By Tackle Warehouse | Updated September 2023
Our goal with the Tackle Warehouse Product Review is to provide customers with an honest opinion on the latest bass fishing tackle and equipment, so they can make the most informed purchase possible. The products are distributed to a team of trusted Tackle Warehouse employees who have a wide breadth of fishing knowledge and experience. Each reviewer is responsible for testing and grading the product before and after use. After we are done testing, the grades are averaged and the reviews are compiled to highlight the most important elements, all in an effort to provide as much information as possible before you proceed to checkout.
All scores are rated from 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest score and 5 being the highest.
There are loads of jerkbaits available on the bass fishing market, so the Tackle Warehouse staff is always interested when we see something that looks innovative in this overly saturated category. By far one of the most unique and eye-catching hardbaits in recent memory, it’s safe to say the Shimano World Minnow/Diver Jerkbaits piqued our interest from the moment we laid eyes on them. Originally debuted in Shimano’s Orca series of saltwater lures, the Flash Boost technology was a key differentiator, providing secondary action with no additional input required on the user’s end. The group of product reviewers was eager to see if the pulsating foils and holographic scale patterns would actually translate to more bites in freshwater environments, and how the internal weight transfer system might improve on-the-water efficiency.
“The Flash Boost technology catches your eye immediately. I expect these lures to throw a lot of light and excel in winter because they shimmy and flicker with very little movement, making them great for long pauses.” - Charlie
Shimano SP-ORCA-FB imaged above to display a closer look at Shimano's proprietary FLASH BOOST technology.
Loaded with state-of-the-art technologies and unique features that have never been seen before in a freshwater lure, the Shimano World Minnow/Diver Jerkbaits are armed with three core technologies that separate them from any other rip bait on the market.
FLASH BOOST – A mechanism that suspends a finely polished reflective foil mirror plate on micro springs within the body of the lure that emits a fish-attracting flash during all phases of the retrieve, even on the pause. The slightest twitch of the rod tip activates the mirror plate and sends an enticing baitfish flash cascading through the water column to attract curious predators.
JET BOOST – A center-of-gravity-shifting mechanism that enables long-distance casting and rapid swimming action by supporting the internal weight on a spring. Designed to exploit the physics of an angler’s casting motion, centrifugal forces shift the weight to the tail of the lure as the angler winds up for a cast, enabling 22% further casting distance compared to similar sized jerkbaits. Once in the water, the spring returns to its original position for a balanced action in the water.
SCALE BOOST – A composite pitch hologram that mimics the patterns of baitfish scaling with exceptional realism and increases the amount and complexity of light reflected through the water column. The lineup includes various holograms suited to mimic different species of baitfish on select colors.
Noted by multiple reviewers as some of the best casting jerkbaits currently on the market, the Shimano World Minnow/Diver Jerkbaits allow anglers to make long casts into the wind regardless of the user’s skill level. The Jet Boost system engages quietly and is so powerful that it doesn’t lend itself to making short pitches to the bank, but is great when you need to cover tons of gin-clear water to locate fish. All of us thought the erratic suspending action of these lures was very nice, and the consistency of the shimmering Flash Boost plate gave us the confidence and patience to lengthen the pause of our retrieves for long periods of time.
“The Jet Boost technology is next level and is easily the best weight transfer system I have ever used in a hard bait. Even when casting into a heavy wind, these jerkbaits cast like a bullet, which is a huge advantage when you need to cast far away from the boat around spooky fish.” - TK
Built using an impact-resistant ABS plastic-injected body to protect all of the internal components, the Shimano World Jerkbaits provided enough durability to survive our rigorous test period with no damage and minimal hook rash. Equipped with stainless-steel split rings and sticky-sharp Owner Zo-wire treble hooks to maximize hook-up ratios, the premium hardware pleased the reviewers, who didn’t find any need to replace them out of the package.
Many of us noticed how these jerkbaits don’t appear to have a traditional finish, and despite the extremely sharp hooks they come with, the paint doesn’t chip away or expose these lures to heavy hook rash after extended use. Earning the highest rating of all the testing categories, it's clear that the Shimano World Jerkbaits delivered the same superior quality and craftsmanship that we have come to expect from Shimano products.
Coming in at a retail price of $19.99, the Shimano World Diver and Minnow Jerkbaits are priced above the market average, but we wouldn’t label them as overpriced when you account for all of the innovative features. In our opinion, the trio of proprietary ‘Boost’ technologies, high-quality craftsmanship, and superior components allows the Shimano World Jerkbaits to compete with the premium pricing and performance of similar JDM offerings. Considering the strong durability rating and comparable price point against jerkbaits like the Megabass Ito Vision 110, Jackall Rerange, and Daiwa HMKL Minnow, the Shimano World Minnow/Diver Jerkbaits are fairly priced and certainly worth a shot for any rip bait aficionado.
While jerkbaits are known for generating bites year-round, you’ll need to adjust the dive depth, color, action, and cadence of your retrieve throughout the year in order to remain productive. From our experience fishing the Shimano World Jerkbaits, the highly reflective colors enhanced by Scale Boost and the wealth of flash created from the internal Flash Boost mirror make them a go-to option for clear water and sunny skies. When worked fast and very aggressively, its flat sides produce a heavy body roll that sends a strobe-like flash through the water column, which proved to be most effective with warmer water and active fish. Alternatively, some reviewers reported better success during the colder months, noting how the auxiliary flash from the reflective Flash Boost plate noticeably increased the lure’s drawing power and enticed more bites on the pause.
A great alternative when other reaction baits fall short, the Shimano World Diver Jerkbait proved to be effective on this cold Central Coast winter morning when other anglers reported having to slow things down with a worm.
When the test period concluded, the results were relatively mixed for our reviewers, with some reporting great success and others suggesting the Boost technologies were better at catching anglers than catching fish. After taking into account all of the contrasting data points, we concluded that the Shimano World Minnow/Diver Jerkbaits are definitely an effective fish-catching tool when used under the right conditions. The erratic action and flashy features of these jerkbaits create a highly visual presentation that works best in crystal-clear waters, so the more natural and transparent colors like Black Silver, Salangidae, and Ghost Ayu were our most popular. Packed with exclusive features that other lures simply don’t have, there is no question that these lures add another dimension to any jerkbait angler’s tackle box, especially if you can pinpoint the perfect conditions to unlock their potential.
For more information on the Shimano World Diver/Minnow Jerkbaits, make sure to check out our ICAST Interview and Product Videos with Alex Davis:
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