When the late-summer months roll around, it’s really darn tough to get a bite around my neck of the woods. The bass have seen just about every bait known to mankind by now and the hot water temperatures don’t do us many favors, either.
Normally, I wouldn’t really fish a lure like the Lunkerhunt Boshi Blade Underspin Jerkbait; I’m a little more of a traditional angler when it comes to lures. But with as tough as it’s been, I figured it wouldn’t hurt anything to give it a shot, so I took it out on the water and my gosh… this thing is bad to the bone.
Let’s run through it and I’ll tell you what I’ve learned about it.
The Lunkerhunt Boshi Blade Underspin Jerkbait has a great action
This jerkbait is unique as you can probably tell from the photos. Attached to the belly of the lure is a small willow blade that adds an impressive amount of action and flash throughout your retrieve. It fishes a little different than a lot of the jerkbaits in your collection, however.
The Lunkerhunt Boshi Blade Underspin Jerkbait isn’t a dainty little jerkbait; it has some serious meat to it. Measuring 4.3 inches long and weighing in at a hefty 5/8-ounce, you’ll need to use some heavier gear to fish it comfortably. I have had the best luck fishing it on a medium heavy-action rod because it has a bit more pull to it due to the willow blade. I normally throw my more traditional jerkbaits on 12-pound line and I’ve actually bumped up to 15-pound fluoro with this particular lure. It’s an awesome option for shallow cover (more on that in a second) so I’ve felt the need to put some shoulders behind it, if that makes sense.
When you pause the bait, it slowly rises to the top, so it’s not a suspending jerkbait like many on the market. But as the bait is paused, that willow blade keeps spinning as it rises which adds some really enticing aesthetics to the presentation. It looks very similar to a small school of baitfish which can really drive the bass crazy.
Because of the added drag of the blade, this jerkbait isn’t going to slash and dart quite as much as many others but the belly-mounted blade more than makes up for that in my opinion.
A solid lip makes a big difference
I don’t know if it’s just me, but I’ve had a heckuva time with my jerkbait lips breaking over the past few years. I love to target shallow rocks and stumps with a jerkbait almost all year long and this technique gets a pile of bites… until the bill breaks in half or falls off. With the price of many jerkbaits these days, that can ruin an evening in a hurry. I don’t want to pay a bunch of money for a lure and that’ll only catch a few bass before it breaks and becomes useless.
Thankfully, the Lunkerhunt Boshi Blade Underspin Jerkbait’s bill is built like a rock and has a super-solid connection point to the body of the lure. I’ve been able to bang it off seawalls, dock posts and riprap without any loss of structural integrity. When you’re targeting shallow cover with it, do not be afraid to get it around the thick stuff. Especially at a $9.99 price point, it’s built like a tank and should last you a long time.
Beautiful colors
Whether you’re imitating bluegill, shad, shiners or almost any other popular bass-fishing forage, I think you’ll find yourself impressed by the color selection of the Lunkerhunt Boshi Blade Underspin Jerkbait. They’re not too fancy or loud and they didn’t try to get too cute with the colors; they’re practical workhorses that will catch plenty of bass for you. I can appreciate that.
Quality components
This is one of those lures you can grab from the package and start fishing immediately. The hooks are super sharp and seem to resist bending and rolling quite well. I have also been impressed by the quality of the ball-bearing swivel to which the belly-mounted willow blade is attached. Even with very slight twitches of the rod tip, the small blade comes alive and turns quickly and easily.
The bottom line
Especially if you fish a lake that gets a lot of fishing pressure on its shallow cover, I think you should give this one an honest try. I know many of us don’t fish things like this too often, but I think it could be one of those lures you catch ‘em on and try your darndest to keep it a secret for as long as you can. Good work from Lunkerhunt on this one.
The Lunkerhunt Boshi Blade Underspin Jerkbait is available here.
