Lucky Craft’s line of Pointer ripbaits have gained quite a reputation in bass fishing circles over the past several years. They’re handsome baits with nice finishes, but at nearly $20 a pop, are they worth the cash?
The details
According to the fine folks at Lucky Craft, the Pointer was designed with a very low center of gravity through the use of special brass weights. The low center of balance causes the lure to wobble and vibrate whenever the retrieving motion is stopped. The bait will suspend 4 -5 feet deep and will emit an intriguing fish-calling vibration while in the suspended state. A short twitch of the fishing rod will generate the “Walk the Dog” action under the water.
Some lofty claims to be sure…but is it just the company line or does the Pointer deliver? Well, this test has been about 5 years in the making as I’ve run them on charter trips for largemouth, smallmouth and, primarily, striped bass in the California Delta and Sacramento River system. Here’s what I’ve found…
The Good
While the pointer comes in several different shapes, styles and color schemes, I’ve stuck pretty much to the American Shad finish in the 78, 100 and 128 sizes. The paint job on that bait is extremely pretty and, like a black Porsche 911, it looks great just sitting still.
Make a cast with one, however, and you’ll see that the bait’s not just a pretty face. The brass weights inside the lure really make it cast like a dream. I can throw a Pointer 128 on a 7-foot stick with a Curado levelwind and 30-pound braid a solid 100+ feet (longer than I need to in most cases). Not like the windmill action of a balsa bait!
When cranked on a steady slow, grind, the lure looks extremely tasty — and rip it with a jerk and pause retrieve and the Pointer comes alive. My charter customers often comment on how good these things look in the water. And oh yea, anything with the word “bass” in its name seem to love ‘em even more. But rather than me gushing about them, here’s some photographic evidence:
And check out the teeth marks in this baby:
The Bad & The Ugly
Well, I really don’t have much to say about the Pointer series except that they are deadly. As a guide, I’m not going to put $20 lures in the hands of rookie casters if I don’t think they’re worth it. That being said, the price tag is really my biggest complaint. They are, however, durable baits and will last quite a while if you don’t lose them on a snag…maybe Lucky Craft should include a mask & snorkel with each lure for that price.
The only wear and tear I’ve experienced comes from the hooks rubbing the bait when it’s swimming. Over time, I get these marks on all my baits, which seem purley cosmetic and don’t hurt the effectiveness or action of the bait:
Also, the stock hooks are pretty flimsy — though extremely sharp. They’re okay for smaller sized bass, but stripers really tear ‘em up. Of course, if you’re going to fish exclusively for jumbo gamefish, you can get pointers with saltwater hooks.
Conclusion
Almost the perfect bait…4.5 stars! And oh yea, by the way, guys are catching big brown trout with these things, too!
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WHERE WOULD I BE ABLE TO FIND #2 and #4 size “cheater bobers”FOR RIGGING THE PLACE I BOUGHT FROM IN BULK I BELIEVE WENT OUT OF BUSINESS PLEASE HELP IF YOU KNOW WHERE THANK YOU
Not sure where you live, but Sportsman’s Warehouse usually has ‘em.