Retrieve: When I fished the Spinbait 80 for the first time the first thing that I thought when I saw it coming back through the water was "is that it?" Unlike other baits that try and displace as much water as possible or draw attention with erratic action spybaits, including the Spinbait 80, travel in a straight line and emit very subtle action as it is retrieved.    

The first thing anglers will notice with the Spinbait 72 is just how easy it is to cast a good distance

Though very subtle these baits incite strikes with a variety of stimulus during retrieved that starts with the propellers on both ends of the lure which create vibration that the DUO calls "micro-pulsing". The second stimulus is generated by the prop churning water alongside the body of the lure creating subtle movement called the "plume-effect." A third action is the visible rotation of the blades creating flash as the bait moves through the water, this is called "strobing," and the final stimulus is the subtle, yet consistent, rocking motion of the lure as it is retrieved is called "listing." Anglers can generate a fifth action if the bait is allowed to rest, and as the bait falls on slack line it will flutter slightly, in an action called the "shimmy." All of these stimuli come together to generate strikes throughout the water column.

The rear of the bait features an angular keel that helps the lure deliver the signature spybait action

The ability to target fish throughout the water column is one of the biggest advantages of baits like the Spinbait 72. Like the original this bait can be used to target fish throughout the water column, and is a great bait for targeting those tricky suspended fish. Much like drop-shotting I count on my electronics to find the fish and where they are holding then put my confidence in the baits to draw strikes.

The bait gets down faster and enables anglers to target fish suspending deeper or in faster moving water

Price and Applications: Like many other techniques I have found that there are times when spybaits are exactly what fish want, and other times where I have to put in some work, and exercise patience, to effectively fish this technique. The Spinbait 72 Alpha is a nice addition to the Duo Realis spinbait arsenal, giving anglers an easier to cast, and slightly larger profiled bait to mimic baitfish.

Unlike the original Spinbait 90 the Spinbait 72 Alpha feels better suited to fishing a bit faster, and the increased rate of fall enables anglers to more easily target deeper holding fish, and those waiting to ambush prey alongside faster moving currents.

A look at the new prototype Spinbait 60

Retailing for $13.99 each the Spinbait 72 Alpha lures cost the same as the original Spinbait 90 baits. When the original baits first came out most anglers felt like they were overpriced, especially for such a small lure, but over time as more anglers invested in the learning the technique, and started to fish baits from other manufacturers, it became clear that the DUO offering is truly the standard for which all spybaits are measured against.

Side by side with the Spinbait 60 the compact Spinbait 72 Alpha looks huge!

Every DUO spybait just swims right, and though it is hard to see exactly what type of subtle action each model exhibits, that signature sauntering wobble which is always consistent, and the 72 Alpha is no different. No additional tuning is required to get these baits to swim properly, and the blade and hook hardware on the baits holds up well over time.

Spend enough time with Spinbait 72 and it is clear that spybaits are effective at targeting fish of all sizes

There are already six different versions of the DUO Realis spinbait (including the Awabi Limited which feature an integrated abalone plate), and yet master lure maker Masahiro Adachi is still exploring ways to build on the series with unique new versions. On the other end of the spectrum from the Spinbait 72 DUO sent us a prototype of a new ultra-finesse version that they are working on, the Spinbait 60. This soon to be released bait has a much smaller profile and should be a cold water weapon, and absolutely deadly for smallmouth, though I have no doubt that largemouth will also inhale this bait.

The Spinbait 72 Alpha is not a replacement for the original but it is a nice addition to the DUO spinbait family and helps anglers target deeper fish, or fish that are keyed in on larger shad

Conclusion: DUO can be credited with making the spybait craze what it is in the U.S. today, and continues to take the technique to new levels with the introduction of Spinbaits of varying new sizes, weights, and profiles. The Spinbait 72 Alpha is the first to really break away from the mold of the original slender design, and features a shorter, more substantial profile to better mimic shad, and target fish is deeper and faster moving water. This bait is also easier to fish than the original, which required ultra-thin fluorocarbon lines and at times painfully slow retrieves. This is the power fishing version of the Spinbait series, and while it really isn't a replacement for the original, it absolutely is a worthy addition to any spybait aficionado's arsenal, effectively extending the addressable applications for this deadly technique.

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