Hi Lyndon
Just quickly on the Storm Shad ....... This photo shows the down grading of the hook on the 6" shad - One is a new 6" version (found in blister packs) while the other is a old 5" version (soft packs)
Attachment 50903 -- -
while it is not that easy to pick the two ..... closer inspection reveals all - Its relatively easy to open the new hooks in your fingers or pull off a snagged lure I actually had a hook opened up & ejected on a head shake Yet I never straighted the old hooks - even on a snag ..... the line parts first
Now ..... I absolutely agree on the lures that are all pretty well designed overseas - They are predominately sold for the bass market & they do not have to have the sturdy hooks that are required for barra ( mind you - the majority of our locally designed barra hard bodies fail abysmally on the hook selection
) .......
Anyhow ...... we will still use these US bass lures because they have other attributes that we find desirable (suppleness , swim action , finish , design etc) - specially when we can choose a suitable jig head. Note : The Hollowbelly which is a rip off of other US multi layered tube type plastics - is sold with a light worm hook over there ........ but not here because of the field testing that was conducted by Trev , Scotty & Matty Fraser ---- & fortunately Matt designed the backbone jig heads for them & our target species
One placcy ......The Reidys Rubbers 5" Shad (locally designed) while being similar to the storm swim shads.... still suffer from poor hook choice.
Anyhow .... all cool here Lyndon - life would be pretty boring if everyone agreed & we would learn nothing
Cheers
Chris