Retrieving: If you have fished a Pointer of any size before this tiny ripbait fishes exactly the same, the only thing to note is that because of the lower resistance it requires less rod action to impart those classic darting movements. The low center of balance which is characteristic of larger Pointers translates well in into the 65sp, the lure vibrates and has a tight wobble when retrieved at any speed. Rip the lure and the small 65sp comes to life and mimics a fleeing baitfish impeccably.

A Pointer 65sp side by side with a slender pointer MR

During our tests I didn’t get any largemouth to hit the 65sp but I did get a number of spots to wrap themselves around the tiny lure. Fighting spots on spinning gear is a mishmash of joy and panic all wrapped into one brisk battle. The hooks on the 65sp were a little light and while none of the hookpoints broke off I did have to bend them back after a few battles with voracious spotted bass.

The thin profile of the 65sp

Towards the end of the day I was sure that my opportunity to catch a trout had gone and passed and as I started working rocking drop offs for spots and smallies I hooked into what I thought was another spot. Only after retrieving halfway back to the boat did the fish start to shake violently back and forth when I knew that I had a trout on the line. The 65sp had done it, I had hooked a trout in water loaded with bass. When I landed the trout I noticed that it had just nipped the rear treble hook, and while it wasn’t a trophy trout by any means it solidified the effectiveness of the bait as a trout lure in my mind.

Finally a trout takes the 65sp over a drop off

Since that first day on Comanche I have caught more trout from shore where I normally would toss a Kastmaster, and am eagerly awaiting the roads to the Eastern Sierras to re-open so that I can try the lure on Cutthroats and Alpers. While I haven’t tried it yet I also believe that the 65sp would also perform as a good trolling lure as well.

The brown trout paint finish transitions naturally

Price & Applications: The Pointer 65sp can be found online now for 13.99, which is exactly what you would expect a Lucky Craft Lure to cost. While you can argue that the 65sp should cost less because it uses fewer raw materials than the larger pointers you can also make a case that it is even more difficult to make a lure this much smaller and still maintain such exacting standards in fit and finish. Overall the price is still high for a lure of this class, but with Lucky Craft it is almost something that’s become acceptable to anglers who prefer premium Japanese lures.

This new smaller pointer is great for clear water lakes that are home to both bass and trout

Whether or not you can justify a 14 dollar price for such a small lure it’s hard to dispute that the Pointer series is a fish catching machine. While I personally am no longer fond of the “live pointer” styles this 65sp successfully expands the range of capabilities for an already robust series. Anglers don’t have to make a choice to target either just bass or trout exclusively in waters where they can both be found, the Pointer 65sp can hit them both.

Ratings: (We've re-calibrated our ratings standard for 2008 and have included a key at the bottom of the following matrix as a guide)

Conclusion: Lucky Craft knows how to build lures, and when they get a formula right they continually refine it. The new Pointer 65sp does everything the originals do but target a different application. The smaller design makes use of the family’s proven action and highly detailed designs to target both bass and trout. Paired with lighter lines this Pointer is a true finesse lure and is great for clear water applications. While small in size the lure is also good for match the hatch situations where there are schools of small shad that bass are chasing up in bait balls. If you are ever in a situation where you feel like targeting both species the 65sp will help you rip them up.

Looking for a Pointer 65sp? Try Hi's Tackle Box