Lucky Craft
Slender Pointer
MR
Specifications |
Type |
Jerkbait |
Size |
3
available 4", 4 1/2", 5" |
Colors/Patterns |
56+
available |
Weight |
97MR
(3/8oz), 112MR (1/2oz), 127MR 3/4oz |
MSRP |
$17.99-$18.99 |
Impressions:
There is no doubt that
Lucky Craft makes some of the best jerkbaits on the market, if not the best. The
Pointer series offers anglers an ultra realistic lure coupled with a outstanding
action that has proven to work on so many different species. The addition of new
deep diving models helped increase the usable range of this series, and the
Slender Pointer (SP) now offers anglers a slightly smaller bait with a modified
action

Meet the Slender Pointer MR, and
addition to the Lucky Craft Pointer series
All pointers are not
created equal however and while I recognize the innovation behind the “live
pointer” it isn’t one of my favorites, as several lures haven’t swam right after
fishing them for some time, and they don’t seem to create that same quality
action as the rigid models.

The Slender Pointer has a overall
thinner profile than the original
On top of that the Live
Pointer’s didn’t seem to catch any more fish than the standard versions in our
long term tests. After the novelty of the live pointer wore off I started to
become more critical about fancy jerkbaits, and have found some of the very
best, like Megabass’s Vision 110 or Daiwa’s TD Minnow, to be straightforward
rigid models with slightly varying lip profiles.

Side by side with the Pointer 100
Casting: The SP
doesn’t cast nearly as good as the standard pointer, but certainly better than
the live pointer. Like its larger siblings the SP makes use of a weight transfer
system in order to increase casting ease and distance. The weights shift when
the lure is suspended downwards or cast, and also play into the action of the
lure during the retrieve. The standard pointer benefits from having more sheer
mass than the SP, and the larger profile can also house bigger weights.

The lure has a thinner overall
diameter as well
Retrieving:
Crankbaits and Jerkbaits are my go to fish searching lures. It is also easy to
gauge how aggressive the fish are within a few casts with these baits. The
Slender Pointer is designed to entice hard to bite fish, and catch fish when
other jerkbaits may not attract enough attention. The original Pointer Series
has a lively, powerful action with a side-to-side slide that is also ideal for
striper fishing. The Pointer 100 is still my favorite for its unique rolling
action, and if I could only fish one jerkbait for the rest of my life this would
probably be it. So where does the SP fit in?

The Slender Pointer continues
Lucky Craft's tradition of fantastic finishes
The SP gets down pretty
quickly to its maximum diving depth in between 3 to 4 feet and the first thing I
noticed with the bait was a slightly wider action during the retrieve. Pop the
rod tip and this action expands to the side greatly, and if worked in quick pops
the action can be downright erratic, which in some cases can be a very good
thing. This erratic motion draws more attention to the bait than a standard
pointer, making it less of a lurch forward like the other Pointers, and instead
more akin to a side to side panicking baitfish.

The Slender Pointer comes armed
with three razor sharp Daiichi hooks
This action is good for
spotted bass and even smallmouth, but is also good for working around largemouth
holding structure. During the pre season spawn the SP is also a good option as
it can be moved back and forth aggressively close to or right on top of nests
longer than a standard Pointer.

labeled on the underbelly