We review a lot of product, and occassionally we manage to somehow review all the baits like a staple in a category without actually reviewing the staple of the category. It happens. So is the case with the Megabass Ito Vision 110 jerkbait.

We’ve reviewed the Squarebill 110 and Ito Shiner and even the Ito Vision 110 Tour FX Premium. But somehow we’ve not done a long-coming review for the original Megabass Ito Vision 110jerkbait.

I’ve fished with the Ito Vision 110 jerkbait since the year it came out on the market. I can remember the allure of them back then when they were so hard to find stateside. Since that time, I’ve come to find several things about the jerkbait that will be of interest to other anglers thinking about buying one to try or filling a box full of jerkbaits.

• Action is everything
• Weight transfer unique
• Performance > protection
• Best details
• Unanimous favorite among pros

The action others want

A jerkbait requires action. The action draws a reaction from fish. If the action of a stick bait makes it look like a stick, then it’s not going to get much action. Megabass designer Yuki Ito tirelessly crafted the original Ito Vision 110 jerkbait, looking for a unique enticing action in the bait that the angler could impart to tempt bass in a variety of conditions.

There are many jerkbaits on the market, but few have as erratic darts as the Ito Vision 110. Even the knockoffs tried to mimic the action but failed to hit the mark. The unique action of the Ito Vision 110 comes from a combination of materials, Multi-Way Moving Balancer System that transfers weight on the cast then gives the bait the right posture for erratic action on a jerk-jerk-pause retrieve, and a specifically designed lip in proportion to the body.

Weight transfer set the standard

Speaking of the weight transfer system, Megabass set the bar because they sought out to make a jerkbait that answered all the problems with jerkbait fishing. The common complaints were you had to spend a lot of time to get the baits to suspend correctly in a variety of water temperatures. They were hard to cast in the wind. They didn’t come in very many lifelike colors and they moved out of the strike zone too quickly.

The weight transfer system not only gave the Ito Vision 110 great castability but it also gave it a good posture which lead to a great side to side and up down dart while not moving as far forward out of the strike zone. This becomes especially important when targeting bass in very cold water.

Designed for action not crashing

I’ve seen a few posts complaining about lips breaking on Megabass Ito Vision 110s. I have more than 2 dozen now and still have yet to have one break on me. But that’s because I don’t fish them like a crankbait digging a hard bottom. I don’t try to snatch them through thick weeds. And I don’t bounce them off hard targets like rip rap and boat docks. I’m looking for suspended fish, usually over deep water, after all, it’s a suspending jerkbait.

I talked to Megabass representatives about the lips and found some interesting details. Fact is they developed several prototype baits with thicker stronger lips and bodies. What they found is they did not get nearly the action they got from the current design. And the current design is the third or fourth iteration of the Ito Vision 110.

Folks who buy a sleek sports car, don’t expect it to go off-roading in 4-wheel drive or haul horse trailers on the weekends. They expect it to corner on rails, hit top-end speeds in seconds, and maintain the level of performance the entire time they drive them. And the car certainly wasn’t designed for how it will look or perform after it smashes into stationary object. For that reason they often baby these expensive cars. The point is when you buy for performance, there is sometimes a tradeoff in toughness. As long as you know that going in and take precautions, you won’t have any problems.

The Ito Vision 110 offers top-end performance, but anglers have to understand they are not made to have their lips smashed against the sides of objects or pulled against something stationary. I liken it to guys who slap wooden crankbaits on the water to get a little weed off the bait and then complain when the lips break off. Something has to give.

Allure made it a favorite

The weight transfer, the intricate detailing, unique Katsuage out barb hooks, having 3 hooks on a jerkbait, the amplified action in a small space coupled with a limited supply for many years all helped give the Ito Vision 110 an allure and a mystique among serious bass anglers. Now the Megabass Ito Vision is readily available, and when it’s jerkbait season, we almost never see anglers without them somewhere on their deck. I usually have a couple tied on at any given time from November to March.

Anglers have literally won millions on these jerkbaits across the country. Most pros have them somewhere in their box.

My favorite tweaks

I will take off the Katsuage hooks and replace with standard No. 5 hooks or regular Triple Grip light wire hooks. In the really coldest part of winter when I’m fishing much steeper 45 degree banks, channel swings and bluffs. I actually like my Ito Vision 110s to sink. I’ve fished them effectively down 14-18 feet on real clear lakes by swapping hooks and putting one size larger hooks on the back or front hook. I don’t want it to sink like a rock, but a dying shad darts and then sinks. It doesn’t float to the surface.

You just have to be mindful of your surroundings and not let it sink down into cover or the bottom.

I will often rig one on 12-pound line and one on 8-pound line to change the fall as well or to give the bait just a bit different action. My favorite colors are Crystal Shad, Pro Blue, Sexy Shad and Ito Natural but I will throw several other colors at times to especially when trying to match the forage, or if I know there is a big shad kill going on.

You won’t be disappointed with this jerkbait. Check out more information here.