DUO Bay RUF MANIC FISH 88

The Bay RUF MANIC FISH 88 is a fixed centre-of-gravity sinking pencil built for the top-and-subsurface game, engineered around the series tight-rolling manic move action, with a fast stand-up response and lifting motion on the retrieve that produce sudden, panic-style movement able to trigger bites even from selective fish. Sized to match anchovy at 88mm, its high-specific-gravity body also reduces missed strikes typical of topwater plugs taken from below.

Built to draw strikes from seabass keyed onto baitfish riding near the surface, particularly in high-pressure areas where fish sit tight to bait and ignore a standard swimming presentation. Overcast conditions and a bit of surface chop generally improve results, since the lure is less likely to spook fish holding shallow.

Work it with fast twitch retrieves to trigger the panic-style manic move, mixing in pauses to let the high-specific-gravity body settle before the next twitch, which helps convert strikes taken from below into solid hook-ups. Small pauses worked into the retrieve often convert a following fish that has not yet fully committed to the strike.

Suits a 7'6"-8'6" bay/light seabass spinning rod, a 2500-3000 reel, PE0.8-1.2 braid and a 12-16 lb fluorocarbon leader. Adjust rod power and leader strength up for structure-heavy marks where a hooked fish needs to be turned quickly, or down for open, snag-free water.