SX40 Brand Variations

[liquidtensionJP]

Hey Guys,

Ive recently spent a bit of coin on lures from various shops around perth

Ecogear SX40f
Juno 40f
MM Shad 40f

Price Difference

Ecogear $18.95
Juno 40f $9.95
MM shad 40f $13

I may iggnorant but these lures are all the exact shape, the exact size I cant see a difference in the lures

apart from the Ecogear labelling and the better quality hooks on the Ecogear

so im wondering if its worth my while buying MM shads cause they have nicer colours than the juno and saving myself 5 bucks a pop

see pictures below

Juno 40f
MM Shad 40f
Ecogear SX40f

Sorry about quality of photo

[Wirthy11]

$18.95 for an SX40 is a bit steep and if you shop round you could probably shave a bit of the price.

In terms of price in relation to quality, SX40's are popular for reason and are a very good product that will catch alot of fish!

However, in the right hands either of the other two will catch just as many fish and it won't hurt as much when you lose one to a snag or fish.

[Fisherman#1]

Reasons for buying SX-40's.

1. Better hooks
2. Better build quality, i.e. won't rust quickly or break easily
3. Better action

If the other lures worked as well as SX-40's we'd already be hearing about how good they are.

[Brad Y]

Im pretty sure most of those lures are made from one factory and the blanks are sold out. Someone told me ages ago they were all done in the Juro factory but im not sure. Ive seen the R2sea static shads available in other companies name, obvioulsy the same thing. The blanks are made somewhere else, or at least someone has pirated them big time and doing a good job of the copies.

Thats why i like my zipbaits. Nobody has that shape or design and those colour patterns.

[Shortlite]

It's not the blank, it's the mold. Unless the lure company designs the mold, and has it made for them, with all ownership and such agreements, then the mold belongs to the maker, who can sell to whoever he likes. Very grey area.

Generic molds, available from the OEM manufacturer to whichever company wants to buy them. Where the better ones stand out is in attention to detail, quality control, and componentry. Having seen this in many production lures it is actually quite easy to tell the differences.

Quite often they will:
1 - Sound different. Different rattles, balls of different materials, cheap plastic balls steel shot. The better ones offer things like tungsten and stainless balls, glass rattles.
2 - Feel different. You will see variation in wall thickness. Some have thicker walls, some have very thin walls.
3 - Hooks and rings are a dead giveaway.
4 - They will straight up look different. Paint finishes are one area that is actually an expensive part of lure making.

Also blatant copying does go on where a new mold is made to copy an existing lure and as Shortlite mentions the mold owner allows whoever to pump out lures from that mold.

Couldn't work out why I wasn't allowed to take pics at the Megabass stand at the tackle show in Japan, recently found out that it's to protect their new designs and colours from being copied before the model or colour is released. Had better be carefull showing new custom colours to you all I know of one original ZipBaits colour that's already been identically copied for Aus

Mark

[Piscateur]

Thought I'd save myself some coin and purchased some strike pros instead of teh sx40, and have regretted it. The first two I put on did not swim straight ie spiralled. The strike pros look smick and with owners now and not that cheap, but 2 from 2 that I tried were useless. I have three more but did not bother putting them on. Just ordered a batch of SX40

[Rog78]

Same thing happened to me I gave away all my cheap gear,if you buy smart and shop around you can come across some good deals.IMO there is not substitute for the real deal don't waste your time with knockoffs they look the goods in the box but make poor substitutes when you come to use them.

[CHOPS1]

As wirthy said, $18.95 for an sx40 is excessive infact its almost robbery when you can get them for $14.95 and even a store here in adelaide have an online special for $13.95 each.

chop

[yellow door 1]

Originally Posted by Piscateur

Thought I'd save myself some coin and purchased some strike pros instead of teh sx40, and have regretted it. The first two I put on did not swim straight ie spiralled. The strike pros look smick and with owners now and not that cheap, but 2 from 2 that I tried were useless. I have three more but did not bother putting them on. Just ordered a batch of SX40

If you can come up with a price that reflects what you think of them - I'll will happily take the 5 Strike Pro's off your hands.

[Dave W]

I believe they all have their place. No doubting the SX40's are good gear, but the Strike Pro's rock pretty well too. I have one particular Steve Duff model that has nailed over 70 fish.

The Kokoda ones are acceptable, and who really cares if you have to tune them to run true, EVERY lure manufacturer I've ever swum has had to have a lure tuned at some stage, SX's included.

I'd much rather throw a $6 cheapie over 4 sets of oyster racks than a $15 premo lure............ doesn't hurt so much when you don't get it back.

Hell, lose a pro range squidgy and a good jighead and you're out $2+ I don't hear people screaming about that cost, and I lose a hell of a lot more plastics than I do HB's

To paraphrase the old car racing slogan "Fish it like you stole it"

Dave

[Shortlite]

You do run into problems with the cheaper ones though, especially when tuning them. I have had the Kokodas split and leak. Poor welding/gluing/sealing. The paint came off after 2 tilapia. Even small fish did a number on it.

Tuning is a part of checking a lure, and retuning is often necessary after pylon strikes and sometimes fish.

I find it funny that Strike Pro changed their design to get away from the SX40, amidst claims of knockoffs, patent breach, etc..... then more pop up. What they gonna do now?

[Piscateur]

Sorry YD, Will attempt to tune them first they cost around $14 yes paid too much I know esp when certain SA shop has ecos for 13.95.

How Do I tune these Pygmies? The pygmies have the tow ring attachment on the bib and only less than half the ring exposed (therefore cant bend it) . How do you tune these? Previously the tow ring was off the tip of the body and the whole ring was adjustable.
Does tuning then require a light heating of the bib and twisting it?

[Dave W]

You can still slightly bend the tow point - it doesn't take much to get the job done

[yellow door 1]

Originally Posted by Piscateur

Sorry YD, Will attempt to tune them first they cost around $14 yes paid too much I know esp when certain SA shop has ecos for 13.95.

How Do I tune these Pygmies? The pygmies have the tow ring attachment on the bib and only less than half the ring exposed (therefore cant bend it) . How do you tune these? Previously the tow ring was off the tip of the body and the whole ring was adjustable.
Does tuning then require a light heating of the bib and twisting it?

No worries - I bend the tow ring attatchment on the bib with needle nose pliers. Left or right depending on which way it is swimming. I have never applied heat or twisted the bib itself.

A very minor bend can have a dramatic effect on the lure - if your lure is swimming to the right - bend the ring to the left.

Good luck with it and make sure you have some water to drag it through after each adjustment until you get it just right.