As anglers, we’re always looking for a way to get an advantage. We test out different lures, line, reels, hooks, weights, and more. In this Nomad Design Vertrex Swim Vibe review, we’re looking at something that might be considered a “cheat code” in saltwater fishing.
This lure is awesome, it’s loud, it’s violent, and it’s deadly. If you’re looking to try something new without overcomplicating your presentation, this lure keeps things simple and that’s what I love about it most.
Designed by Nomad Lure Designer Damon Olsen, the swim vibe was made with an internal weight combined with a finely tuned body shape that swims and glides when sinking imitating a lifelike swimming baitfish.
Understanding the Vertrex Swim Vibe
Bottom line up front: The Nomad Design Vertrex Swim Vibe is a soft-bodied swimbait with an internal rattle. The lure is pricey but it’s one of the most powerful inshore and offshore baits on the market today.
The Vertrex Swim is a one-of-a-kind swimbait with unique action and an intense presentation. These features combined make it one of the deadliest lures to use in canals and inshore fishing scenarios.
In the following sections, I aim to outline what makes this lure stand out the most and why you’d want to choose it over the other thousands of options out there.
Soft Natural Body
One of the things that makes a swimbait a swimbait is the fact that it’s a soft-bodied lure. What separates a great swimbait from a “so-so” one is when it offers a natural presentation.
The goal of swimbaits is to imitate the type of fish that your target will eat in the wild. This lure offers lifelike eyes, a soft body, and a realistic tail. These factors help your overall presentation.
Another bonus of a soft-bodied lure is that it makes it easier to set the hook. When you’re working with a hard-bodied lure like a crankbait, the hard body quickly becomes a red flag when the fish takes it which increases your chances of losing the fish.
When a fish strikes a softer lure, they’re not as instantly intimidated so they’re more likely to strike harder and stick around long enough for you to react and set the hook.
Vibration and Noise
The bread and butter of this lure is the vibrating action it creates. It sinks naturally in the water but when lifted, it vibrates to generate a lot of noise. This is what draws fish towards it and motivates them to strike.
The Vertrex Swim Vibe is designed to fish vertically in the column. This means that you’ll want to cast out, let it sink for a bit, and then jerk your rod vertically to get it to rise back up rapidly. When you do this, it creates a vibrating action and coerces nearby fish to investigate and ultimately strike.
Beyond the actual noise, I also like to talk about the construction of the lure. There is a full-body long pin inside that is likely responsible for the vibration and it feels hard and durable. The lure will hold up over the long term even after facing a lot of abuse in the salt and spray.
Unmatched Swimming Action
Believe it or not but this is actually a patent pending design because it’s one of the only lures to have a vertical vibrating action. With each lift of the rod, the lure will move in a different direction while vibrating. The goal is to imitate an injured baitfish which allows the nearby fish to think they have an easy meal on their hands.
The constant swimming action is really impressive because it doesn’t quit even when the water is calm or extremely choppy. The swimming action is incredibly natural and really makes the overall presentation of this lure some of the best I’ve ever seen.
While I don’t think price should be a driving factor when it comes to lures, you’ll get a little sticker shock when you see that it’s nearly 20 dollars for a single lure, but trust me, it’s worth the cost.
Durable and Realistic Presentation
I talked briefly about it but I’d like to stress that this lure is designed to stand the test of time. If you intend to pay this kind of money to get a single lure, you expect it to last and not tear apart after one trip.
The durability of this soft-bodied lure is also unmatched and makes a statement for the manufacturer as a whole. Prior to testing this lure out, I’d never actually heard of the company and they’re still not that popular.
Mark my words, you’ll be hearing a lot more about Nomad Design if they keep cranking out lures of this quality.
How to Use the Nomad Design Vertrex Swim Vibe
So, you have the lure rigged up, how do you fish it? It’s really simple to be honest. You cast it out, let it drop, and then rapidly lift your rod to create the action.
The video above does a great job of showing you how the presentation works beneath the surface. With every retrieval and raise of the rod, the lure rattles and moves in a different direction. On the fall back down is when you’re likely to get a strike because the fish will think that it’s being caught off guard.
FAQs
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about the Nomad Design Vertrex Swim Vibe and swimbaits in general.
Question: Does the Nomad Design Vertrex Come in Different Colors?
Answer: At the time of writing this, the Vertrex comes in 17 different colors so it’s great if you’re trying to appeal to different situations. If you’re fishing murky canals, you’ll want to use something brighter. If you’re fishing offshore in clearwater, you won’t have to worry as much about that and go for a more natural color.
Question: Are Hard-Bodied Swimbaits Better than Soft-Bodied?
Answer: It’s hard to say and everyone has their own opinion. I do believe that soft swimbaits are more effective simply because they’re more natural and more timid species are prone to nip. The fish that nip might get turned off by a hard-bodied swimbait but could be fooled by a soft and natural-looking lure.
Question: Is the Vertrex Jointed?
Answer: No, this lure is not jointed but that’s okay because the way it moves through the water actually presents in a way that makes it look jointed. Because it swims in a right-to-left motion, jointing isn’t necessary.
Question: Does the Nomad Design Vertrex Come in Different Colors?
Answer: At the time of writing this, the Vertrex comes in 17 different colors so it’s great if you’re trying to appeal to different situations. If you’re fishing murky canals, you’ll want to use something brighter. If you’re fishing offshore in Clearwater, you won’t have to worry as much about that and you can go for more natural color.
Question: Are Hard-Bodied Swimbaits Better than Soft-Bodied?
Answer: It’s hard to say and everyone has their own opinion. I do believe that soft swimbaits are more effective simply because they’re more natural and more timid species are prone to nip. The fish that nip might get turned off by a hard-bodied swimbait but could be fooled by a soft and natural-looking lure.
Question: Is the Vertrex Jointed?
Answer: No, this lure is not jointed but that’s okay because the way it moves through the water actually presents in a way that makes it look jointed. Because it swims in a right-to-left motion, jointing isn’t necessary.
Final Thoughts
Not all lures were created equal and some aren’t even close. This is one of them. In this Nomad Design Vertrex Swim Vibe review, you’ve looked at one of the best lures I’ve ever seen. It’s realistic, durable, loud, and obnoxious.
All of these factors are exactly what you want in a high-quality swimbait. I find no reason not to pick one of these up for yourself.
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