In my opinion, the Xorus Patchinko 140 is still one of the best surface lures for UK bass fishing. I have been using and selling the Patchinko for over 20 years, and it has been my most successful surface lure since 2004.

One of the biggest advantages of the Patchinko 140 is its casting ability. At 140mm and 27g, its streamlined profile casts an incredible distance for a surface lure of this size and is particularly good when fishing into a headwind or when you simply need to cover more water.

It's also an extremely easy lure to work. Slight twitches of the wrist are enough to bring the Patchinko to life, producing that classic side-to-side walking action across the surface. You don't need to overwork it — get a rhythm going and the lure almost works itself.

The internal rattles use two different sized ball bearings, producing a distinctive sound that I have always found particularly effective for drawing bass up from deeper water. In shallow water that same noise and surface disturbance can provoke aggressive reaction strikes.

I've had countless bass on the Patchinko over the years, including occasions when it has produced fish from the surface while anglers around me weren't even getting a rise on other lures. That's why, after all these years, it remains one of my first choices when I want to catch bass off the top.

Specifications

• Length: 140mm
• Weight: 27g
• Type: Floating surface / walking lure
• Belly hook: Decoy T-S21 #3
• Rear hook: Decoy Y-S21 #2
• Replacement single hook: I recommend the Decoy Pluggin' Single 27 in size 3/0

Mick's Tip

Don't think you have to work a Patchinko aggressively all the time. Small, controlled twitches are often enough to get that lovely walking action. I also like its ability to keep fishing effectively when there's wind on the water — when some lighter surface lures become difficult to cast, the Patchinko 140 can still get out there and cover fish.