Jointed plugs have great action, but poor castability. The innovative multi-jointed design of the Vertebrae Darter has great action and great castability. Joe Micelli made these once exclusive features possible with his patent-pending internal linkage system.
The Vertebrae Darter has two action profiles. The classic side to side action of a darter and a serpentine action of a swim bait. I have fished this plug from shore and trolled it from a boat. In both applications, the plug swims true. The plug casts like a needlefish and swim like a darter. But, unlike a solid darter, you can feel the plug swim.
The plug is currently available in one size (2 1/4 oz, 6.619 inches) and eight color patterns. The top three colors are: black, yellow, and white. I personally like the green one, which looks wicked as it swims!
The plug is made using a proprietary process that Joe Micelli developed based on his 30 years of experience as a machinist. He only uses quality components in his plugs to achieve a 175 lb dead weight rating:
- Solid Composite Plastic
- 210 lb Wolverine Split Rings
- 510 lb Tsunami Stainless Steel Swivels
- 175 lb Stainless Steel Ball Chains
- 3/0 4X VMC Treble Hooks
The Fish360 Team field tested the Vertebrae Darter on the shores of Cuttyhunk this past June. The plug stood up to the demands of extreme conditions and has hence found a permanent tube in each plug bag of the Fish360 Team.
