I’ve become a big fan of the spy-bait technique the last several years. There are times and conditions where this can out catch just about every other bait in your tackle box. This summer I’ve played with several new ones on the market right now including the new Storm Arashi Spin. Here are some thoughts on this new spybait and a little underwater footage of it in action as well.
At 3-inches and 1/3 ounce, the Storm Arashi Spin comes in 10 good colors mimicking bluegills, minnows, shad and more types of swimming forage. It offers a bit bigger profile from most other spy baits. It comes with two blade spinners with a tri-blade on the front and dual blade on the back of the lure that spin at ultra-slow speeds.
The bait exhibits a shimmy as it sinks on the cast. And again while it’s being retrieved. I found the bait swims best on a slow retrieve.
My thoughts
I think this will be a good spy bait for shallow clear waters like anglers often see up north, on spring fed rivers, or where fish are feeding up in other clear fisheries. It’s only 1/3 ounce, but it casts well on spinning gear with light fluorocarbon, which I recommend because the hooks are small on this lure. It swims with a bit more nose up orientation than some spy baits on the market. I had good hook ups with it on a few different lakes this summer. So even with its small hooks, it is still a good fish catcher and lander.
I don’t think it works as well in really deep water because it does have a tendency to rise a bit. I recommend 4 to 6-pound fluorocarbon with this spy bait. A real finesse approach. You can get away with a bit heavier line if you want to fish it higher in the water column.
I liked the colors Green Gill and Ghost Pearl Shad a lot. I caught fish suspended in really clear water feeding up over deep water. I’ve caught fish shallow on rivers and shallow around cover in stained to clear water with the Arashi Spin this summer and early fall.
Most of the time, I fish it in areas where I have caught fish or where I have seen fish feed. It’s not a search bait but rather a bait for when you know fish are in the area but the might be spooky, keying on small bait or heavily pressured in an area.
To my knowledge this is the most affordable of the spy baits on the market at $7.99. So if you want to try the technique or get familiar with a new forage option, this might be the one to try. You can check at all the colors at TackleWarehouse.com and rapala.com.
