Malosi Chieftain
Malosi's original floating stickbait design — signature cut mouth, horizontal surface rest, and effortless S-swim action suit everything from GTs to kingfish.
Editorial
The Chieftain is where Malosi began.
Before the Rogue, before the Tyrant, the Chieftain was the original Malosi floating stickbait — a Paulownia-cored body inside a two-millimetre ABS-like resin shell, finished with ten coats of polyurethane and rigged through a 316L stainless backbone. It sits horizontal at rest, not nose-up, which is the design decision that earns it space in the box of anglers who fish chop.
Two sizes anchor current production: the CH150F at 150mm and 50g, and the CH180F at 180mm and 75g. A 220F variant appears at some Australian retailers as clearance, though its status is not confirmed on the current official catalogue. The Chieftain holds its place in the Master Series — alongside the Rogue and Tyrant — as the floating workhorse for GTs, kingfish, and pelagic surface work.
Why It Matters
The signature cut mouth and minimal weighting give the Chieftain a glide-and-swim profile that is rare in a true floater. It sits flat, which means a slow sweep produces an honest S-swim rather than a tip-up wobble — useful in surface chop and on fish that refuse to commit to a noisier bait. The Paulownia core gives it the dampened acoustic that timber lures are known for, while the resin shell takes the abuse.
Best For
- Topwater GTs over coral
- Kingfish and tuna in chop
- Spanish mackerel surface schools
- Anglers who like to dress a lure in their own hook configuration (no factory hooks)
Technical Snapshot
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Model CH150F — Length | 150mm |
| Model CH150F — Weight | 50g± |
| Model CH150F — Through Wire | 2mm Stainless Steel |
| Model CH180F — Length | 180mm |
| Model CH180F — Weight | 75g± |
| Model CH180F — Through Wire | 2mm Stainless Steel |
| Core Material | Solid Paulownia timber |
| Shell | ABS-like resin (2mm thick wall, silicone mould encapsulation) |
| Through Wire Material | Stainless Steel 316L |
| Top Coat | Multiple layers tough polyurethane (10X PU) |
| Type | Floating Stickbait |
| Surface Attitude | Sits horizontal at rest (not nose-up like traditional poppers) |
| Design Feature | Signature cut mouth, minimal weighting |
| Recommended Hook Options (not factory-fitted, 150F) | 3/0 Decoy Y-S82 Treble or 3/0 BKK Raptor Z (treble); 4/0 BKK Diablo (single); 8/0 BKK Crusader (single) |
| Recommended Hook Options (not factory-fitted, 180F) | 4/0 Decoy Y-S82 Treble or 4/0 BKK Raptor Z (treble); 5/0 BKK Diablo or 9/0 BKK Crusader (single) |
| Available Colors | Acid, Calypso, Fuse, Naboo, Necro, Noir, Panth, Rapture, Sushi (colour availability varies by retailer and size) |
| Packaging | Custom black cardboard box with microfiber bag (Master Series) |
| Retail Price AUD — CH150F | AUD $99.99 (inc. GST) |
| Retail Price AUD — CH180F | AUD $119.99 (inc. GST) |
| Retail Price USD — CH150F | USD $66.99 (official site, current sale from $79.99) |
| Retail Price USD — CH180F | USD $79.99 (official site) |
| Series | Master Series (Malosi's premium timber-core range, alongside Rogue and Tyrant) |
Collector / Field Notes
The Chieftain is the foundational Malosi design. If "Holy Grail" reads strange for an actively produced lure, the framing reflects its position — the lure the brand grew from, still hand-tested and still in current colourways. The 220F variant, when it surfaces in Australian retailers, deserves a closer look — its production status is not confirmed on the current official catalogue. The description of the Chieftain as a discontinued "wooden range" is a misread of construction. The timber is the core, sealed inside ABS resin. There is no separate bare-wood Malosi range.
FAQ
How does the Chieftain sit on the surface?
Horizontal — not nose-up like most floating stickbaits. That posture is the defining design choice, and it produces a glide-and-swim S-action even on a slow sweep retrieve.
What sizes are available?
CH150F (150mm / 50g) and CH180F (180mm / 75g) are the current production sizes. A CH220F (120g) appears at some Australian retailers as clearance — production status unverified.
Does the Chieftain come with hooks?
No. Malosi recommends 3/0 or 4/0 BKK Raptor Z trebles, BKK Diablo singles, or BKK Crusader singles depending on size. The Chieftain takes mixed rigs well — belly treble plus tail single is a common configuration.
What was the original Malosi 'wooden range'?
There isn't one. The Chieftain uses a Paulownia timber core sealed inside an ABS-like resin shell — the Master Series construction. The brand has never produced a bare-timber lure as a separate line.
What's the difference between the Chieftain and the Rogue?
The Chieftain is the floating original. The Rogue is the sinking sibling. Both use the same Master Series Paulownia-core construction; they differ in buoyancy, profile, and stainless through-wire diameter.
Sources
Frequently Asked
- How does the Chieftain sit on the surface?
- Horizontal — not nose-up like most floating stickbaits. That posture is the defining design choice, and it produces a glide-and-swim S-action even on a slow sweep retrieve.
- What sizes are available?
- CH150F (150mm / 50g) and CH180F (180mm / 75g) are the current production sizes. A CH220F (120g) appears at some Australian retailers as clearance — production status unverified.
- Does the Chieftain come with hooks?
- No. Malosi recommends 3/0 or 4/0 BKK Raptor Z trebles, BKK Diablo singles, or BKK Crusader singles depending on size. The Chieftain takes mixed rigs well — belly treble plus tail single is a common configuration.
- What was the original Malosi 'wooden range'?
- There isn't one. The Chieftain uses a Paulownia timber core sealed inside an ABS-like resin shell — the Master Series construction. The brand has never produced a bare-timber lure as a separate line.
- What's the difference between the Chieftain and the Rogue?
- The Chieftain is the floating original. The Rogue is the sinking sibling. Both use the same Master Series Paulownia-core construction; they differ in buoyancy, profile, and stainless through-wire diameter.