# SX40's for less than $5



## deano (Nov 26, 2006)

Sounds too good to be true - well it may be....

I was in Big W yesterday and looking through the lure section when I spotted a SX40 look-a-like for just over $4. Although I couldn't compare the lure to my favourite Ecogear hardbody, the only difference I could see was the eye colour and perhaps a cheaper quality of treble.

Anyway, I thought I would have to buy it and see - and I must say it does compare well. In the picture below, the impostor is sitting in between two genuine SX40s.










For one quarter of the price, I think the imitator stands up pretty well in the looks department. I haven't done a swim test yet (which is the most important test), but things look promising at this stage. I will run a test with the copy and the original side by side and see if any difference in catch rate is apparent.

For those interested, I have scanned the box of the copy for reference (it is a Kokoda - ET Escape Series - shallow running sprog).


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## ArWeTherYet (Mar 25, 2007)

I bought one......then I went out and got a sx-40.

The big W one was seriously out of balance, it pulls hard to its left and constantly fowls itself. I thought it was a waste of money .....but hey I might of got the only dud :roll: .


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## Fishing Man (Oct 4, 2006)

i also learned the hard way with the sprogs,

dont mean to dishearten you mate, but i grabbed a heap back when they were 3 for 10 at amart. Im afraid they are just making up numbers in the lure collection now.

The thing with the sprogs is that they sink (sx40s float)
They swim sidwards (sx40s swim straight)
They have really poor split rings and hooks (sx40s have owners)
The paint job on them chips off easier than the ecogears.

I will only buy the original lures these days as these knock offs just arent in the same league. but give em a flick anyways, 
ive still caught fish on them


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## Fishing Man (Oct 4, 2006)

i mean if you buy a sprog at $5 then add owner split rings and trebbles the lures going to cost you about 10 anyway so its prolly worth paying an extra $5 in my opinion for the quality,

hope it didnt sound too harsh, i know i fished with them for a while and as i said caught plenty of fish but just dont want to see you buy a heap of them like i did and then regret it.


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## Biggera Yakker (Jan 25, 2007)

good advice Ben!!


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## Roo (Apr 2, 2007)

I've had a sprog in my tackle bag for a while and found the same issues as other have had. I did give it a bit of a tune up and got it to "sort of" swim straight but took a lot of work.....not worth it. I have found another that is slightly bigger made by "Prince Lures". picked up a couple for $1 a pop at A mart sale last year. These worked well out of the box, had good sharp VMC's on some questionable split rings. haven't been too successful yet, but no reason why they wouldn't be a good lure as I've not put much time in with them so far as the placcies have been my focus of late.

cheers, Roo.


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## deano (Nov 26, 2006)

You guys are probably right, and I must admit I am sceptical - the only other kokoda HB (5cm minnow) I have bought doesn't swim at all (there is litterally no action - it just drags through the water on its side)...but I am a glass half full type of guy so I won't be deterred until I give it a field test. You never know... :?


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## milansek (Apr 20, 2006)

its amazing what people will put there name to for money. et must be trying to make a few extra $$$$$$ .. you know when you have a good product when others try to copy it .


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## troppo (Feb 1, 2006)

Sprogs have been around for a while. There are a few posts scattered through the forum about them. I have had some good successes with sprogs. However, out of my sprogs and sx40s, I have lost all my sx40s to snags and fish but have a sprog left which will sometimes swim okay with a small swivel on the line about a metre in front for a tad extra weight. However, I have neither been able to lose it from snagging (probably because it doesn't swim down properly and it has not been snatched away by a big fish (but little cod have loved it.) In summary, I would probably go for sprogs if I could pick the ones that would swim properly due to the money  but the sx40s are certainly a better quality product.


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## JW (Jul 31, 2006)

I have also used em and have had reasonable success after a bit of tinkering.

I agree with all the other posts, just wanted to add I no longer use them because I have lost 2 good bream when the hook attachment (not the split ring, the anchor that it is attached to) ripped right out of the body of the lure.

Fishing time is precious these days.....I am willing to spend a few extra bucks to maximise enjoyment and minimise frustration.


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