As Zander piloted the boat down and through the sloughs of the CA Delta, I fired the Wild Hunch up and past all the berms in the middle of the sloughs making sure to thread the bait and my line through as many tules and other obstructions I could manage. Well, ninety percent of the time, the Wild Hunch swam right through all these obstructions bouncing from reed to the other, off a stump here, and off a rock there - this bait can really dance and deflect with the best of them!

This bait works in open water, but don't be afraid to throw it up into cover.

Features: As mentioned earlier, the Wild Hunch has one internal weight that doubles as a rattle in the rattle-in model but is held still for silent mode in the original and SR. Depth options are the standard model and shallow running model, but there is no deep running version that we know of. Color selections are very good although we're not aware of any foil finished Wild Hunch Baits.

The small, light wire hooks help keep this bait out of snags way.

Design/Ergonomics: I have a handful of these baits in both models and the bait to bait consistency is very good. The finishes are very detailed with some baits featuring a painted bill and others just the clear plastic. Weight on both the standard and SR came out the same on our scales both weighing 10 grams which equates to just over a quarter of an ounce at 0.35 ounces or roughly 11/32nds. It's a very easy bait to cast.

And the bait's bill does a good job of bouncing the bait through and around cover.

The baits also each have very good detailing and realism. Actual bait size measures two and one eighth ( 2 1/8) inches excluding the bill, and hook spacing is very good for the hooks that are supplied with the bait. There is no room, however, if you decide to upgrade the hooks and increase their sizes - your front and back hooks will then run the risk of tangling.

There are a lot of subtle details carved right into this bait.

Application: Thanks to the two different models, the Wild Hunch can be fished in a variety of conditions whenever the fish are relatively shallow ( 0 - 6 feet). Fish it over rocks, through weeds, and weave it through visible structure, this bait will swim through it all quite effectively. Many will want to swap out the stock hooks with models featuring a heavier gauge wire, but I think that'd be a mistake. The small, light wire hooks on this bait are what enable you to fish it in all types of cover, and the relative light weight and low drag of these hooks let the dance and go crazy eliciting those bass to strike.

Early success with the Wild Hunch.