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Lure Review


A clever way to challenge toothy gamefish, the Rollo System
 

Date: 6/19/03
Tackle type: Lures
Manufacturer: RMK International
Reviewer: Zander






Total Score: 8.25

Introduction: Anglers that seek toothy prey fishes always need to worry about the sharp teeth of Walleye, Pike, and Zander cutting through standard mono lines. While wire leaders are popular they often reduce the effectiveness of the bait due to being highly visible. RMK International has a new patented "Rollo System" design that utilizes a clever integrated wire trace leader.

 

Rollo Wobler Specifications

Type Jointed Crankbait
Material Plastic
Colors/Patterns 6 available
Sizes 8cm, 12cm
MSRP Rollo Wobler:12.00 (8cm), 12.25 (10cm), 12.50 (12cm)

Rollo Basic:9.72-10.27 depending on size

 
Impressions: When I first received the Rollo Lure and the Rollo Wobler I had to take a minute to understand what these lures were actually all about. The heart of this system is never actually viable to anglers as the mechanics are hidden within the bodies of these lures. The system was originally designed to be used with dead bait, but requests for the same type of system in artificial lures prompted the creation of the Wobler jointed Rollo lures. The best way to explain the system is to start by exploring the greatest challenge anglers face when dealing with toothy fishes of prey.

 

Introducing the Rollo System Wobler, a artificial lure designed for prey fish


The problem: Anglers who enjoy fishing for Pike and Walleye always have to flirt with the danger of losing fish due to serrated lines. Unlike other freshwater fish these species have teeth capable of slicing right through mono. In the past the only way to combat this problem was to use a steel wire leader. While this ensured that fish couldn't cut through the line it also reduced the effectiveness of both bait and lure fishing. Fish would shy away from thick wire leaders, and clamping artificial lures onto wire was often difficult. The Rollo System was designed to address this very problem. 

 

The Rollo system was originally designed for use with bait. The entire system is inserted and rigged into dead bait

 

The Rollo System: The original Rollo System was first designed to be used with dead bait. This patented system solved the problem by creating a retractable wire leader, essentially making the bait presentation much more realistic, and still maintain the advantage of a wire leader. Once a fish hits the lure it would take the entire lure into its mouth, and only once enough line tension is generated would the leader extend. Another benefit of the system is the integration of two treble hooks, making hookups much easier then with single bait hooks.

 

The heart of the Rollo system is the spring loaded wire trace winder

 

Rigging: The Rollo system comes with the main system, 2 connectors, 2 treble hooks, and a copper wire. It assembles in seconds and is ready to rig onto your dead bait. Anglers can use any bait from a minnow to a oversized shiner. The Rollo System is then inserted into the mouth of the bait so it rests within the fish's body. The hooks are then attached to the top and bottom, or either side of the fish. The copper wire is then used to tie the head of the fish firmly around the inserted Rollo System. Once a fish takes the bait and you set the pressure on the line causes the wire trace to come out of the Rollo System and prevents any fish from biting through your main line.

 

With the Rollo system the Wobler is well weighted and casts easily

 

Lure fishing with the Rollo System: More and more anglers are finding lure fishing to be an effective and exciting way to catch major prey fish. With the Rollo System's proven effectiveness with dead bait it made sense to incorporate the same system into a series of artificial lures. Thus RMK created a jointed lure called the Wobler. These lures come in two sizes and six colors. The Rollo system is integrated into the lure's head, and an additional 2 bb's were added to increase weight and generate more noise. While designed for prey fish, during our tests we found that these lures actually worked well for other species including large lake trout and bass!

 

Once pressure is put on your line the wire trace extends outwards from the Wobler

  

Casting: The Rollo System's long metal spring actually doubles as a weight in the front of the lure. Two additional bb's not only increase mass and noise, but also enhance balance to help the Wobler run true. When using the standard bait Rollo System casting is easy as the weight of the bait carries the lure extraordinarily far. Because the Rollo System is inserted into the bait it can never accidentally flip off your hook during the cast. Casting the Rollo System with accuracy over long distances is effortless with either spinning or casting outfits.

 

Retrieved quickly the Wobler's tail swishes back and forth generating commotion in the water

 

Retrieving: One of the best things about the Rollo system is that it essentially turns a dead bait into a very realistic crankbait. You can actually swim the rigged Rollo dead bait in almost any way you would swim an artificial lure.

 

The Wobler can be retrieved quickly for to generate a side by side sweeping tail motion, trolled for more depth, or even jerked across the surface. The speed and versatility of this lure make it a good choice for quickly searching out fish. The one thing we do recommend is that when you get a fish on the line...set hard! Because the wire trace must come out to bring the lure to complete tension it will take a little extra effort to drive in the hook. After a few fish you will get used to this motion.
 

A medium sized lip on the Wobler allows the lure to dive to 5 feet on retrieves and 10 feet while trolling


Durability:
 The wire trace is wrapped and coated so it slips in and out of the main lure body without any friction or damage to the lure opening. In our tests we cut at it with nail clippers, a knife, and even ran it over a circular file. This wire trace is tough, and can easily handle a barrage of sharp teeth. The Rollo Lure System and the Wobler are both quite durable. The paint on our test lures seems somewhat unfinished, and is different then the examples on the Rollo site. While it didn't chip or become damaged during the test, the new lures are much more attractive with the addition of a gill and scale pattern. (We will confirm shortly what the final product will look like)

  
Ratings:

Rollo Woblers Ratings (?/10)

Construction/Quality Good quality construction, the wire trace is very well done. 8
Performance A lure that works on multiple species, but is definitely a effective choice for prey fishes 8.5
Price This is not the cheapest lure, but it is a fair deal for a product with a innovative solution to a old problem 8
Features The Rollo System is innovative and a clever way to address a old problem 9
Design (Ergonomics) The system is easy to use once you understand how to rig it up. The Wobler lure can be fished just like any other broken back minnow 8
Application While primarily made for prey fishes, the lure also proved effective for other freshwater fish like bass and lake trout 8

Total Score

8.25


Pluses and Minuses:

                 Plus                                    Minus

J Innovative design L Hard to find
J A solution to wire leaders  
J Ability to work a dead bait like a lure  
J Able to be fished at multiple depths with ease  


Conclusion: If Pike and Walleye are on top of your list of choice game the Rollo system is a innovative way for you gain an extra edge. Better bait presentation will increase the number of strikes you will get, and the Rollo system will ensure that once that fish is hooked up, they won't get away. This is a brand new lure and it is very difficult to find, even as we are completing the review we have not confirmed a final price for introduction. Regardless this is a innovative lure, and if you want to find out more check out the Rollo System Website, where you can learn more about rigging, and fishing techniques with this clever new product.


 

   

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