I'm excited to add another snake lure to the snake review section. Let's face it, there's just something cool about snake lures :)

The Bettencourt RealSnake is 10" long and weighs 3/4oz. Hooks are VMC 9650 size 2, and the split rings are 2x (size 3). Retail will be around $50 and they are set to release to the public February 1, 2008.

First impressions:

In my mind I was expecting a large lure, probably because the MS Snake is so huge. In reality, the RealSnake is something of a "finesse snake" - at least in my mind. The body sections are no bigger around than your pinky finger, and at 3/4oz, the lure is quite light.

On the water, I found right away that the lure should be worked slow for best action. You can't burn this thing along the surface. The head gets most of the action, with the tail swishing and clacking along behind.

I would not say that the lure itself moves exactly like a snake, but the wake and commotion it creates does mimic what you expect the water to do around a struggling snake. And struggle is a good adjective to describe the motion of the lure - it looks injured.

When I tossed the bait around, I did not have any braided line with me, but I would highly recommend for this lure despite my usual aversion to braid. The lure is not super buoyant, and the extra floatation provided by braid will help keep the lure on top.

As always, I find myself enjoying the hand-made aspect of this lure. There are a number of detail items with regards to the construction that attract the eye when you hold it up close under a light.

I'm curious to hear more feedback on this lure (when it comes out) from the East Coast guys. With its relatively small profile, I think the RealSnake will prove quite viable for fishermen targeting northern strain fish that perhaps don't get as big as "out west". This lure will take time for me to contemplate, play with, and review fully.

http://www.calfishing.com/reviews/snakes/bettencourt_realsnake/index.html
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