Daiwa N'ZON EVA Bait Sieve

The Daiwa N'ZON EVA Bait Sieve is one of those little bits of kit that tackles a fairly boring job. No flashy promises. No suggestion that buying it will have the rods flying off. It’s a compact, mesh-bottomed insert for draining bait, designed to sit in the top half of Daiwa’s matching 2-pint EVA stacking bait box. If you regularly prepare pellets or use chopped worms, you’ll know why keeping excess liquid under control can be dead handy. Less puddle on the bait tray, less awkward tipping and a tidier way to get ready.

First, let’s get the buying bit straight, mate: this is the sieve, not the sieve-and-box package. The model code is NZEVABS, and the compatible box is NZEVASB2. That box isn’t supplied. It’s an important distinction because the appeal here is partly how neatly the two pieces belong together. Already own the right box? Lovely, this is a straightforward addition to consider. Starting from scratch? Look at what both pieces will cost you before deciding whether this route makes more sense than the draining gear you’ve already got.

The construction is tough EVA with a mesh bottom, and the dimensions are 130 × 130 × 60 mm. That tells you quite a lot about its intended role. This is small-batch bait preparation rather than something for working through a big bucketful before a long session. The mesh gives excess liquid somewhere to go while the sieve keeps the bait gathered together. We haven’t used it on the bank, so we’re not claiming a particular drainage speed, years of hard service or magical resistance to being squashed in a tackle bag.

Pellet preparation is the obvious use. When you’re sorting bait for feeder work, there’s a difference between pellets that have taken on enough water and pellets still sitting in a bath. A draining insert gives you a simple way to separate the two stages. You still need to follow the needs of your particular pellets, though. Different pellets take up water differently, and there’s no single soaking time that suits every bag. The sieve removes free liquid; it doesn’t undo over-soaking or guarantee the texture you want for a method mould.

A sensible approach is to prepare a manageable batch, drain it when appropriate, then give the pellets whatever resting time they need before checking them again. Feel matters more than blindly watching a stopwatch. For method work, you’re looking for bait that behaves properly when moulded and then releases as intended, not just something that looks damp. This Daiwa insert can help with the draining part of that routine. The mixing, resting and final judgement are still your job. That’s not a criticism; it’s simply keeping a useful accessory in perspective.

Chopped worms are the other confirmed use, and there’s a little judgement call here too. Sometimes you want the chopped pieces without adding loads of extra liquid to an already balanced feed mix. Other times, that worm juice is very much part of the attraction you’re trying to put into the swim. Don’t drain it away automatically just because you’ve bought a sieve. Decide what the bait needs first. If you’re fishing a careful pole line and adding small amounts of feed, controlling that liquid separately can be a useful option.

The matching-box arrangement is probably its strongest selling point. A dedicated insert that sits in the upper half is a neater proposition than trying to hold a random strainer over a tub while everything else on your tray gets in the way. Just remember that drained liquid needs room beneath the mesh. If the level underneath reaches the bait again, you’re not really separating anything. Also, don’t assume another box will support it correctly because the outside measurements look close. The confirmed pairing is with Daiwa’s NZEVASB2, not every 2-pint box going.

So, who should be interested? Mainly the feeder or pole angler who likes a tidy bait station, prepares modest amounts at a time and already owns—or actually wants—the compatible box. For that angler, this looks like a sensible little convenience rather than another gimmick. If your current sieve works fine, there’s no need to get carried away. It won’t turn a blank into a bag-up session by itself. Its job is smaller and more believable: make one part of your bait preparation a bit more organised, with less faff along the way.