Ever Green Report

Ever Green XV-5 Shad-like CrankbaitEver Green XV-5 Shad-like Crankbait

Where’s there’s shad, there’s gamefish—and once located, you better have on a bait that looks and acts like the predominant food.

Enter the Ever Green XV-5 crossover, a shad-bait unlike anything on the market.

Again, designed in Japan to service bass anglers used to difficult, discerning bass on waters like famed Lake Biwa, the XV-5 was painstakingly designed and tested to catch fish when other methods fail—even $30 artisan-painted jerkbaits, which Japan is also known for. The bait does not feature a knocker or internal rattle—also a plus for targeting clear, water pressured fish. The tight wobbled produces all the vibration and sound necessary to draw the lateral line detection of bass, stripers, wipers, white bass, walleyes, and trout.

In terms of body design, the shape of the XV-5’s body looks just like a shad with a tapered tail, V-shaped concave belly design, and slightly fatter midsection.

Although Ever Green is considering a color expansion after the initial bait launch—the XV-5 is available in six predator-provoking hues—in spot-on forage-mimicking patterns including Cold Shad, the slightly-transparent Ghost Threadfin Shad, Flash Hasu, Secret Ghost Chart, and Bluegill Chart Belly.

With sophisticated internal balance and weight, the XV-5 also casts like a bullet. One very special design feature is the inclusion of a middle hook on the bait. That’s right, in a marketplace of shad-profile crankbaits with only a front and back hook, the Ever Green XV-5 features three sticky-sharp trebles—with the addition of a middle hook.

For walleye and striper guys, the bait can also be trolled on leadcore to increase its use at various depths in the water column wherever you fish.

The lure runs 3 to 7 feet and weighs 5/8 of an ounce. It was expected to be available in November at a suggested retail of $18.99.