BassdozerStore.com: deps Silent Killer Jr. ~ Jointed Swimbait

September 22, 2010

deps Silent Killer Jr. ~ Jointed Swimbait

Type: Jointed swimbait. Floating. Wakes and roils surface when reeled slowly. Also shallow subsurface diving.
Weight: 1-1/2 oz.
Length: 5-3/4 inches (145 mm)

This jointed swimbait for big bass is made in Japan by deps. Built like Arnold Schwarzenegger's cyborg character in the Terminator movie, the Silent Killer is a hard body lure encased in a realistic-looking soft skin. As the name implies, the soft skin casing helps silence the artificial sounds made by the lure.

There are other big hard swimbaits on the market in the USA, especially in California where big baits are a current craze - but none of them are made like the Silent Killer. A key difference (besides the soft shell) is the physical action these lures produce. The big baits used in the USA that feature a lip tend to produce a body rolling and kicking action that leaves more of a wake or turbulence and displaces much more water. On the other hand, the Silent Killer will slide through the water in a swooshing type motion. There is less vibration from the Silent Killer and that's why it is called a "silent" type bait. Overall, it is a less aggressive action bait than those commonly made in the USA. It is referred to more as a soft "waving" action in Japan rather than a hard "rolling" action we tend to build into baits in the USA.


This is a "silent waving" style of big swimbait, and the difference in action has not been seen by bass in the USA before.

A Lesson in Relative Downsizing. As mentioned, really big baits (all called swimbaits) have become a craze, escalating in recent years in California. A small industry sector, what's called a boutique niche or market, has grown around it, with new manufacturers and models. However, it has been very difficult for these companies to expand the scope of big swimbaits beyond California, the main exception being Texas where California style swimbaits have currently caught on like wildfire. After trying to market the really big baits nationwide, failing and realizing that big swimbaits for California aren't going to sell across the rest of the country, what we are seeing in the industry now is a trend to "downsize" the class of big swimbaits into a "junior class" of big baits from approximately 6 to 8 inches long. These are still very big baits, still bigger than what an average angler is accustomed to throw, but more acceptable in size to both angler and fish alike. In 2007, expect to see this trend toward "junior class" swimbaits gel across the country. Keep in mind that even the "juniors" are still bigger than most anything you are used to throwing - but they appeal to bass that are bigger than most anything you are used to catching!

deps Silent Killer (left) and Silent Killer Jr. (right). To keep your Silent Killer in the best possible shape, deps recommends you store it (after letting it dry) in its original foam-padded box, away from other lures.