A comparison of 3 eging lures

As mentioned in my previous post, we went Permas Jaya on Sunday to stock up on lures (Hehe... guess where we'll be using them?). While browsing the eging lures section in Fishingline, one of the friendly sales staff recommended the SureCatch WuHuang Squid (舞皇 - Dancing King). He actually singled out the one that came with a light that flashed when the lure touched water, but the smallest size for that design was 2.5, so I didn't like it as much. My favourite to use at the kelongs is size 2, as this catches even the smaller squid that we sometimes hook alive and throw out as bait.

The size 2 without lights.


I did, however, buy the size 2 version. I already have lots of eging lures at home, but decided to give this a try as it looks quite like a Yamashita! When I reached home, I immediately took out the different lures for a comparison.

3 lures in ascending prices from top to bottom.


The very first one is the Surecatch (S$2), the middle one is the Yamashita that comes in a plastic pouch (around S$10) and the bottom is the Yamashita packaged in a plastic box (around S$15). Let's take a closer look at the differences in the lures.

Prawn A

Prawn B

Prawn C (sorry, no new piece!)




The first obvious difference is in the eyes - C has a better quality red coloured eye while A and B uses tacky looking plastic stick-ons. I have no idea if better eyes attract more squid, but I suppose the overall aesthetics is definitely more pleasing to the angler!

The second difference is in the sinker - C has a more aerodynamic shaped sinker that most probably has a subtle effect on the way the lure sinks. A has a similar looking one that maybe 'borrowed' from the original, but B's sinker looks... er... like a small metal tombstone?

Thirdly, the feathers. Despite having caught 20 over squid, C has still quite a bit of feathers remaining. A has a big bunch, and B has one lonely feather. The fluttering of the feathers in the water is meant to simulate the feelers of the prawns and also create a little resistance in the water when the lure is pulled forward. So... I guess it's quite essential.

Fourth in this list is the body. Notice that the shape of B and C is pretty similar, while A is different (probably modelled after the Yozuris?) More importantly, notice that the brightly coloured reflective backing is present in the entire lure for A and C, but only partially for B.

Finally, the spikes at the end. All 3 lures come with a double set of spikes, but only B has plastic tubing round the middle. Also, B's spikes are more vertical, pointing towards the top of the lure, while the other 2 point at a wider angle outwards. A's spikes are smaller among all, and feels also weaker. However, even C's spikes actually opened a couple of times when bigger squid were landed so checking for 'structural integrity' is a must whichever lure you use.

To sum up, there is usually a direct correlation between price and quality, as you can see from the appearance of these lures. Nevertheless, some cheaper lures may work pretty well too. My personal take on this issue is that - experience and technique are still the most important factors, but good lures do give you an edge over others using those of average quality.

I am already convinced that the Yamashita that comes in a box is worth paying for, I shall try the others during my next kelong trip and then report on their effectiveness. Stay tuned!  :p