Megabass Vatalion Product Review Lipless Crank Swimbait

Lure Review

A Bait that Defies Categorization : Megabass of America's Vatalion

Date:	9/3/17
Tackle Type:	Lure
Manufacturer:	Megabass of America
Reviewer:	Cal

Total Score: 8.00 - EDITOR'S CHOICE

Introduction: Swimbaits, crankbaits, jerkbaits, topwater... every now and then you come across a bait that defies categorization. The first thing I thought when I laid eyes on Megabass of America's new Vatalion was "oh cool, Megabass has finally come out with a panfish shaped glide bait." It's a two piece, hard bodied bait in the shape of a bluegill so naturally, this is what it is, right? Nope. Join us as we take a closer look at this peculiar little bait.

Megabass Vatalion Specifications
Type	Lipless Crankbait
Length	4.5 inches
Weight	1 3/8 oz
Depth	1 - 3 feet
Material	Plastic
Colors	7
MSRP	$29.99

Introducing Megabass of America's Vatalion.

Impressions: For its length, the Vatalion is stout little bait. Measuring just four and a half inches in length, it weighs one and three eighths ounces (1 3/8oz). Typical of Megabass, the bait is highly detailed from the gill plates to a translucent dorsal fin. The bait's body is sculpted too with subtle curves and indentations giving it a very lifelike appearance and of course the finishes are beyond reproach.

Most will consider this bait a "swimbait", but that's not the entire story with this bait.

Real World Tests: My first experience with the Vatalion was during our on the water introduction to Shimano's Conquest and IMX-Pro line of rods back before ICAST 2017. I was fishing one of the new IMX-Pro swimbait rods paired with a Shimano Scorpion DC casting reel.

Difficult to see in photos, but the Vatalion has all sorts of subtle curves and indentations throughout its body.

Castability: The Vatalion, like most panfish profiled baits, is hardly aerodynamic and it does have a tendency to sail a little bit on the cast. There are bearings inside the bait that move around, but they don't really shift front to back to aid with casting - they're all located in the front section of the bait. Having said all that, it's not as if this bait is difficult to cast either. Weighing in at 1 3/8oz, it's easy, with the right gear, to get it where you need it to be.

The bait's joint is of typical construction.

Naturally, with a big swimbait specific rod and a reel like the Scorpion DC, this task was very simple. However, I also fished this bait on board a St. Croix BASSX BXC71MHF paired with a brand new Quantum S3 Smoke with very little difficulty.

Chock full of detail, this translucent dorsal fin is the real kicker.

Next Section: Like an oversized crankbait?