Which Virola size should I choose for sea bass?

Go for the 5 inch (125 mm, 7.4 g) and 6 inch (150 mm, 14.4 g) sizes. The Virola is a lure created for freshwater, but these two sizes have their place on sea bass, in mid-strolling or fly fishing. The very soft 6 inch has great mobility and suits freshwater and sea anglers alike.

How do I rig the Dstyle Virola?

On a round finesse jig head for mid-strolling and fly fishing. On a drop shot with the Slim 2.5, and on a ned rig with the 4 and 5 inch sizes. Choose the weight according to depth and current, to keep the lure in the strike zone.

Is the Virola Slim 2.5 just a smaller Virola?

No. Its design was reworked to keep the right tension in the tail and to limit rolling on a drop shot, even a deep one. You rig it on a jig head for trout or perch, or on a drop shot for perch and bass. For zander, go for the 4, 5 or 6 inch instead.

Dstyle Virola Soft Lure: finesse for perch, zander, bass

Shop review

It's not easy to carve out a place among the thousands of soft lures on the market. And yet the Virola makes a splash! It arrives on the European market at the same time as a fishing technique called mid-strolling. With sizes from 2.5 to 6 inch, it suits perch, zander, black bass and sea bass anglers alike. Perfectly presented in the Fishing Club by Guillaume Nuget, this lure quickly earned a solid place in our boxes.

The Virola at a glance

Brand: Dstyle
Colours: Maji Moroko (4, 5 and 6 inch), Ayu (5 and 6 inch), Escape Fish and Camo (Slim 2.5)
Designed by the Japanese angler named Angler of the Year 2017

Slim 2.5 (2.5 inch): 6.5 cm, 1.4 g, 8 per pack
4 inch: 100 mm, 4.3 g, 6 per pack
5 inch: 125 mm, 7.4 g, 5 per pack
6 inch: 150 mm, 14.4 g

The Virola, from 6.5 cm to 15 cm

Mid-strolling, fly fishing and drop shot: one lure, several retrieves

This lure is designed for mid-strolling. It carries an air bubble on its back, which accentuates the swing at low speed. We recommend a round jig head with a rig offset upward, to accentuate the swimming action. On the rod side, we have an American blank designed specifically for this technique, the MS 674-1 X-Ray.

Slim 2.5: drop shot, or jig head for trout and perch
4 inch: mid-strolling, fly fishing and ned rig
5 inch: mid-strolling, fly fishing, ned rig and pulling
6 inch: fly fishing, mid-strolling and pulling

The Slim 2.5 is not just a smaller Virola. Its design was reworked to keep the right tension in the tail and to limit rolling on a drop shot, even a deep one. So it works as well on a jig head for trout or perch as on a drop shot for perch and bass.

The 4 inch is THE mid-strolling lure. This trendy technique means fishing between two layers of water, and it works on perch, zander and bass. It has changed the game in competition bass fishing, and we can't wait to see it at work on our big perch!

Perch, zander, black bass, trout and sea bass

The 5 inch is a nice mouthful without getting too big. It is rigged for mid-strolling on bass, nice perch or zander. For zander, you will rather go for the 4, 5 and 6 inch sizes, the Slim 2.5 staying a perch, trout and bass size.

The 6 inch (150 mm) suits freshwater anglers looking for zander or bass as well as sea anglers. Its softness gives it great mobility. And at sea? Even though it is a lure created for freshwater, it will do well for sea bass in the 5 and 6 inch sizes. The realistic body matters most in clear water, when fish have time to look at the lure. It pairs nicely with a fluorocarbon leader to stay discreet.