|
|
|
Kevkel's New Double LouveredLeaf Spinnerbait
(continued)
  Speed: Conversely, it was difficult to ascertain just how slow we could effectively retrieve the bait. The Kevkel LouveredLeaf spinnerbait certainly gives off a good amount of vibration at high speeds, but at slow speeds, you cannot always feel the blades turning through your fishing line and we were left to wonder if the blades were indeed spinning at all.
...White and
Chartreuse...
To get a better feel for the bait at slow speeds, I again dropped the Kevkel bait next to the boat, just under the surface alongside a competitor's product. Pulling both the baits through the water with their respective rod tips at the same rates of speed, I could see the Kevkel blade would begin turning sooner than the competitor's product. The turns were sort of half loops, but there was some motion.
...Morning Dawn...
...Purple and White, etc.
However, when dragged alongside the boat by the force of the trolling motor, both blades would stop and start at the same settings - very puzzling. Maybe the currents alongside our moving boat had an effect on the baits.
This one bait was custom ordered with a larger than normal top blade.
Durability: Though I fished these baits on and off over a the course of a few months, I really did not put it through enough abuse to test its durability effectively. Perhaps if I had opted for the one ounce versions, properly sized for a swimbait rod, things might have been different!
Deciding where to cast next.
But seriously, the skirts are hand tied with a quality silicone material, and the components of this bait are top notch. If I have any criticism, it's in the way the louver itself is re-finished to protect against corrosion with just a clear nail polish. I'm not sold this is enough, but so far so good.
Top notch hardware holding the blades in place.
Effectiveness: So what's the bottom line with these baits? More than the speed with which the blades turn, I feel the true effectiveness in with this spinnerbait lies with the probable different sound the louvered blades create as they churn in the water. Then again, maybe it's a combination of the louveredleaf's sound and speed that create just enough difference to make the fish react and strike.
Each head is carefully painted.
There's no denying the bait is very good on the fall as the blades helicopter down, but is it more effective than other blade baits in this or any other traditional spinnerbait technique? Similarly, we're still not entirely sold these blades turn 100% of the time when slow rolled, but regardless of the claims, the important thing to know here is, the bait works and we were able to catch fish at all retrieve speeds.
A
close-up of the hand tied skirt.
Availability: Kevkel Baits is still a relatively small operation with limited production capabilities. They're working on putting up a website, but with the local demand on their baits, there's only so much time to devote to every task. If you're not local to the Bay Area, and are interested in purchasing some of these baits, the best way to order is to call George Yonekura at Research Machine Development (RMD - 1.408.988.1785). The two are working hand in hand on the production, sale, and distribution of these products.
We're not sure if the blades turn 100% of the time at slow speeds, but they certainly do catch fish when worked slow!
Ratings:
|
Kevkel Double LouveredLeaf Spinnerbait Ratings (?/10)
|
| Construction/Quality |
Good quality baits though the finish at the louvers could stand a bit more refinement |
7.5 |
| Performance |
The baits run true though still occasionally foul after a cast or when observed falling beside the boat |
7 |
| Price |
A premium for spinnerbaits |
6 |
| Features |
The unique louveredleaves is what this bait is about |
8 |
| Design (Ergonomics) |
Perhaps too many colors from which to choose |
7 |
| Application |
Though difficult to really assess the claims, we were able to catch fish retrieving this blade at all different speeds |
7.5 |
|
Total Score
|
7.17 |
Ratings Key: Ratings Key: 1 = terrible : 2 = poor : 3 = lacking : 4 = sub par : 5 = mediocre : 6 = fair : 7 = good : 8 = great : 9 = excellent : 10 = unbelievable!
(For a detailed explanation of the ratings go here) |
Pluses and Minuses:
|
Plus Minus
|
| J Unique blade design |
L For now available only locally or by phone |
| J Effective fast or slow |
L Too many colors from which to choose |
| J Good quality construction |
|
Conclusion: This bait is talked about in rather hushed tones locally here in the Bay Area which is what spurned this review. Stories from very credible sources of local pros slaying the fish in and around the
California delta on this bait preceded by the "don't say anything but..." qualification, was enough to cause me to break from the Swimbait Rod Wars to sample a bit of the madness. Unfortunately, my experiences with this bait were not as euphoric.
Our first fish caught on the new Kevkel LouveredLeaf Spinnerbait
Certainly, I've no doubt this bait works as I've caught fish on it, but I was just hoping for some "easy pickings" compared to some of the long, fishless days wrought by the trials of tossing the big baits. I applaud Kevkel Baits for their innovative take to a staple in the world of bass fishing - the spinnerbait. There's not too much you can really do that hasn't been done with this bait, but they've found a way. While visually, it's difficult to verify the theories behind these louveredleaf blades, they certainly do catch fish and at all retrieval speeds. So for going a little outside of the typical spinnerbait box and producing a bait with a new louveredleaf twist, we award Kevkel Baits Tackle Tour's Innovation Award!
Check out
the Kevkel
LouveredLeaf
Spinnerbait
on
TT Video!
|
|
|
|
