
Beefier Deep Diver - The Spinbait
72 Alpha Spybait

Date: |
5/10/20 |
Tackle type: |
Lure |
Manufacturer: |
DUO |
Reviewer: |
Zander |
Total Score: 8.33 -
GREAT
Introduction:
As spybaiting has become more popular so has the number of available
options, but none is more famous than the original DUO spinbait 80, the tiny bait
that pretty much introduced American anglers to the technique eight years ago. DUO
now expands the lineup with the meatier Spinbait 72 Alpha and also gave us a sneak
peek at an even smaller prototype that will soon join the series.
DUO Realis
Spinbait
72 Alpha Specifications |
Type |
Spybait |
Depth |
4-20feet -
Sinking
|
Size |
2
7/8 inches |
Weight |
1/2oz. |
Hooks |
#6X |
Colors/Patterns |
16 |
MSRP |
$13.99 |
Impressions: No company has
done more to promote spybaiting than DUO, and much like drop shotting back in the
early 90's when the technique first appeared on domestic shores it took a while
for anglers to understand, and build confidence with the style. David Swendsied, R&D Specialist at DUO, has done a lot to help educate anglers on the
spybaiting technique, what setups to use for each bait, when to employ the
baits, and how to generate the most strikes.

The DUO Spinbait 72 Alpha builds
on the original spinbait design with a shorter but wider profile
When spybaiting
first arrived from Japan many anglers viewed it simply as a searching technique, and one
that was primarily effective for targeting smaller fish, but as more anglers committed to
learning how to fish the Spinbait 80 it earned a reputation for
being an effective lure for targeting fish of all sizes in difficult
conditions, including cold and crystal clear water.
One of the keys
to effective spybaiting is long casts, and even with a bait as streamlined as
the Spinbait this meant using lighter fluorocarbon lines like 4-6lbs. for the
Spinbait 80, and 5-9lbs for the heavier Spinbait 80 G-Fix. Use of these lighter
lines made spinning gear the ideal setup for this technique.

This new Spinbait is designed to
be compact but heavy
The new Spinbait 72 Alpha is designed to expand the
applications where a Spybait can be effective, and because it is heavier it is easier to cast with all lines, including larger diameter
ones, which make it possible to be fished effectively with baitcasters.

The Spinbait 72 features the same
detail in design that we have come to expect from DUO and comes in some
exceptional patterns
Real World Tests: I purchased five Spinbait
72 Alpha baits from Tackle Warehouse and fished them alongside my original
Spinbait 80 baits. I primarily fished the baits with spinning
gear so that I could compare them side by side, but did try fishing the Spinbait
72 lures on baitcasters with 10lb. test Seaguar Tatsu line, and targeted largemouth bass in a
variety of Northern California lakes and reservoirs.

The lure may be small at only 2
7/8" but it weighs 1/2oz. and can be fished on either spinning or baitcasting
gear
Casting: The original DUO spinbait 80
weighs in at 3/8oz. (9.5g) and has a compact yet heavy fixed weight in the rear
of he slim body so that it casts quite easily for such a small sized bait. The
first thing that anglers will notice about the Spinbait 72 Alpha is that even
though it is shorter at only 72mm it is also significantly heavier than the 80. The
Alpha weighs nearly the twice the original at 1/2oz. (15g) and casts
much easier with just about any setup.

Though larger in height the lure
is still narrow
I was impressed with how easy the bait was to cast
with a baitcaster on 10lb. line but I have to admit that I still felt more comfortable fishing the
lure with a spinning setup.
Perhaps I am simply just
used to spybaiting with finesse spinning gear but it still felt more natural
casting and retrieving with spinning gear. What was very nice was the ability to
fish this bait with 8lb. fluorocarbon versus the 4 and 6lb. line that I always
use with the Spinbait 80.

A look at the sculpted underbelly
Next Section: Targeting deeper fish
effectively...
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