The Autopsy: During our lab testing one of the things we like to do is take a look inside the tackle in a series of tests that often requires the destruction of the product. In this way we can see just how the product is designed and constructed. Not only is it interesting to see what is inside a particular product but it gives us a better understanding of how the product functions (or should have functioned) in the case of products that fall short of expectations or manufacturer claims. We decided it was time to let our readers in on the process in a segment we are calling the “TT Tackle Autopsy,” let's get into it....literally. 

The Subject: Our first victim, ummm I mean patient, is the very popular Lucky Craft Pointer Minnow 100. This lure is a mainstay for bass anglers and is a favorite among our staff for both Largemouth and Striper fishing. Known for consistency and a fish attracting subsurface walk the dog action the Pointer can incite ferocious strikes year round.

In the test tank the Pointer Minnow suspended at a surprisingly great angle but when retrieved the lure suspends much more parallel to the surface. The tension on the line during and after darting the lure slightly raises the front of the pointer, in essence Lucky Craft has tuned the lure specifically to match the action imparted on the bait, very clever. 

While the #5 hooks are good enough for all but the biggest bass some multi-species anglers choose to switch out the hooks as they can break or become mangled by Stripers. Our test subject was one such lure which had stock hooks and had lost one of its treble points to Delta Stripers.

The autopsy begins with a test of the finish which proved to be quite hard-wearing. We tried a variety of different micro files to assess abrasion resistance and the lure ranked better than average and held up well to the abuse.

Once we removed all the hooks it was time to make an incision on all sides of the lure and cut it completely in half to take a closer look. Suffice to say that the Pointer is one very solid bait and was a lot more challenging to cut in half than most lures.  

When we finally got the lure cut completely in half we were greeted with a variety of different internal components including a large brass weight that is place in the front section of the lure. This non-moving weight helps balance out the lure and keep it angled perfectly for that proper darting action.

The head of the lure has a 16.97mm cavity which holds a series of plastic and metal beads which create the lure's unique rattle sound. The lure makes use of very small beads so that even slight movements will cause a good amount of vibration and resonance. 

In the back of the lure the lure are two brass weights that move up and down through a channel. When the lure is cast the weights shift downwards and back into the tail section allowing for longer more accurate casts. Once the lure is in the water these two weights move forward and down next to the immobile brass weight to create a lower center of gravity.

The combination of these weights combined with the lure's short lip cause the lure to suspend and be ripped and twitched in both long and short pops or that deadly underwater walk the dog action that the Pointer is so famous for.