|
Daiwa TD Minnow 2101SP
Specifications |
| Type |
Jerkbait |
| Size |
4" |
| Colors/Patterns |
10
available |
| Weight |
5/8oz |
| MSRP |
$14.95 |
Impressions:
I fish jerkbaits just as
much as any other lure out there, including plastics and deep diving crankbaits.
The lures are extremely effective during different times of the year, and are
downright unfair during the pre-spawn. But perhaps what draws me to continually
rig these lures is that they are extremely electrifying to fish.
The TD Minnow SP breathes new life
into the TD Minnow line
Not only are you extremely
active while fishing jerkbaits, but you are occasionally rewarded with
aggressive chasers and visual strikes. At the current time I began to field test
the SP I had already been fishing the original TD Minnow, but my preferred
jerkbaits at the time were the Lucky Craft Pointer and Megabass Vision.
Each comes in this retail pack and
cost 14.95 a piece
Design:
The SP bears a resemblance to
the Pointer, but is slightly more rounded on top and more pointed above the lip.
The most noticeable difference is the straighter profile. The Pointer’s tail
section arcs down slightly while the TD SP’s tail is almost straight along the
lateral line. But if you looked closely at the two it would be possible to
mistake them at a quick glance.
Tied on to our Kistler rod for the
field tests
Real World Test:
Testing and fishing jerkbaits is one of my favorite things to do. Ripping is a
technique that I have turned to time and again with great success year round.
When I originally started fishing this technique years ago I reserved it only
for pre-spawn, or very warm and clear water.
|
Complete Rig
for Daiwa TD Minnow SP |
| Rod |
Kistler Crankbait Composite |
| Reel |
Citica 200 |
| Line |
12
lb. Yozuri Hybrid |
Part of the problem was
that I was working jerkbaits only one way, so as the temperatures dropped
between fall through winter the retrieve that worked in the warmer months no
longer was effective. The SP comes at the perfect time, we are smack dab in
prime jerkbait season, and to see if the SP had what it takes to compete against
my two favorite series of lures it would have to perform spectacularly.
The SP features a realistic
angular head
To test the SP I paired the
lures with a variety of rods ranging in length from 6’6” to 6”10”. I used two
reels during the test, the Quantum Burner, and the Shimano Citica (6:3.1) and
spooled up with 12lb Trilene Big Game. I fished for both largemouth and ripped
for stripers in the O’Neil Forebay and California Delta.
On the translucent minnow it is
possible to see the internal weight system
Casting: While
retrieve is the most important factor to successfully fishing the new TD Minnow
SP casting these baits a fair distance is of the essence too. Covering a lot of
water is a must with this bait, and sometimes fish will chase this bait a good
distance before actually committing, this is especially true with Stripers. The
SP is weighed down with three weights and two bearings, these have some play but
do not shift around like the original TD Minnow’s “Long Cast System.”
The SP swims with a tight
realistic wobble that will fan out if retrieved in sporadic jerks or rips
We found the SP to be a
reasonable caster, but acknowledge that the weighting design is aimed at
realistic presentation rather than extreme casting. Since the SP lures weigh in
at 5/8oz they are actually heavier than the original TD Minnows, and for this
reason alone they felt easier to cast a good distance consistently.
A close up of the ultra fine scale
pattern
