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What happens when a Swimbait and a prop bait
get together, meet the Basstar Proprunner
(continued)
 
Durability: The
Basstar Proprunner is constructed out of durable transparent ABS plastic that is
similar to standard ABS but is best used for products requiring impact
resistance. The lure has a rather large diameter body but we didn’t experience
any cracking problems with this hollow bait. Another reason that Basstar chose
this particular material is that it is easy to work with when stamping,
printing, and painting. We were initially concerned that the swivel hook design
might not offer the durability of traditional wire and split rings and if were
one to break it would be difficult to service, but throughout all our tests we
never had a single one break.
A close look at the finish on the
Silent Runner
Price & Applications:
Each Basstar Proprunner retails for $34.99, and if you’re a big bait fan that
price probably won’t even phase you, but if you are just a casual angler the
price is certainly a major investment. The Proprunner is easy enough to fish and
anglers need not be proficient in big baits to have success with this lure, in
fact anglers that are used to topwater baits like spooks and prop baits will
adjust quickest to this particular lure.
The Silentrunner has a skirt
instead of the prop and does not put out a big wake but is much easier to walk
the dog with
Throughout our tests we
found the Basstar effective for both largemouth and striped bass and would love
to try the lure on larger species including Muskie and even Peacock bass which
would likely take interest in the lure’s distinctive surface noise and action.
Basstar is looking to expand their line and will be bringing the bait out in the
same rainbow trout and white patterns without the prop and a skirt instead, much
like the existing limited edition chartreuse shad.
We fished the lure under bridges
and by rocky structure. Working the lure on calm water had the best results, the
prop brings a lot of attention to the lure on the surface
Basstar will also be
offering a downsized 4 inch version for when the fish want something smaller,
and the new bait will be available in May starting with three patterns including
chartreuse shad, blue gill, and frog. The smaller baits will be available with
the prop and without, the ones without the prop will have a rotating feathered
hook on the tail. The only minor change in the profile of the bait is the
inclusion of stabilizer wings near the tail which will help the bait
walk easier.
A largemouth released under the
bridge
In addition to a smaller
Proprunner bait Basstar has also been hard at work on a two different crankbaits
that will be shortly released, one that has been creating a buzz among anglers
who have only seen the prototype is a new crankbait design can run down to any
desired depth, the company claims up even up to 100 feet if needed. Joe Uribe Sr
has been catching fish at 30-40 feet of water with the prototype.
A sneak peek at the upcoming 4"
Proprunner
The DR20 is the floating
version of this crankbait that will dive to around 20 feet and also comes with
rotating hooks front and back, the lead lipped version is called the Dredger and
will dive nose straight down to any depth desired and will stand straight up
once it hits bottom.
Notice the stabilizer wings on the
back of the new bait which will make it easier to walk the dog with
The Dredger crankbait has
balanced weights in the belly and the lip so that it dives straight down without
any spirals or turning. It also has the weight transfer in the belly to improve
casting distance. The surface of the bait has dimples much like a golf ball. The
company plans to make the DR20 and Dredger available in mid May to early June
starting with 3 colors which include chartreuse shad, red craw, and firetiger.
The Dredger is designed to get
down....way down
Ratings:
|
Basstar Proprunner Ratings (?/10) |
| Construction/Quality |
The Basstar Proprunner is built out of quality components and while we were at first concerned about the connection of the rotating hooks they held up perfectly in our tests. |
8.5 |
| Performance |
We rated the Basstar Proprunner good in this category. There are many ways to fish the lure but the most effective method is the "walk the dog" and it takes a little longer to get the side to side action down compared to other baits. It is possible to tune the bait's prop to vary the churn and spit of the propeller's rotation |
7 |
| Price |
The Basstar Proprunner retails for a MSRP of $34.99 which is a bit on the expensive side but the bait can be found at e-tailers like Tackle Warehouse for $29.99 |
7.5 |
| Features |
The bait's finish looks good but somewhat mass produced versus custom like on some other big baits. The prop design churns up plenty of water and the rotating hooks are a nice innovation to help keep fish pinned on |
8 |
| Design (Ergonomics) |
The Proprunner is a big bait and is best fished with a light swimbait rod. There are multiple ways to fish this bait and the rotating hook system helps keep fish from throwing the lure |
8 |
| Application |
We found the Basstar Proprunner good for bass and stripers when the water's surface was not too choppy and believe that the lure would also be good for larger freshwater species including Musky and Pike, and can even be used for Peacock bass |
8.5 |
|
Total Score |
7.91 |
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 An interesting blend of different bait types into one fun to fish lure design |
L Learning curve on the prop version is steeper than other topwater baits to walk the dog aggressively |
| J 360 Rotating hook design helps keep fish pinned on |
|
| J Durable, survived violent surface strikes |
|
| J Good for multiple species |
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Conclusion:
Basstar is a
new brand on
the big bait
scene and
their first
introduction
is an
interesting
one. How do
you classify
this first
bait from
Basstar? The
best
description
is a giant
prop bait
designed for
swimbait
anglers. We
found the
Proprunner
to be well
built and
able to
catch fish
on the
surface,
especially
when the
water’s
surface was
calm. I
found the
Proprunner
entertaining
to fish as
it can be
worked in a
number of
different
ways though
I found
popping and
walking the
bait to be
the most
effective
for enticing
both
Largemouth
Bass and
Stripers to
strike. The
surface
strikes on
the bait are
intense and
the 360
degree hook
design helps
keep fish
pinned. If
you’re a fan
of big
baits,
propbaits,
and topwater
action the
Basstar
Proprunner
offers all
three in one
fun to fish
package.
Looking for the Basstar Proprunner, Tackle Warehouse has the Proprunner for a special price of $29.99
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