Every year around the world an overwhelming number of new fishing lures hit store shelves. Some are cheap knock-offs of time-tested designs, while others are totally original concepts inspired by brilliance.

Over the years I have had the opportunity to test hundreds of lures, most of these have proved to be mediocre at best. This year however, I had the good fortune to discover a truly exceptional new lure called the Combo Sonic Swimming Lure created by Nordex Fishing International Inc.

In the spring of 2001, I met Martin Golden of Nordex Fishing and he showed me a lure that his father had designed and refined over the past fifteen years. At first glance I thought "Okay, just another jig for the tackle box." After closer inspection I realized that this was not a jig at all. The Combo Sonic was in fact different from anything I had ever seen before so I thought, "why not give it a try?"

My first test drive would be ice-out on the upper Bow River for wary spring Brown Trout. If the Combo Sonic could catch Browns I knew it would prove to be a worthwhile addition to my tackle box.

After several casts I hadn’t got a single bite, but never one to give up easy, I decided to persevere, and to change my presentation style. Five minutes later it clicked! I mimicked the swimming action of a wounded minnow and suddenly it was like magic. In the next ten casts, using my new presentation, I caught and released seven beautiful Browns each in the 18 to 22 inch class.

Since that first day out I have caught Bull Trout, Arctic Grayling, Walleye, and Northern Pike on the Combo Sonic Swimming Lure. The Combo Sonic has earned a permanent spot in my arsenal of fishing tackle. With the proper technique, this lure reliably delivers impressive results with all sport fish.

Nordex Fishing International says that they "exist for the fishing enthusiast" on a "relentless pursuit for the ultimate fishing lure." Having used the Combo Sonic for over a year now, it’s clear to me that this is not just marketing mumbo-jumbo, but a sincere declaration of their passion for fishing.