Owner is best known for top quality hooks that are top quality. They have also proven they can make some great hardbaits with the Cultiva series. In the last few years they have began to start making unique soft plastics to complement their great hooks. I had the chance to review two of their newest models; the Nervous Rex and the Wounded Minnow. The first review I am going to do is of the wounded minnow.
Looking at the bait up close, you can see the design and detail is second to none. Not only is this a minnow imitation, but more of a tactical finesse bait. It can be rigged several ways and each way provides a different unique action. The bait can be rigged in traditional ways like Texas-rigged or with a jighead rigged through the head of the bait. However, the most unique way to fish this bait is with their specially designed wacky jighead. It features a weedguard which is light enough not to interfere with the hookset, but heavy enough to keep grass or debris off the hook. The bait itself is pretty small at 3.5 inches, but can be the perfect size to match the size of small baitfish.
When fishing it wacky style you will notice something amazing. Owner claims that "by nature, all baits swim towards the angler when twitched…
but not the Wounded Minnow! When rigged
on the side and twitched, the bait swims 90 degrees (sideways) from the
angler. The Wounded Minnow can be
stealthily swam into areas that were previously only reached upon casts."
That was something I had to see to believe and I can say that now I am a believer. With some practice and playing with the bait, I was able to twitch it wherever I wanted it to go. I don't know if it's just the bait, the jighead, or a combination of the two that allowed me to do it, but I was impressed with that feature. Overall, the bait was much more unique than I thought it would be and I can see myself keeping this one as an extra trick up my sleeve for when tough fishing situations present themselves.
Scoring for the Owner Wounded Minnow
Price/Value: 2
This is probably the biggest downfall of the bait. At $4.99 for a pack of 6, it's 83 cents per bait. I think that's a little high for a bait that is less than four inches.
Durability: 2
The bait itself is durable, but when fishing it on a wacky rig it can rip off easily.
Performance: 4
It worked as intended and was impressive. It was like having a little pet bait doing tricks for you.
Innovation: 4
I don't know how they did it, but the bait can move side to side at will.
Availability: 3
Online at TackleWarehouse, and no stores I have seen yet.
Total Score: 15 -
Good Buy!
13 comments:
That is pretty sweet. The Owner creature baits are pretty sweet too.
when its wacky rigged do you twitch like a fluke, swim or use the normal wacky rig technquie up leting it sink, pulling up and letting it sink? Looks like a cool set up.
I've got to try those with it rigged wacky style on a jighead.In your opinion did it flutter like a dying baitfish when wacky rigged on a jig head as it sank when you tried it?going in the opposite direction when twitched would be nice in alot of situations.
here is my review on the bait itself. the bait looks pretty realistic i mean really realistic, which is a plus! it is also unique with its unique wobble, which other baits wont do. and the bait because of its small size will go where no other bait can go. the downside of the bait is the price of course, like you said at 4.99 for a pack of 6 for a 3.5 inch bait isnt really a good buy. i do not know the durability as i have not used it, but you said that the bait will rip easily texas rigged which is not good. im sure a lot of people texas rig it, it also has a specially designed hook for this bait. but that is the downside, your already buying a bait that is already 4.99 and they have to buy the special hook for it? the upside is the color, even though it doesnt come in a whole lot of colors from tacklewarehouse, the color selection is good. they are the most basic colors in my opinion. so my conclusion is that if you want a unique bait that can do stuff that no other bait can do, but is a little more expensive,shorter in length,but the durability is not great but its OK, buy the wounded minow. if not go for another soft plastic. but i do think it is worth buying and thats definetly what i will do.
Soemtimes I wonder if companies are always doing the right thing when branching into new categories...
I have a couple Cultivas, rarely use them, not sure why, but Owner Soft Plastics don't excite me, but they make great hooks!
@Jody..have you used the creature bait yet?
@Chris..its kind of hard to explain what I was doing. A little shake as I reeled it in.
@Samuel. With a big twitch it would flutter back
@Ikaika..great review!
@Rich..thats exactly how I felt before using them. Wait til you see the Nervous Rex!
Thanks! and i cant wait to see the nurvous rex review!
I don't think i will be trying this product. I think there are others on the market that would be a better investment.
Swim it sideways? That's a neat trick. That would be interesting to try.
I'd like to see that sideways action trick.
You're fishing with the wacky jig on spinning gear, I assume?
@msp I fished it on both spinning rods and light baitcast gear. It is much better suited for light line and spinning rods.
Like a lot of folks, I have a wacky rig at the ready always. It's got light braid on the spool though. What do you think?
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