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Lure Review


Strike Pro USA's nicely finished trolling plug
 

Date: 5/19/05
Tackle type: Lures
Manufacturer: Strike Pro USA
Reviewer: JIP






Total Score: 8.08

Introduction: Tuna season isn't far away now and it's time to build up  your assortment of lures before the store shelves become void of all the popular items. This season don't overlook the SP Plug by Strike Pro USA. This trolling plug pays an amazing amount of attention to detail and the quality shows the minute you pick up one of these exclusive cedar plugs.

 

Strike Pro USA SP Plug 145 Specifications

Type Saltwater plug (Rigged)
Class Sinking
Material Wood
Colors/Patterns 10 available
Size 5 3/4"
Weight 3 1/2 oz
Hook sizes 10/0
Price $15.00

 

Strike Pro USA offers 10 exciting patterns for the SP Plug

 
Impressions: A cedar plug is a "must have" when targeting tuna and king mackerel, and anglers can take advantage of a wide selection of these lures positioned at all quality levels. Having seen many different ones from different manufacturers, I would have to say the Strike Pro USA's SP Plug 145 is definitely among one of the most meticulous in design. The multi layers of paint and the overall finish is top notch. The added 3-D eyes and hand painted details on the body of the lure are also excellent. The Strike Pro USA SP Plug comes pre-rigged with 41 inches of 150 pound monofilament line, a barrel swivel, and a large 10/0 hook.

  

Complete Rig for SP Plug 145 Tests

Rod Quantum Cabo PT Offshore (CBT6050)
Reel Daiwa Sealine SL-D (SLD20-2SPD)
Line 60 lb. Berkley Big Game

  

From head to tail the SP Plug is extremely detailed and completed with a nice finish

 
Field Tests: A cedar plug is a very versatile lure and can be used to troll for tuna, kingfish, sailfish, and much more. We geared up with heavy tackle consisting of a new Quantum Cabo PT Offshore big game rod paired with Daiwa's Sealine SL-D 2-speed reel and put the Strike Pro USA plug up against Albacore tuna far offshore in the Pacific Ocean.

 

Trolling: As we trolled it behind our Boston Whaler it took the furthest rear position in our spread. Experienced trollers know why, if you've ran a similar style plug before you know this lure simply goes wild in the water, and that's exactly the action you require when targeting these species of fish in the deep clear blue water. The SP Plug will dart erratically in every direction, and when trolling at the proper speed the lure will stay close to the surface.

 

Trolling the plug is effective. The lure is pre-rigged with heavy duty mono

 

So lets get down to it, will the Strike Pro SP Plug catch you more fish compared to others? The answer is both yes and no. There are days when the bite is wide open and a unfinished cedar plug will do just fine. But the SP plug can be more effective when the bite is slow, and fish are finicky. Fish like tuna have sizeable eyes, and they use their excellent vision to feed. Some days these fish will not bite on just any color, but we found that because the finish and patterns on the Strike Pro plug are more realistic than others, we were able to pick up fish when we our traditional cedar plugs were simply ineffective.

 

A hefty hook makes the SP Plug capable of handling large tuna and other big game species

 
Durability:
 Though the paint on the head of the SP Plug did get chipped a little when the tuna attacked the lure and then bashed it around on the deck for a while, we are pretty happy with the quality of the lure. The finish won't flake off like we've seen with poorly painted plugs, and the large hook is excellent in durability. The only thing we would like to see changed is the barrel swivel to an even higher quality brand. Why? Because when you are fishing for tuna and other big game fish you want the very best components, just in case you do happen to hook into that fish of a lifetime. Even though we had no problems landing Albacore on our test plugs more robust terminal tackle will better stand up to the larger more powerful yellow and blues. The bottom line is you don't want to be worrying about your terminal tackle when a trophy is on the line.

 

Not only is this lure great for tuna, it's effective against kingfish, yellowtail, and more

 

Price: The SP Plugs aren't cheap, and when compared to other cedar plugs, you may suffer sticker shock when seeing the price is double what they would normally pay for other brands. But if you pick up this Strike Pro USA lure you will know right away why this plug comes with this higher price. The quality and details put on this lure are top notch, and this is readily apparent as many other lures have poor paint jobs and make use of questionable components.

  
Ratings:

Strike Pro USA SP Plug 145 Ratings (?/10)

Construction/Quality Great craftsmanship paying much attention to fine details with an excellent paint job. The components are durable and will stand up to the fights with large fish 9
Performance A great performer when trolled. It gives an erratic motion that triggers fish to chase until hooked 8
Price The price is high compare to others, but for those who wants quality and an extremely nice finish/pattern, this lure is for you 7.5
Features This lure doesn't feature much, but one thing it has over other brands is the exceptional quality paint job and finish 8
Design (Ergonomics) Effective design for trolling near the surface with uncontrollable movements 8
Application A great trolling plug used for many saltwater big game such as tuna, kingfish, yellowtail, and much more 8

Total Score

8.08


Pluses and Minuses:

                 Plus                                    Minus

J Quality paint job and finish L High price
J Great erratic motion  
J Awesome for tuna  
J Durable  


Conclusion: Strike Pro is one of those companies that has really come on in the last year. The company has made significant headway in both freshwater and saltwater tackle, and this growth in market share can be attributed to the fact that Strike Pro makes some very high quality tackle. Detail in design, quality construction, and superb paint jobs are all things that contribute to the company's higher prices. Anglers looking for a trolling plug this season shouldn't pass up on the Strike Pro USA SP Plug. This lure is effective at not just tuna, but many other species as well. The lure has exceptional erratic motions and darts through the water to entice a fish to go on a chasing spree until hooked. Not only is this lure effective, the quality paint job and finish is excellent and though the price is higher than others, nothing compares to it in terms of sheer detail in design. While you probably don't want to be arming yourself with a whole box of SP's one or two may just turn the tide when the bite is slow. 


 

   

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