Real World Tests: I fished this bait on a variety of setups during the 2019 season. The KVD Deep Jerkbait was part of my lure rotation testing rods, reels, and fishing line and while I threw the bait on all three line types, I liked it best with fluorocarbon.

But this bait's bill is that far out of proportion

Castability: Securing the bait's hooks against its body and shaking the bait around you can hear a couple of large bearings mixed in with a series of smaller ones. Like all lures of this type, the rattles double as a weight transfer system. When you swing for your cast, the bearings slide in the direction of flight to the back of the bait giving it the momentum it needs to complete your cast. Whether you're targeting for distance or accuracy, it's easy to accomplish both with this lure.

My pet peeve... a KVD bait with no KVD hooks?

Dive Time: Strike King's KVD Deep Jerkbait floats to the surface after your cast. On touch down, it sits with a tail down position, slowly floating back to the surface until you begin your retrieve. Twitch that rod tip and it dives down immediately darting off to the side. Work your twitches in quick succession and the bait will dart from one side to the other with a flashing body roll. Pause and the bait will suspend in a head down position.

Of course, the stock hooks do work

If you're curious as to what a prototypical jerkbait swimming action looks like, the KVD Deep Jerkbait is it.

Thrown near enough to the boat where you can see its action, the bait inspires confidence. However, at this distance, the bait does not get down very deep. On longer casts I can tell the bait does get down more than normal. I'm just not positive it really reaches the rated eleven foot (11ft) diving depth. If maximum depth is your goal, definitely use fluorocarbon line and make a long cast.

Strike King is stepping up the refinement in their finishes

Conclusion: I almost stopped fishing this bait after my first cast. Other than trying to verify running depth, there really was nothing else I needed to know. Of course I did have to catch at least one fish. Then after the first one, well, I might as well catch another, right? You know how it goes after that. Sometimes you fish a product that just gets it right. I expected nothing less from a jerkbait bearing KVD's name on it, but at the same time, I've learned never to take anything for granted while testing a product. While I'm not positive this bait gets down to 11 feet, I know it does run deeper than normal and of course catches fish. If you're looking for a jerkbait to get just a little big further down, Strike King's KVD Deep Jerkbait could be the one.