GAMEFISH BEWARE
Yo-Zuri is no stranger to the world of sport fishing lures. I have been using their proven products for my saltwater adventures for parts of five decades and they all catch fish and do it more often than not. When tackle box space in my charter travel bag is limited to a chosen few, I will always make room for some of the past and present Yo-Zuri favorites. The Crystal Minnow series has been evolving over the years and it has all been for the good of us anglers and to the detriment of our finny friends. I have duped many a striper, bluefish, mahi, yellowfin, bluefin and wahoo with these real life imposters and the good news is that the engineers at Yo-Zuri keep on making a good thing even better.
Hot on the tail hook of last year’s Crystal 3D Minnow Deep Diver Jointed product line is this season’s “floating” version of the same wounded minnow concept, but in two varieties. Both feature new jointed, natural minnow shaped bodies which produce a responsive darting action, further enhancing the 3D prism effect. The model F1051 is a standard floating jointed stick bait that measures 5-1/4 inches in length and weighs in at 3/4-ounce. It features a 5/8-inch long flat triangle shaped plastic lip that’s molded into the body of the lure for max durability and strength. The F1052 Crystal 3D Minnow offers the identical 5-1/4-inch long molded ABS plastic shape of its sister, but takes it one step further with a 1-3/4-inch long molded lip that once again is built into the lure body for added strength. This bill is a thick oval shape and looks a lot like a beaver’s tail, making the overall length of the lure a total of seven inches with a slightly heavier casting weight of 7/8-ounce. Depending on how fast and/or steady your retrieve, this floater/diver will get down to a depth of 13 feet and will stay there, even if you stop your retrieve. Having a “switch hitter” like this one on the end of your line or ready for immediate deployment in your tackle box will allow you to cover a lot of potential fish-catching water depending on how you reel it back to the boat after each cast. If your casting arm gets a little cranky, the F1052 Crystal 3D jointed floating/diving minnow will also perform double duty as a trolling bait, so you can cover more water in case the school of fish you seek have moved off to a new hunting ground.
BUILT TOUGH
These Yo-Zuri Crystal 3D Minnows are designed in Japan and made in the Philippines with Japanese components. Yo-Zuri products typically cost a few bucks more than their competitors’ stuff, but these lures are literally works of art. They are created by some very talented and skilled Japanese engineers that really have their act together when it comes to understanding the eating habits of your target species, what turns them on and what makes them strike a bait, either in anger or because they’re hungry. The design of each lure is based on years of research and the construction and finish is literally second to none.
The Yo-Zuri joint pin that holds the two halves of each minnow together is extra strong to hold on to the big ones, featuring two figure-8 stainless steel clips and a sturdy vertical stainless steel pin to hold it all together. Each of these new jointed minnow lures also includes a pair of stronger and sharper treble hooks, so you will stay buttoned up on more strikes. Two hollow chambers located in the front and rear sections of each minnow’s ABS plastic body house a pair of ball bearings in each, creating “rattle” chambers that will attract a hungry gamefish to your offering, even if they can’t see your lure. The hook anchors for both the belly and tail hooks are super sturdy and will not pull out, even on a 40-pound striper. The super-sharp trebles fore and aft can easily be replaced via standard split ring connectors. Here’s some more good news: the hooks are spaced far enough apart where they won’t tangle together in mid-flight when you cast your lure to an unsuspecting gamefish. A Bleeding Ruby and UV Sapphire balanced weight insert installed amidships on the belly completes the package.
SUPER FINISH
Crystal 3D Minnow Jointed lures feature the internationally patented 3D prism finish which produces a brilliant shine that reflects like the facets of a diamond. The light flashing in all directions attracts fish from far distances or in turbid water. The realistic color patterns incorporated with 3D body technology and lifelike eyes make it a proven fish catcher, for fresh or saltwater gamefish. They are available in 12 fish-catching colors, six of which feature true UV colors which take advantage of a fish’s ability to see the “Ultra Violet” light spectrum. With an MSRP of $21.49, these new Yo-Zuri jointed floating minnows aren’t cheap, but they work and are usually the first lure out of my tackle box.
