Unfortunately for the large majority of our readers, bass fishing is pretty tough these days. As the cold weather chases away the last remnants of warm air, we are left with uncomfortable conditions and ornery bass. For many anglers, it’s tough to get excited about wintertime fishing due to the patience and persistence that light line finesse tactics demand.
Don’t get too down on cold water fishing yet, however. Hard jerkbaits are quite effective when targeting lethargic bass and we have found one you have to have this winter—the Megabass Ito Vision 110 Squarebill Jerkbait.
The Ito Vision 110 Squarebill is a different beast and very unique to other jerkbaits. Megabass is headquartered in Japan, and because of the large Japanese focus on finesse fishing, you’d be tempted to think this is a dainty little jerkbait that’s tough to cast and easy to shatter on a cast-gone-wild. When you get your hands on one of these baits, you’ll realize just how stout it really is. Measuring over 4-inches long and weighing a hefty 1/2-ounce, the Ito Vision 110 Squarebill holds up to abuse better than most lures in your tackle box.
Castability is never a concern with the Ito Vision 110 Squarebill, as even novice anglers can flat-out bomb this lure. Long casts are essential in cold, clear water and Megabass gets it. We’ve thrown the Ito Vision 110 Squarebill in some nasty wind without worry of any backlash whatsoever. It’s hard not to smile when a bait gives you the confidence to rear back and whip a cast while hearing the line scream off of your reel. I’ve gotten to the point where, in windy weather, I always have it on my front deck.
The action of the Ito Vision 110 Squarebill is different than any jerkbait we’ve used. The reinforced square bill allows the bait to “bite” into the water more effectively than round-billed jerkbaits, redistributing water along the bait’s belly for a much more erratic presentation. The wild action also gives anglers many different retrieval options. Using the standard “jerk, jerk, pause” retrieve, the Ito Vision 110 Squarebill has a walking action underwater, perfectly resembling a wounded or escaping shad.
Nothing can break your heart quicker than seeing a big bass follow your jerkbait all the way to the side of your boat, only to barely nip at it as you bring the bait out of the water. To really make the bass mad, you can also give the Ito Vision 110 Squarebill a lot of slack following an abrupt twitch, making it turn almost 180-degrees. If a non-committal bass is following your bait and suddenly notices the lure staring eye-to-eye with it, you can count on getting bit.
The Megabass name is known for producing colors that will catch bass in every condition imaginable and nothing has changed with the introduction of the Ito Vision 110 Squarebill. With over ten killer colors to choose from, you are guaranteed to find a color scheme to match your fishery’s forage and water clarity. Even better, the Ito Vision 110 Squarebill is available in both flashy, translucent colors for clear, sunny conditions and matte colors, ideal for cloudy, dingier conditions.
It can get pretty frustrating to buy a lure and have to immediately replace half of its components in order to enhance its action and fishability, but that won’t be a concern with this jerkbait. The Ito Vision 110 Squarebill’s split rings are tough as nails and won’t bend or break under heavy loads. In addition, the hooks have been fantastic as they are razor-sharp and retain their sharpness fish after fish. It’s rare to have high confidence in treble hooks, but you’ll notice a much higher hookup-to-landing ratio with the Ito Vision 110 Squarebill compared to many jerkbaits on the market.
We have also enjoyed the snag resistance of this bait, as its square bill allows it to easily find its way through cover, which is rare in a jerkbait. If you run across some shallow bass this winter, don’t be afraid to chunk the Ito Vision 110 Squarebill their way and work it in the same areas as you would a squarebill crankbait. In order to reduce your number of hang-ups, Megabass has designed this jerkbait to slowly float, giving it the ability to hunt its way through thick cover without a problem.
Lastly, the Ito Vision 110 Squarebill, like other Megabass products, is built to last. When you pay a premium price for a lure, it can be tough to make yourself throw it into nasty areas, but Megabass has made this jerkbait to be used and abused. When I took it on the water for the first time, I wasn’t exactly expecting it to cast as far as it did, so I sailed it into a concrete boat ramp. Fighting tears as I reeled it back in, I was surprised when I didn’t see a single scratch. While we certainly don’t recommend making careless casts with it, my experience is a testament to its outstanding durability nonetheless.
A jerkbait of this quality is hard to come by and we would absolutely recommend it to both novice and seasoned anglers. Although a bit pricey at $26.99, you get what you pay for with the Megabass Ito Vision 110 Squarebill Jerkbait.
Check out the variety of awesome colors at Tacklewarehouse.com.
