Anglers are dreamers and inventors, and there are always a certain group of products that we have on our wishlists. For some it may be a top of the line rod or reel. For others, it may be a new piece of electronics gear or even a boat. Obtaining an edge in our fishing, catching and landing more fish, or just being able to do things easier drives us to buy more tackle. Sometimes we have to wait and save and find those blue-light specials before we can afford top-of-the-line tackle.
We often try products that look close to the ones we really want but more often than not they do not perform like the originals. We sometimes “make do” when we really wish we had better and ultimately are disappointed as a result. I like to go with the original for a couple of reasons. I want to reward the creativity of the inventor and believe they usually work better. That choice usually pays off with more fish and better experiences.
Martens Amped on Megabass
This past spring I had the opportunity to attend a writer’s event where we got to spend some time in the boat with Aaron Martens. To say that was a treat was an understatement. Martens is a thinking man’s angler, and that experience was eye opening to say the least. Martens is not only a great angler but he thinks like a fish. He is a great dad and husband, but plain and simple, he lives fishing.
Everything he has that touches fishing has his special touch. Whether it is his electronics bracket in his boat or his rods and reels, they must work the best and they must be set up with every detail being perfect. Martens is a perfectionist and his elite position in this industry is a result of his approach. He is in the upper tier not only because of his abilities but also because of the painstaking effort he places on the little things.
At the start of our day, he said, “Grab that rod, and let’s get after it.”
Knowing how much he cares about his equipment, I was a bit surprised he would let me use a $500 rod, an Marten-ized Shimano reel, a term for the little things he does to make it cast further, and a Megabass Ito Vision 110 Magnum. The spotted bass were hammering them in open water, but some of the areas we fished them were pretty snarl filled with large rocks, wood and debris and I believe we were pulling the fish off of the cover to hit it.
“This bank has them loaded up,” Martens said.
Boy was he right. We threw this $30 bait around rock piles, in culverts and over weed lines. Long cast, jerk, jerk, pause, hook a fish and do it again. With spots up to 4 pounds, I really got to feel the magic of this jerkbait by Megabass.
The Ito Vision Magnum is very special for a number of reasons. The weight and shape set this lure apart. It’s a long slender hydrodynamic shad/minnow imitator that has a unique transferring weight system that allows it to be cast long distances even in the wind. The weights in the bait shift to back of the bait when cast to increase distance. The sound chamber of this bait is also unique as it provides a subtle click versus a loud unnatural rattle. The dynamics of the shape give the jerkbait a unique darting action under the water. The small belly taper starting just under the nose to the rear of the bait gives it the unique Megabass action.
Fishing with fluorocarbon increases the feel and every jerk feels different. Sometimes it’s hard, sometimes it’s subtle and other times it is quick. If you like to fish jerkbaits as much as I do these are the little things that can make a big difference. Feel is everything and with the Magnum you can actually feel the fish inhale the bait. It slides, dives and glides and then rests horizontally on the pause with a slight rise.
This is not a super erratic bait. The Megabass 110 Magnum acts more natural than some of the other jerkbaits on the market, its more subtle, which I believe is good in cold water applications. The colors of these baits are phenomenal. They change colors. A slight turn or twist of the bait causes the color changes. The paint job gives the bait more depth and profile. I believe the flash of the bait combined with its subtle action gets more bites.
I have used Megabass products numerous times before but that experience with the new Vision 110 Magnum got my juices pumping. I already had a few of the original 110s, but after that experience I had to have some more of the new baits too. Megabass provided us a few for testing but rest assured I will continue to buy more colors as my budget allows. This bait is a differentiator and it’s obvious it’s something special.
Phase Two of Magnum Experience
I recently got to test another new Megabass Magnum creation just entering the US market called the Megabass Ito Vision 110 Magnum SP (Suspend). The color tested is called Wagin Oikawa. This fall I have tested it 6-7 times and the results have exceeded my expectations. Once I found the fish I was able to catch numbers and even had one weighing 4 1/2 pounds. Being able to keep the bait in the strike zone longer in cooler water conditions can differentiate a good day from a great one. The ability to pause the bait for 10-20 seconds, although painful for the angler, gets more bites.
The 110 Magnum Suspend has some sweet inherent characteristics. They are tuned to sink super slow, about an inch a second, where the original magnum floats slightly. They also have a newly designed fixed-balancer to level the bait out. You can cast and start the bait down and then on the pause it will sink horizontally ever so slightly.
I plan on using it throughout the remainder of the fall into the early winter. Water temperatures are now around 50 but I have caught bass down to the upper 30s with this technique. The right bait that suspends the way this one does, will extend the season for me. It adds another dimension and another must have bait to my arsenal.
The Tests
I like to add an oval split ring at the line tie to all of my jerkbaits. They provide a more erratic action. I really like the super sticky Owner hooks used on this bait out of the package, so I do not change them out. The split rings on the bait are solid and don’t need tweaking or replacement either.
The Megabass Ito Vision 110 Magnum doesn’t pull hard, but you can feel resistance, in particular, when it’s being jerked to depth. Once there, pausing the bait is the deal. Just about every bite occurs on the pause. I really like to pull the bait after a pause to mimic a shad swimming off and because of the lip design on this bait you can feel it on that pull as it moves side to side.
Most times, I throw this bait on a 6-foot, 6-inch baitcasting rod for more control teamed with a Team Lews 6.4:1 baitcaster and Vicious 12-pound Elite Fluorocarbon line. I like a bit heavier line early in the fall, but have fished down to 8-pound test in cold water. I have also used 17 pound earlier in the fall and spring when fish are more aggressive or around structure. The water temperature and water color determines what line I use at times as well.
Megabass provides their products in limited quantities domestically so when you see them, BUY them. This is a very special bait, and the Megabass Ito Vision 110 Magnum SP retails for $24.99. So it may not be for everyone. If catching quality fish is a priority and you like fishing with the best products that do what they say they will, it is worth the money. They will definitely help you put more fish into the boat.
