanced, suspending jerkbait.
Years ago, fishing jerkbaits was an art form. Anglers spent hours modifying baits. Looking to get the perfect action, anglers added weight to the hooks, drilled holes in the body, and bent lips. Only after hours of casting, modifications and experimenting were they able to produce the actions necessary to catch bass. Anglers accomplished this time-consuming process for every water and weather condition. Because of the work involved, very few anglers were effective with jerkbaits and dedicated anglers dominated spring bass tournaments throughout the south, and year round on western waters.
There are nearly as many names for presentations as there are anglers that present them. In the past anglers would have both jerkbaits and rip baits. Jerkbaits needed the ability to bounce back and forth while rip baits needed a rolling (rocking side to side) action pulled through the water, this rolling action would flash the bait’s color.
Mr. Adatich, a premier bait designer, combined these actions into a single bait, the Realis 110SP. The Flat sides enable the darting action of a jerkbait and the bill and balance provide excellent rolling action for ripping. Add in the weight transfer casting system and you have a bait that can do it all to include casting great distances on those windy spring afternoons.
David Swendseid, R&D Specialist Manager for Duo Realis, explained, “Anglers are finding new ways to fish the 110SP. Because it’s so balanced, anglers are using them in place of squarebill crank baits when fishing rock piles or working them through the timber.” David went on to say that they [Duo] wanted to build a bait that could be used for many applications and in doing so balance was necessary. “It’s this balance that allows the 110SP to deflect off of cover and trigger more strikes.”
David describes the 110SP’s action as “Hyper Darting”. It only takes one cast to understand what David is referring too. With the slightest twitches of the rod, the 110SP will bounce left and right with incredible precision. This bait can quickly make a master out of novice anglers.
An additional feature Duo wanted in the 110SP, no linear drift. Somehow this bait has a set of brakes on it. I’m not sure how they did it, but the 110SP will not drift forward after imparting action. Twitching or pulling, when the line stops so does the bait. I experimented with this up to 15-pound test line, and the bait managed the line very well.
I’ve written a couple reviews for Duo now and have always been extremely impressed with the color choices available. Duo develops bass catching colors based on their professional staff’s research. Combining reflective paints, prism effects, and base colors make for extremely realistic looking baits. According to David, “We try to offer all the basic colors anglers want and use. In addition, our U.S. market bait lines will have a couple colors that are very effective in Japan. Many of our staff anglers in the U.S. have had great success with colors primarily designed for Japanese waters.” A savvy angler would be wise to take advantage of a hot new color area bass haven’t seen a thousand times a day.
Just as we’ve come to expect from Duo Realis, these baits are very durable. Casting to docks is a hazardous situation for baits. I’ve busted lips, cracked the paint, and bounced eyes clean out of the sockets on all the markets top bait brands. The Realis 100SP is holding up perfectly, even after many body slams into the wood, concrete seawalls, and steel docks and pylons.
The hooks are the same ones found on all Duo Realis baits. Realis hooks are perfectly sized and extremely sharp. From the Realis Pencil to the Realis crank bait line and now their jerkbaits, they all have a fantastic hook that penetrates easily.
Duo Realis has designed a bait that makes catching bass, jerkbaiting or ripping, extremely simple. Casting, twitching or ripping, just give it an input and the bait does it. The Realis jerkbait has all the features of a twenty-five dollar bait, but at a price that won’t break your wallet.
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Mike Cork
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