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Predator lures · Surface wakebaits · Our take
Savage Gear 3D Smashtail Minnow
Savage Gear 3D Smashtail Minnow
A floating baby-trout imitation with a plopping tail, a cracking wake and sizes for everything from pike days to big-fish hunting.
- Floating baby-trout imitation based on a 3D scan.
- Turning tail creates a loud plopping sound and surface wake.
- Available in 8cm, 10cm, 13.5cm and 17cm sizes.
- Tough ABS construction, with one lure per pack.
Make sure it’s the right one. This review covers the Savage Gear 3D Smashtail Minnow floating lure range, from 8cm through to 17cm.
Tackle Index Score
Tackle Index score
A lively, well-targeted surface lure with useful sizing and a strong visual identity.
Desk-research score from specs, price and fishing fit · How we score
- Product Quality9/10
- Performance8.9/10
- Impact on Fish Catching8.6/10
- Ease of Use8.8/10
- Value for Money8.4/10
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Who it suits
Is it right for you?
Great for
- Pike anglers fishing shallow or weedy water. The floating body and surface wake keep the lure up where it can be seen and worked over the snags.
- Predator anglers who like visual takes. A plopping tail and wake make it a lively option for exciting topwater fishing.
Maybe skip if
- Anglers needing a quiet, subtle presentation. This lure is built to make a racket, so it’s not the stealthiest bit of kit in the box.
- Light lure anglers. The 13.5cm and 17cm versions are substantial, and the 17cm model weighs 72g.
The lowdown
Introducing the Savage Gear 3D Smashtail Minnow
A floating baby-trout imitation with a plopping tail, a cracking wake and sizes for everything from pike days to big-fish hunting.
- Floating baby-trout imitation based on a 3D scan.
- Turning tail creates a loud plopping sound and surface wake.
- Available in 8cm, 10cm, 13.5cm and 17cm sizes.
- Tough ABS construction, with one lure per pack.
Quick verdict
Verdict
The 3D Smashtail Minnow is a proper topwater attention-seeker. Its turning tail makes a loud plop and leaves a surface wake, giving predatory fish something visual and noisy to home in on.
The range is nicely spread out, from a compact 8cm option to a serious 17cm pike mouthful. It’s not the subtle choice, but over weed, shallow margins and warm-weather feeding spells, that disturbance can be bob on.
A lively, well-targeted surface lure with useful sizing and a strong visual identity.
Desk-research score from specs, price and fishing fit · How we score
- Product Quality
- 9/10
- Performance
- 8.9/10
- Impact on Fish Catching
- 8.6/10
- Ease of Use
- 8.8/10
- Value for Money
- 8.4/10
The tough ABS body, detailed finish and size-specific treble setups make it feel properly built for predator work.
The floating body, turning tail, plop and wake give it a clear and useful surface action.
It can be highly effective when predators are prepared to rise, though its noisy approach won’t suit every situation.
Tie it on, cast it out and vary the retrieve, with the main complication being matching larger sizes to suitable tackle.
The construction and range are appealing, but one lure per pack means replacing a lost favourite can hurt the wallet.
Head to head
How it stacks up
Side by side with the closest kit we've reviewed. This updates as we add more reviews.
Savage Gear
Savage Gear 3D Smashtail Minnow (this one)
Top scorer
Top scorer
Scores are our own, out of 10. Best in each row is in green. Prices change, so check the latest before you buy.
The full rundown
Everything you'll want to know about the Savage Gear 3D Smashtail Minnow
Some lures whisper. The Savage Gear 3D Smashtail Minnow absolutely doesn’t. This is a floating predator lure made to kick up a fuss on the surface, with a turning tail that throws out a loud plopping sound and a visible wake. If you like watching a pike track, boil and smash a lure, it’s got the right sort of attitude, mate.
The shape is based on a 3D scan of a baby trout, so you’re getting a convincing small-fish profile rather than some random bit of plastic with a tail bolted on. The 3D-scanned details add a proper natural look, but the real calling card is the action. This lure is designed to get noticed when it’s being pulled across the top.
That makes it especially handy over shallow weed, flooded margins and areas where a diving lure would just spend half the session collecting salad. Keep it moving across the surface and the tail turns, plops and pushes a wake behind it. Predators get both a visual target and a noise trail to lock onto.
There’s also a bit of flexibility in how you fish it. A steady retrieve gives you a regular, searching action, useful when you’re covering water. Slow it down near cover, add a pause or give it a cheeky twitch, and you can make it hang in the surface film before getting it moving again. That stop-start moment is often where the fun starts.
The range covers four sizes. The compact 8cm model weighs 12g, while the 10cm version comes in at 17g. Those are the more approachable options for general lure fishing, especially if you’re working smaller waters or don’t want a great lump hanging off a lighter rod.
Then things get serious. The 13.5cm lure weighs 38g, and the big 17cm version weighs 72g. Those are proper meal-sized offerings for bigger predators, but they also demand the right tackle. Don’t clip the 72g model onto a dainty spinning outfit and hope for the best, mate. Match the rod, reel, main line and leader to the job.
Hooking is tailored to each size too. The 8cm model uses two SGY 1X BN size #6 hooks. The 10cm carries two Y-Treble size #2 hooks, the 13.5cm uses two size #1 Y-Trebles, and the 17cm has two size #1/0 Y-Trebles. That keeps the hardware in proportion as the lure gets bigger.
The super-tough ABS body is a welcome touch for predator fishing. Pike teeth, snags and general bank abuse can be a bit brutal on tackle, so a solid body makes sense here. Still, keep an eye on the trebles and split rings after a proper scrap or a clumsy snag. Tough doesn’t mean indestructible.
Where this lure really earns its place is when fish are willing to come up and have a look. Warm, bright spells, low-light sessions, shallow bays and weedy edges are all obvious situations to try. It won’t replace a subtle subsurface lure, but that’s not the point. The 3D Smashtail Minnow is the lure you reach for when you want to make a scene and tempt a proper surface take.
Specifications
The nuts and bolts
- Type
- Floating surface lure with turning tail
- Construction
- Super-tough ABS body with 3D-scanned details
- Sizes and weights
- 8cm/12g, 10cm/17g, 13.5cm/38g, 17cm/72g
- Tail action
- Loud plopping sound and surface wake
- Hook setup
- Two trebles; size varies by lure size
- Pack contents
- One lure
Specs checked with Savage Gear, Oct 2026.
Spot a model or spec change?
Our take
The angle
This is a lure for making a commotion rather than sneaking in under the radar. Fish it steadily for a consistent wake, or mix in pauses and little twitches when a predator is following without committing.
The main buying decision is size. The 8cm and 10cm models are easier all-round choices, while the 13.5cm and 17cm versions are aimed squarely at bigger-predator fishing and heavier tackle.
Closer look
A noisy, floating trout imitation
The Smashtail Minnow combines a baby-trout profile with a turning tail that creates a loud plop and a clear surface wake. A small metal rivet or mesh in the tail helps enhance the sound, so the lure works through both sight and vibration.
Its super-tough ABS body is built for predator fishing, while the detailed 3D scan gives it a natural-looking finish. The four sizes let you choose between a compact baitfish presentation and a much bigger pike offering.
Worth knowing. It floats, so think shallow. Fish it across weed, along the margins or over cover where a sinking lure would quickly become a faff.
Who it suits
Pick the size around your water and tackle
The 8cm and 10cm models are the easiest all-round choices. At 12g and 17g, they sit comfortably in the kind of setup many predator anglers already use, assuming the rod’s casting range is suitable.
The 13.5cm and 17cm models are for anglers targeting a bigger mouthful, with weights of 38g and 72g. They suit dedicated pike tackle and open-water situations where you can cast, work and land a substantial lure safely.
Worth knowing. Don’t choose purely by lure length. Check your rod’s casting range and make sure your leader, knots and terminal hardware are up to the size of fish and lure you’re targeting.
FAQs in full
Quick answers before you tie one on
Can you fish it slowly? Yes. A slow retrieve keeps the tail turning and maintains the wake, while pauses and small twitches can make it more tempting around cover. Let the fish tell you whether they want bosh or something a bit more measured.
Is it only for pike? The trout imitation and larger sizes are clearly aimed at serious predator fishing, with pike an obvious target. Smaller predators may also respond to the 8cm and 10cm models, depending on the water and local fish stocks.
Worth knowing. Check the trebles regularly, especially after snagging or landing a lively fish. Sharp, sound hooks matter when a predator finally boils behind the lure.
On paper
Pros & cons
What we like
- Properly noisy surface action that helps fish track the lure.
- Four useful sizes, covering compact predator work through to big pike hunting.
- Super-tough ABS body and detailed 3D-scanned finish.
- Floating design is handy over weed, shallow water and snaggy margins.
Worth knowing
- The loud action won’t suit every clear, pressured water or spooky fish.
- A single lure per pack means losing one to a pike or snag can sting.
- The larger versions need suitably beefy rods, reels, line and leaders.
Want one?
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Your questions answered
What anglers want to know
The stuff you’d ask your mate on the next peg. Straight answers, no waffle.
01What size Savage Gear 3D Smashtail Minnow should I choose?
What size Savage Gear 3D Smashtail Minnow should I choose?
The 8cm and 10cm versions are the sensible starting points for general predator fishing. Go to 13.5cm or 17cm when you’re targeting bigger pike or want a much larger profile.
02Does the 3D Smashtail Minnow float?
Does the 3D Smashtail Minnow float?
Yes. It’s a floating lure, so you can work it across the surface and over shallow weed or cover.
03What noise does the tail make?
What noise does the tail make?
The turning tail produces a loud plopping sound and surface wake. A small metal rivet or mesh in the tail helps boost that noise.
What anglers say
The word from the bank
Our read: verdict. The strongest reasons to choose it are properly noisy surface action that helps fish track the lure. and four useful sizes, covering compact predator work through to big pike hunting.; the main trade-off is the loud action won’t suit every clear, pressured water or spooky fish..
Our take on the feedback
Why it appeals
Checked Sept '26 — “Properly noisy surface action that helps fish track the lure.”
Best fit
Checked Sept '26 — “Pike anglers fishing shallow or weedy water: The floating body and surface wake keep the lure up where it can be seen and worked over the snags.”
Worth knowing
Checked Sept '26 — “The loud action won’t suit every clear, pressured water or spooky fish.”
Tackle Index’s take from the product details and fishing fit we checked. We haven’t found enough independent public feedback to call this an angler consensus yet.
Angler score
What our readers rate Savage Gear 3D Smashtail Minnow
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Owner reports
Own this? Help the next angler.
Quick multiple-choice reports from people who say they own the Savage Gear 3D Smashtail Minnow. Not verified purchases, and kept separate from our score.
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