One of the booths at ICAST that we spent some time in was the Jackall booth. We have reviewed the Flickshake worm, their Tungsten Wacky Jighead and the Cross Tail Shad in the past. One of the new products that caught our eye immediately was the Boil Trigger.
The Boil Trigger was displayed both on a shelf and in their tank. The one in the tank was lying kind of on its side as if crippled or dying in a very natural position. So we had to take a closer look especially considering that was mid-July and top-water season was definitely about to get hot!
The Boil Trigger is a 4 inch, 3/8 ounce lure that has two body segments, a cupped mouth, a feathered rear hook, a slim profile and the finishes look top notch.
In speaking with the folks at Jackall about the bait, we found out the Boil Trigger was designed as a multi-function lure that incorporates a popper with a walk-the-dog action that spits, throws water from its hind parts, lays down and sideways when at rest as well as being completely erratic during your retrieve.
We couldn’t wait to get our hands on this thing, get it on the water, and see for ourselves what it could do. Well, we got it and you know we took it out the next day to see just what it could do and more importantly, what the response would be from the fish!
One of the most intriguing features of the Boil Trigger is its slim bottom profile. There are a number of lakes that we frequent where similar length baits that have a wider profile don’t produce because the forage base doesn’t match those baits.
Fishing The Boil Trigger
See more pics of this bait on our Facebook page
So out to one of those we go for a little late afternoon fishing for our first test drive. Jackall recommends that the Boil Trigger be thrown on 8 to 12 pound line because of its relatively light weight. Another suggestion was to use no more than a medium action rod with a fast tip.
While you’re not going to win any casting contests with this bait, you can achieve respectable distance by using the above guidelines for your equipment. Once the Boil Trigger hits the water let it sit long enough for the ripples to dissipate before you begin your retrieve because this is where the fun begins.
A short, quick pop of the rod tip and the bait comes to life by making a blurping sound and kind of walking at the same time. Pause your retrieve and the bait backs up a smidge and sits down as the rear section of the lure sinks a bit.
A few more pops in succession and it’s walking, but with a very natural erratic motion. Several pops of various intensity produces the classic spraying of water, some cool blurps and some more walking, swimming erratic movement which is always followed by the bait sitting down in the water looking very much like an injured baitfish.
The Boil Trigger is in a word, unpredictable on the retrieve. However, it is this erratic motion that is at the heart of this lures effectiveness. Its lack of consistency seems to be what makes it effective.
Just a word before we go on. While this bait will list slightly to its side on a fast retrieve, it will not roll over, barrel roll or behave in a manner that is inconsistent with its very natural action.
Catching The Fish
The view from the top
One of the things that we look for while testing any new bait is how the fish take it when they strike. If you’re fishing a bait that gives off negative clues to bass, they will often just bump it or short it, never giving you the opportunity to set the hook.
In fishing the Boil Trigger, you’ll notice from the pictures that all you can see sticking out of the fishes mouth is a small section of the lure. That’s because the rest of the bait is inside their faces. Most of the fish that we’ve caught on the Boil Trigger have been hooked by both trebles, which indicates that they were attempting to eat it.
Furthermore, a surprising percentage of those have had both hooks inside their mouths. Simply put, there wasn’t a lot of evidence suggesting that the fish had any clues that what they were attempting to eat wasn’t real.
Jackall puts Owner stinger trebles on the Boil Trigger from the factory, which are sharp, dependable hooks. The dressing on the rear hook is understated but has held up well to continued abuse from a bunch of fish. The finish has also held up and has only some slight scars to show for the pummeling that it has taken.
The Jackall Boil Trigger, while being the first hard bait in their line that we have reviewed, indicates a willingness to think outside the box to bring to market something that is truly unique as opposed to simply adding a slight wrinkle to an established design.
It is easy to see the dedication to innovation and quality that Jackall brings to the table. You can check out even more pictures of this bait on our Facebook page by clicking here.
The bass don’t play when they hit this bait!
| Jackall Boil Trigger | |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating |   |
| Innovative and highly effective | |
See ya’ on the water …