December 19, 2016
By Ned Kehde
On April 14, 2014, we published a gear guide that featured Biovex's Kolt Fish Tail. Recently a longtime Midwest finesse angler and Finesse News Network contributor suggested that we should publish an update about it.
To motivate us, he provided us with links to several YouTube videos by Josh Douglas of Minneapolis, Minnesota. One video was created on Feb. 14, 2014 at Lake Amistad, Texas. Another one was created on June 14, 2014, and it features sight fishing for smallmouth bass at Mille Lacs Lake, Minnesota. A third one was created on May 27, 2016, at Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota.
In these videos, Douglas extols the manifold virtues of the Kolt Fish Tail as a drop-shot bait.
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As we noted in the 2014 gear guide about the Kolt Fish Tail, Midwest finesse anglers shun drop-shot tactics. They shun it because they primarily probe shallow-water lairs in one to eight feet during the winter, spring, summer, and fall, and they have discovered that a jig-and-soft-plastic combo is much more effective in shallow water than a drop-shot rig. (But we must note that some talented bass anglers, such as Aaron Martens of Leeds, Alabama, employ drop-shot applications in shallow water. Douglas also employs a drop-shot rig in shallow water.)
Upon watching Douglas' videos and reexamining the Kolt Fish Tail, we thought it was a good idea to write an update on it. And we continue to contend that it is a very effective bait to affix to a 1/32-, 1/20-, and 1/16-ounce mushroom-style jig and employed with all six of the standard Midwest finesse retrieves.
Biovex is a Japanese lure manufacturer, and its Kolt Fish Tail was created for the scores and scores of Japanese finesse anglers. And during the past couple of years, 11 tackle stores across the United States -- such as Capra's Outdoor Sporting Goods in Blaine, Minnesota, Fin & Feather in Iowa City, Iowa, and Land Big Fish in Dunnville, Kentucky — have been selling it.
It is manufactured in two sizes: three inches and four inches.
From the tip of its head to the union of its tail, its torso is encircled with pronounced ribs. The diameter of the middle portions of its torso is larger than the portions near its head and adjacent to its tail.
Along the top of its back, there is a series of holes or air pockets, which generates air bubbles when it is in the water and being retrieved by an angler.
Its tail is fin-shaped. When an angler retrieves this bait, its tail discharges a thumping action that radiates up and down the entire torso of the Kolt Fish Tail.
It is manufactured in the following colors: Ayu, Black/Red Glitter, Coke, Dappi, Green Pumpkin, Rame Gill, Real Firetiger, Red, Smoke Holo Flake, Watermelon/Red Seed, and Watermelon Seed.
A package of 10 can be purchased for $5.45.
Endnotes
(1) Here is a link to Biovex's U.S. website: http://biovexusa.com/.
(2) Here is a link to Biovex's Japanese website: http://www.biovex.jp .
(3) Here is a link to Josh Douglas' videos: http://www.joshdouglasfishing.com/video/videos/ .
(4) Here is a link to the Midwest Finesse column that describes the six Midwest finesse retrieves: http://www.in-fisherman.com/midwest-finesse/six-midwest-finesse-retrieves/ .
(5) Here is the link to our 2014 gear guide about the Kolt Fish Tail: http://www.in-fisherman.com/gear-accessories/biovex-usa-midwest-finesse-fishing/ .
(6) In the near future, we will publish a gear guide about Biovex's Kolt Stick.
