X-80 TRICK DARTER

The X-80 TRICK DARTER is a compact suspending jerkbait from Megabass designed around the size and body shape of common Japanese baitfish.

Rather than using the narrow profile of a conventional minnow, the X-80 has a deeper shiner-like body that sits between a minnow and a shad in shape.

Megabass combines this profile with a low-mounted fixed front balancer and a rear moving-balancer system. The design produces wide, irregular darting when worked with rod snaps, while the deeper body creates strong flashes as the lure changes direction.

The X-80 can also be fished without aggressive rod work. On a straight retrieve it produces a rolling, wandering swimming action, while simple stop-and-go retrieves can trigger sudden changes in direction and flash.

The X-80 TRICK DARTER reflects a distinctly Japanese match-the-bait approach: creating a compact lure that closely fits local baitfish sizes while giving it enough body volume and movement to attract attention.

Its 80 mm-class length keeps the presentation relatively compact, but the unusually deep shiner-shaped body produces more visible flash than a conventional slender minnow.

The combination makes the X-80 useful when anglers want the reaction-oriented movement of a jerkbait without moving to a much larger bait.

It also offers considerable versatility. Anglers can use sharp rod snaps for aggressive darting, twitch the lure for directional changes, retrieve it steadily for a rolling action, or use a simple stop-and-go presentation.

Sharp jerks and short twitches bring out the X-80 TRICK DARTER's most aggressive characteristic: wide, irregular darting with sudden flashes from its deep-sided body.

Because the lure is suspending, pauses can be inserted between movements to keep the bait in the strike zone rather than immediately floating away or sinking.

A steady retrieve is another important option. The X-80 swims with a rolling action and a slightly wandering path, allowing it to function as more than a traditional jerk-and-pause bait.

For a simpler presentation, anglers can use stop-and-go retrieves to create irregular movement and flashing without continuously working the rod.

• Matching small to medium baitfish
• Jerk-and-pause presentations
• Twitching and irregular darting
• Stop-and-go retrieves
• Steady retrieves
• Clear water where flash and directional changes are effective
• Situations where a full-size jerkbait feels too large
• Reaction fishing around visible baitfish

US anglers will recognize the X-80 TRICK DARTER as a suspending jerkbait, but its proportions are notably different from the classic long, slender minnow profile.

Megabass gives the X-80 a deeper shiner-like body, creating a compact lure with substantial side area for flashing during sharp directional changes.

Its action is also deliberately multi-purpose. Short rod snaps produce aggressive irregular darts, while a straight retrieve creates a rolling swimming action and stop-and-go retrieves can generate sudden flashes without complex rod work.

For anglers familiar with the Megabass VISION ONETEN, the X-80 offers an interesting contrast: a substantially smaller, deeper-bodied bait designed to produce extremely sharp darting and flashing from a compact profile.