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Lure Review

 


Wake 'Em Up With Spro's Wameku Shad 70

 

Date: 10/21/20
Tackle Type: Lure
Manufacturer: Spro
Reviewer: Cal






Total Score: 8.17 - GREAT

Introduction:
Lipless cranks used to be a staple in my tackle arsenal, but somehow over the years, they've become less effective for me. Maybe catching fish is like trying to defend an NBA superstar, if you give them the same look defensively all game long, they're going to see you coming and adjust. Perhaps the fish in the waters I fish have adjusted and it's time to change up my lipless crank game. Spro may have a solution. Their brand new Wameku Shad 70 is pitched as having a different sound but also, two line ties so you can change up your presentation depending on conditions.

 

Spro Wameku Shad 70 Specifications

Type Lipless Crank
Length 2.75"
Weight 3/4 oz
Depth Any
Material Plastic
Colors 8
Hooks Gamakatsu
MSRP $10.59

 

Impressions: I was fortunate to spend some time on the water with the designer behind this bait, Shin Fukae recently where he walked me through the Wameku Shad 70 design. While the bait is made with a different sound than other Spro lipless cranks, what he was most excited to show me was his strategy behind the line tie - the Wameku Shad 70 has two positions.

 


Shin Fukae introduced us to his latest creation with Spro, the Wameku Shad 70 lipless crank.

 

Attach the included snap to the forward line tie and the bait runs relatively shallow. Attach the snap to the back line tie position and the bait runs in traditional, diving mode. Unfortunately, all we managed on that day with our brief time on the water were a couple of hungry walleye, but he slipped me a sample to try on my own.


It is effective with more than just bass

Real World Tests: I guarded this one Wameku Shad 70 carefully and was a little reluctant to throw it until the baits were more readily available for fear of losing it. Nevertheless it eventually found its way tied to the end of the line as part of my rotation of test baits for a few rods and reels. The one constant was I fished this bait on braid.


This is a 3/4 oz lipless crank

Castability: I've yet to meet a lipless crank that doesn't cast well. It's part of the reason they're a staple in my tackle box because you can just bomb them anywhere under any wind conditions. The Wameku Shad 70 weighs three quarters of an ounce (3/4oz) so it's a perfect weight to throw in any condition on just about any rod rated for this lure weight.


With two position options for attachment

Dive Time: The real secret behind this bait, of course, is that line tie. I was most intrigued to try it at its forward position where I tried it over some submerged weed beds. I was surprised to discover it really did work as advertised running just a few feet under the surface and somewhere above the emerging weeds. Unfortunately, in the early season, the grass wasn't quite thick enough nor tall enough to really hold any fish - or at least they weren't willing to come up and bite anything.


All Spro hardbaits come with Gamakatsu hooks

So to the backward line tie I went and into normal, lipless crank mode. Might as well see if it works in standard configuration, right? Well, at the early part of the year, this is exactly how the fish wanted the bait because I managed a few fish on a couple of different trips with this bait in standard, deep running mode.


The forward line tie makes this a shallow running bait, the backward line tie allows this bait to run like a standard lipless crank

The Sound: Objectively speaking, just about every lipless crank is marketed as having a unique sound. I'm sure this is true because no two lipless crank products are likely made with the same makeup of internal bearings/rattles. Most have a bunch of small beads that are all made of different materials to create the baits' sound. The Wameku Shad 70 feels like it has beads of different materials and sizes. For certain it has one or two large beads inside because it has more of an internal knocking sound than rattling. However, there's a mix of smaller beads in there as well because you can hear and feel them rattling when you shake the bait in hand.


It is an effective bait through the weeds

Design/Ergonomics: Of course, the best way to find out what's inside the Wameku is to Autopsy it, but I'll leave that to Zander. For now, know that the Wameku Shad 70 does indeed have a different sound than other baits I've fished. Otherwise, it is available in a rather modest array of eight colors for now. Hopefully this will grow with time, because so far, this bait has been producing well. Also it is only available in the one, "70," size.


The Wameku Shad 70 is available in 8 different colors

Price & Application: Spro is retailing the Wameku Shad 70 for $10.59 which is quite a bit more than their Aruku Shad lipless crank, but in line with some of their other more recent crankbait introductions. It's a versatile lipless bait able to be fished at standard depths but also cranked through more shallow water.


Noticed this after a photo op but I'm unsure if this was my doing for not properly closing the snap, or the fish's doing (I'm leaning towards the former)

Ratings:

Spro Wameku Shad 70 Ratings (?/10)

Construction/Quality Clean little bait 9
Performance Casts and swims as you'd expect 9
Price A little higher than the company's other lipless cranks 7.5
Features Two line ties and more of a knocking sound than rattling 8
Design (Ergonomics) Only one available size and a limited number of colors 7.5
Application Ability to be fished in two different configurations/depths 8

Total Score

8.17
Ratings Key: 1 = terrible : 2 = poor : 3 = lacking : 4 = sub par : 5 = mediocre : 6 = fair : 7 = good : 8 = great : 9 = excellent : 10 = unbelievable!
For More Details of the updated rating system visit our explanation here

 

Pluses and Minuses:

Plus

Minus
+ Two line tie/depth options in one bait - Limited number of colors and only one size option
+ Different, knocking sound instead of rattling - Careful with the included snap
+ A new lipless crank option  

 

Conclusion: One thing that happened, that bears mentioning is the snap for this bait failed on me at one point. I didn't lose the bait or fish, but after we netted one of my catches, and I removed the bait from its mouth, I noticed my snap was mangled. I suspect that I did not close it properly because I've never had an issue with this style snap before and the fish I caught was not one that would have caused a failure.

 


The Wameku Shad 70 is an effective, new design in lipless cranking and one that should be added to your list of baits to try - especially if you're a fan of these types of baits.

 

But it this is something to keep in mind if you're not one that is accustomed to using snaps when attaching your line to your baits. I use them all the time which is why I think this was my fault not the snap's. Snap issues aside, the Wameku Shad 70 is indeed an effective, new design in lipless cranking and one that should be added to your list of baits to try - especially if you're a fan of these types of baits.

 

Looking for Spro Wameku Shad 70s?

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