Any discussion of new topwater baits has to include those that have taken not just a small step away from proven older designs but those manufacturers who have completely re-imagined a lure in such a way that it ushers in a new standard for an accepted genre of lures.
Such is the case with the Jackall Pompadour which debuted last year at ICAST.
The Pompadour is a 3 inch bait that weighs 3/4 of an ounce. It is a surface bait that uses two metal wings as opposed to a lip to make contact with the water causing it to behave somewhere between the old Crazy Crawler and a buzz bait.
This bait has a list of features that is impressive to say the least. We’re gonna have to go one at a time down the list so that we don’t miss anything ‘cause every design element is an integral part of making this bait so unique.
The Features
The wings that account for the side to side slapping, splashing movement are made of metal. They tuck neatly against the body of the bait during the cast so that you can attain maximum distance. Once the lure hits the water and you begin your retrieve, they immediately flare out to produce the Pompadour’s distinctive action. They also make noise, lots of noise!
The weighting system in this bait is a combination of chambers with different materials in each. Inside the body just above the belly hook is a single metal ball that is confined within a channel so that it makes a one knocker type sound.
In the head of the bait are a few rattles made of glass that have a larger chamber to rattle around in to produce a higher pitched sound that really resonates on the retrieve.
Jackall designed a small channel in the rear of the bait that is about 3/8 of an inch in width. A hook holder is recessed inside this cavity that allows the rear hook to swing back and forth as the lure is moving through the water. This also decreases the leverage a fish can use to throw the hook once it hits.
On this same shaft, there is a prop style blade that moves even more water and creates a bubble trail as the bait is being worked across the surface.
The line tie in the front of the bait is situated high on an angular cup that pushes water forward on the retrieve to further irritate any followers. It comes into play on a stop and go retrieve acting much like a cup on a popper.
The hooks on the Pompadour are sticky sharp out of the box and the paint schemes, while limited, are well executed with a variety of colors that are all up to Jackall’s standards which by any measure, are high.
This bait is a thick bodied bait. No skinny little profile here. More like a fat, tasty frog or big ‘ole bug of some kind.
Of course, just because a bait has a long list of features doesn’t by itself translate into that plug catching fish or even drawing strikes. So, what can you expect when you’re tossing the Pompadour?
What we use to Fish the Pompadour
We have been fishing this lure using a Shimano Curado I 201 spooled with 15 lb Yozuri original hybrid on a medium heavy action Crucial rod. This combo is ideal for topwater baits in this weight class for casting distance, accuracy, and having enough backbone to deal with big fish.
Right away, you will notice is that the Pompadour does cast well. You can be confident that you can hit your spot from distance, even though the wings and body shape would lead you to think otherwise.
As soon as you start your retrieve you’re going to notice how well this bait moves on the surface of the water with very little effort.
Yes, there is drag but it is not severe. You will not have to fight to keep this bait moving or producing its signature combination of wake and sound.
Another stand out is the amount of noise that this lure makes. It’s like a buzz bait crazy crawler on steroids with rattles. That sounds weird, but the sound is so distinctive that once you experience it a few times for yourself, you’ll be hard pressed to confuse it with any other bait. You can use a variety of retrieves with the Pompadour including a straight wind back to the boat.
Different Presentations
“The Pompadour elicits strikes— violent, nasty, purposeful strikes.”
You can change speeds during the retrieve, use a stop and go presentation with the occasional rod tip jerk, vary your cadence or any other combination you want to try. Just keep chunkin’ until the fish show you what they want.
When bass hit the Pompadour, more often than not, it is especially violent. We’ve had fish hit it so hard they knock the plug a few feet in the air. We just let the bait sit there a few seconds, restarted our retrieve and those fish have come right back to blast it again.
I don’t know if the fish view this thing as easy prey, or that it just makes so much surface commotion and noise that it’s like fingernails on a chalkboard. It just seems to irritate them to the point where they throw caution to the wind and absolutely hammer it!
Either way, we don’t really care. All we know is that the Pompadour elicits strikes— violent, nasty, purposeful strikes.
This bait, while tending to produce a better class of fish, just seems to be hard for bass of all sizes to ignore. We have certainly caught our share of dinks along with the donkeys in spite of what some would consider a fairly hefty profile.
Durability
With all the fish that we’ve caught using the Pompadour, it is surprising how well our baits have held up. The metal wings have not been bent out of shape or broken. The hooks are still very sharp. The prop blade still spins as if it were brand new. The only real sign of wear and tear on the plug are the teeth marks that have not ruined the paint but are visible on the plastic.
The Jackall Pompadour is one of those baits that is an absolute blast to fish with. It is downright simple to master your presentation and can be thrown in all but the nastiest slop.
The only thing to remember, like all topwater baits, is to wait until you feel the weight of the fish to set the hook. Even though the strikes seem as though there is no way for the fish to miss, they will on occasion. Don’t worry though, more often than not, they’ll be back!
| Jackall Pompadour | |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating |   |
| A fun, exceptionally noisy productive plug | |
See ya’ on the water …
