Strike King Lure Company is pleased to offer two new bladed jigs in the Thunder Cricket legendary line-up. First, introducing the long-awaited Tungsten Thunder Cricket. Now with the finest quality tour grade tungsten head, anglers finally have a small profile Strike King bladed jig without compromising the bait’s most important features.
“In the past, we gave up that tight vibration and long-distance casts to have a junior-sized bladed jig,” offered Strike King Pro Andy Montgomery. “But with the heavy and compact Tungsten head, the Thunder Cricket has all the features we need in a small package.”
Along with Strike King Pro Team members Greg Hackney and Kevin VanDam, Montgomery was one of the designers of the original Thunder Cricket. “There is no doubt that big fish love the Thunder Cricket, but there are times that you need to offer them a smaller presentation,” said Montgomery. “I also love that you can really slow this Tungsten Thunder Cricket down and get the same iconic vibration at a slower retrieval. This Tungsten Thunder Cricket wobbles with the slowest movement.”
Like its larger Strike King cousin, the standout feature of the Tungsten Thunder Cricket remains the long shank super tough Owner Jungle Hook. “Gone are the days of anglers settling for less hookups on a bladed jig,” said Elite Pro Greg Hackney. “Strike King paired these hooks perfectly with the Tungsten Thunder Cricket, and the hook penetrations are second to none.”
Along with the Tungsten junior model, the team at Strike King are pleased to offer the Gold-Bladed Thunder Cricket. The standout feature of the gold-bladed cricket is its performance in stained water or in low-visibility conditions. The gold-bladed version is offered with the same vibrant hand-tied skirts that first put the legendary Thunder Cricket on the map.
Fans of the original will also be pleased to recognize the exceptional trailer keeper on both the tungsten and gold-bladed models. “We designed these Thunder Cricket trailer keepers to withstand the most brutal strikes and deal with the heaviest cover,” offered Kevin VanDam, an original design team member. Like Montgomery and Hackney, VanDam frequently uses the Strike King Rage Swimmer as a trailer for added vibration. “When I need a more subtle presentation, I will often use the Strike King Rage Menace,” said VanDam. “That Rage Menace will also help that cricket achieve more depth, while the Rage Swimmer’s buoyancy keeps it higher in the water column.”
Like the original, the gold-bladed Thunder Cricket is offered in 3/8, 1/2, 5/8 and 3/4-ounce sizes. The smaller profile Tungsten Thunder Cricket will be offered in 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2-ounce and all of the original 14 colors.
