Retrieving: Unlike most other jerkbaits the Vision features very aggressive angular lines in its underbelly design. This combined with the dual tungsten weights allows the lure to swim in a tight roll against even powerful or choppy currents. The lure has a small protruding lip that helps the lure dive down to about 3 feet. Because the lure does not have wide profile or rely on an oversized lip to generate action it requires less pressure on the rod or line to drive the lure forward. This permitted us to use our responsive 6'9" Kistler Helium which was actually designed for plastics. By using a rod with a more lively responsive tip we were able to fish the Vision many more ways.

Catching a lot of bass with just one hook? Slow down the retrieve and give bass the opportunity to strike the lure from the side
 

By keeping your rod tip down and retrieving at a constant rate we observed the lure's smooth tight rolling action. The lure swims with a tight roll back and forth, creating more flash. We found this tight rolling method excellent for running over weed beds or alongside structure. The tighter wobble makes this lure perfect for fishing in cooler water because the less erratic swim pattern is more attractive to less aggressive fish. Bass would charge the lure from just about any angle as they caught a glimpse of the lure swimming side to side. The lure doesn't look like an injured baitfish when fished this way, it simply becomes highly visible to predators. Speed is important, and we recommend using a reel with a 6.2:1 or faster retrieve ratio. (in my tests our 6:3.1 Daiwa TD-Z was perfect) This allows you to really get the lure moving, and the faster you retrieve the Vision the tighter it will roll. During this retrieve it became apparent why Yuki Ito designed the 110 with 3 rather than 2 hooks. Fish hit this lure from all sides, or chase and commit from the rear. If you are catching a lot of fish on just the rear treble it means you are probably retrieving the Vision too quickly. We tried slowing down the lure just a tad and started hooking fish with two or even all three hooks right across the length of the entire fish's mouth!

Being the ripbait fanatic that I am I just had to jerk one of these in front of some Delta Stripers. When fishing for stripers I used a jerk, jerk, jerk pause technique. The fast line retrieving TD-Z was once again a terrific reel to pick up slack line as I aggressively cranked away. When jerked assertively the Vision will break its tight roll pattern and swing widely side to side. This power jerk ups the flash level of the lure and is a dead ringer for a panicking baitfish trying to dart away. It was this technique that resulted in over 100 stripers being caught on a single lure. Big and small the Vision 110 (Ito Natural) pattern slaughtered the schools. I finally figured out one of the reasons that the Vision boated so many stripers was not just because the lure drew so many strikes but also because more fish stayed on. Each Vision comes equipped with three Katsuage hooks which are specially designed for jerkbaits where anglers often draw quick strikes. Two of the outside Katsuage hooks feature barbs on the outside of the hook, and the center treble has no barbs at all. What this essentially does is drive either the front or rear hook in combination with the center hook into the fish creating an anchor point so that fish cannot easily dislodge the lure. Once the fish is in the boat it is easier to remove the lure because the center treble can slide out without the resistance of a barb, allowing you to work on the remaining Katsuage treble.

Durability: Though our Ito Natural pattern Vision caught over 100 stripers in a day it certainly had it's share of battle scars. The lure was scratched in a circular pattern on both sides where the outbarb hooks had swung up and marred the lure. The head of the lure remained pristine, but the center of the lure had scratches on the body where so many fish had struck. The majority of damage came from the lure's own razor sharp Katsuage hooks which graze the lure during the retrieve and sometimes are driven into the lure by the way fish strike and position the trebles. Overall durability of these lures is excellent, and most bass anglers will find the lures will remain in respectable condition. Stripers are a bit more aggressive and triple digit numbers did scar our Ito Natural but the lure wears these battle wounds proudly as it continues to remain effective and deliver strikes. The semi translucent ghost styles will hold up better over time than the painted patterns.

Price & Availability: You will definitely want to tie an extra strong knot when using this lure. Losing one of these exceptional lures is enough to make a grown bassmen shed a tear. As if the hefty 29.99 price wasn't bad enough these lures always seem to be in shortage. While we are thankful that they are available from a select few e-tailers many of the best patterns are often excruciatingly hard to find or out of stock. My advice... any pattern that you can get is a good one. These lures catch aggressive fish mainly due to their mesmerizing tight rolling action or flashy power jerk, and when you are lucky enough to find some don't be picky about pattern.

Are these lures worth 29.99? That's twice the cost of a Lucky Craft Pointer! While most anglers that like Japanese lures will no doubt have many more Yozuri and Lucky Craft lures in their tackle box it would be a shame not to top of that arsenal with one or two of these premium performers. These lures also have great collectors value and enthusiasts will likely buy two of each pattern they can get, just so they can keep one in mint condition as they roll the other in pursuit of big bass.

Pluses and Minuses:

Conclusion: When our Enthusiast Editor, Cal, first learned I was a ripbait buff he was the one that recommended I give the Megabass Vision 110 a shot. I already had a complete assortment of lures including Yozuri and Lucky craft minnows and pointers in just about every size and pattern known to man. Yet I enthusiastically accepted the prospect to broaden my ripbait know-how and test the Vision. Now months after I have fished the Megabass Vision I'm not sure whether to thank or curse my fellow editor for turning me on to these extraordinary lures. The Vision 110 is one of the few lures that cost so much per copy and are still worthy of an Editors Choice! While these lure's are not cheap they are worth every darn penny. Maybe its the fantastic design and implementation of these lures, or the flexible jerking actions afforded to the experienced jerkbait angler, or perhaps it is just the magic that is Ito Engineering. Whatever it is, I'm addicted, and the only way to get my fix is to rip up some "One-Ten" fish each and every chance I get.