The DUO Spinbait 80 and the Art of Spybaiting

Introduction: Every once in a while a new fishing technique comes around that changes the very way people fish, just think about techniques like drop shotting or shakey head for example. This season a technique known as Spybaiting has gained attention here in the U.S. and leading the charge is a company from Japan called DUO Realis. DUO’s Spinbait 80 is a new twin propped hardbait designed specifically for this finesse technique.

DUO's new Spinbait 80

The Spinbait 80 was created by DUO’s top designer, Mr. Adachi, who we met a few months ago at ICAST 2013. Like DUO’s other products the Spinbait 80 exhibits a familiar styled fascia and plenty of attention to detail. We got the lowdown about this bait and the spybaiting technique from David Swendseid of DUO America.

The Spinbait 80 resembles a jerkbait without a lip

The technique has been used on famous Lake Biwa for years but is not exclusive to the lake, in fact there are reports of Japanese anglers throughout the country modifying their existing baits with props during the infancy of this technique.

The head of this lure ties it instantly to the rest of the DUO family

Lures like the Spinbait 80 are designed to emit plenty of turbulence when fished slowly and exhibit a very natural baitfish profile. Most of us here in the U.S. see prop baits and think topwater but the Spinbait 80 is more like a bladed jerkbait. Though it has a very small 3 1/8” length it is designed to cast very far and weighs in at 3/8oz. and is designed to fall in a horizontal fashion.

This is not a big bait and is designed for a finesse technique known as "Spybaiting"

After the bait is cast anglers can count down and start retrieving once the lure has reached the desired depth. This lure is designed to be fished with ultralight lines and anything larger than 5lb test is enough to drag the lure downwards and alter the intended action. Retrieved slowly the lure will roll slightly and tightly wobble as the blades rotate.

A look at the top of the slender Spinbait 80

This isn’t a lure that will rattle loudly or sweep side to side aggressively to call fish from afar, instead it is designed to draw strikes by fish that are close by and can see it swimming tantalizingly in the water. The subtle action is ideal for ultra-clear water where traditional techniques simply don’t work. In our initial testing we found this to be true and the lure was effective in clear Northern California lakes but we have not yet been able to catch fish on this bait in heavily stained water.

The underside exhibits plenty of angles

Though our field tests are not yet complete our initial inspection and bait autopsy are. In the lab we found the lures were very consistent and regardless of finish or whether the particular lure was transparent or opaque each and every one of our test lures were all without blemish.

This bait sinks quickly and evenly

The attention to detail on these baits rivals other premium Japanese lures and yet the company retails them for a reasonable $12.99 each. That may sound like a lot for a lure of this size but compared to the competition this price is quite competitive.

Each bait weighs in at 3/8oz.