Components: The Highsider comes with good hardware. Though we’re not certain the brand, the hooks, including the rear dressed treble, are stout and sharp. The one area of questionable durability comes with the snap that is provided with the lure. The snap seems suitable if you’re using fifteen pound test or less line, but if you’re using line rated at twenty pounds or more, or do something like me, throwing this bait on braid for striped bass, then you’re going to want to upgrade this snap or install a split ring so you can tie direct. I would not recommend tying to this bait direct as I think it needs the flexibility in the connection to your line for maximum swimming motion.

On the upside, the Highsider comes with good, stout hooks including this dressed rear treble.

Effectiveness: For those not quite sold on the big bait campaign, the Deps Highsider is a good introductory bait to the craze. It has the profile and some of the action of these oversized baits, yet it’s light enough to toss on a big cranking stick. What’s more, you can work it like a shallow running crank because it dives the second you begin a moderately paced retrieve.

The Highsider is a good choice for those not quite sold on the Big Bait craze just yet. It has the size of a big bait but fishes almost just like a big shallow running crankbait.

For traditional big baiters, the Highsider might be a bit of a disappointment. Because it’s lighter than other baits of its size, it’s a little more difficult to get way out there on a cast. Though it certainly catches fish, its swimming motion is more subtle than I prefer in a bait of this size, so it takes time to build confidence with this lure

Ratings: (We've re-calibrated our ratings standard for 2008 and have included a key at the bottom of the following matrix as a guide):

Pluses and Minuses:

Conclusion: The big bait segment of the bass fishing marketplace grows more and more crowded with each passing year. The baits coming out of the West Coast of the United States are coveted in a similar fashion as to the bass reels coming out of Japan. For a manufacturer whose origins are out of this geographic ideal, in order to crack the market, you need to do it better and less expensively than the established companies. Simply matching what the others have is not going to gain you a following, and missing the mark can be lethal.

... From striper ...

The Deps Highsider is walking the fence on this accomplishment. As discussed above, it definitely catches fish, but its action is pretty subtle. The majority of its components are sound and very durable (save for the snap) and the finishes are unique and interesting, but its price is just a little more than I had hoped. It’s easier to throw than the traditional big baits, and that’s a good thing, but casting for distance is takes some practice.

... to largemouth, the Highsider can be an effective bait.

So in the end, I’m left with mixed feelings about this bait. Am I going to throw it instead of my 22nd Century Triple Trout or Rago Baby Tool? No. Is it easier to get than these baits and less expensive? Yes. Is it just as effective? That all depends on what type of action the fish are hungry for on the particular day you’re on the water. Am I going to continue to carry one or two in my big bait box just in case? Yes.

Looking for the Deps Highsider and Highsider Jr.?
Try Tackle Warehouse.