SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT
A CLOSER LOOK AT A FEATURED PRODUCT FROM ONE OF TBF’ S VALUED SPONSORS
LONGTIME TBF SUPPORTER BERKLEY DRIVES SOFT BAIT EVOLUTION
It’ s a safe bet that, coast to coast and all season long, The Bass Federation members catch more bass on soft artificial baits than all other lure types combined. And it’ s for a good reason: That deadly combination of lifelike feel, profile and action triggers solid strikes, even when a fisherman can’ t buy a bite on other baits. An enticing cocktail of bass-busting scents and flavors make some soft baits even more effective.
Longtime TBF sponsor Berkley has been building basscatching baits with those traits for years. The company’ s softbait roots date back to 1985, when it hired the now-legendary fish research scientist Dr. Keith Jones. With the aid of equally talented chemist John Prochnow, who joined Berkley in 1986, Jones quickly improved the company’ s existing family of Strike fish attractants while secretly developing an extremely effective new bait.
That new concoction was Berkley PowerBait, which featured a pliable, soft body laced with natural attractants. The blend caused fish to hang on to the bait up to 18 times longer once they bit – giving anglers more time to set the hook. PowerBait hit the market in 1988 with the release of Trout PowerBait, which was an instant success story. Jones and Prochnow were far from finished, however. They pressed forward in their laboratories in Spirit Lake, Iowa, tirelessly researching what trips bass’ triggers.
In 1989, they released the PowerBait Power Worm and Power Grub, a pair of PVC-based baits infused with natural attractants.
PowerBait gained widespread favor among millions of anglers. That initial success in turn fueled the development of a long line of PowerBait products that continues today.
Traditional PowerBait excels with active presentations aimed at fish that are using their vision and lateral line to track down prey. If PowerBait wasn’ t enough, Jones and Prochnow eventually created Gulp! to add offerings that could attract fish to the angler’ s bait by smell and taste.
Brought to market in 2003 after years of research and testing, the water-based bait releases water-soluble scents, making it ideal for slow-moving and stationary presentations. Once Gulp! reached store shelves, savvy bass anglers quickly adopted it for fishing smallmouths on drop-shot rigs.
Berkley expanded anglers’ options by adding Gulp! Alive! to the family shortly thereafter. Gulp! and Gulp! Alive! are similar products, except Gulp! Alive! is packed in natural juices that constantly recharge its power of attraction.
In 2011, Berkley added yet another soft-bait alternative with the introduction of its Havoc series. Led by initial offerings including the Devil Spear, Craw Fatty, The Deuce and Pit Boss, the family quickly expanded to an array of exciting shapes and actions.
“ Havoc is geared toward our pro-staff’ s passion for detail in terms of shape, action and colors,” says Jones, noting that Havoc is poured from a more palatable plastic than others on the market. As a result, Havoc fills the bill for running and gunning with aggressive, fast-moving techniques.
Berkley announced its latest innovation, PowerBait MaxScent, at ICAST last July. This new family of baits combines the best properties of PowerBait and Gulp! in one highly effective package.
In a nutshell, MaxScent baits are durable and long-lasting, but the soft material also releases a scent field into the surrounding water. As a result, they attract bass from a distance, and they’ re sure to have an impact on TBF events this season.
MaxScent options include the General, a 5-inch stickworm that wobbles seductively on the fall; the Kingtail, a thick, 8-inch, curly tailed worm sporting reversed ribs for greater scent dispersion; the Lunch Worm, a meaty, 6-inch, curly tailed ribworm great for fishing in grass and when Texas-rigging cover; the Meaty Chunk, a 3-inch jig trailer with long, flappy pincers and added material for extra strength; the Flatnose Minnow, a thin, 4-inch bait that dances like a live minnow when paired with a drop-shot rig; the D-Worm, a 5 1 / 2-inch worm blessed with a lively bulbous tail that’ s perfect for drop-shotting and shakyhead applications; the Creature Hawg, a 4-inch creature-style bait; and the Hit Worm, a thin, 4 1 / 2-inch finesse worm that excels in a variety of rigging options.
Collectively, Berkley’ s PowerBait, Gulp! and PowerBait MaxScent families allow TBF members everywhere to choose bass-catching soft baits that fit their styles of fishing and favorite presentations, and match the conditions virtually anytime they hit the water.
Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flat Nose Minnow
february-march 2018 I flWfIshIng. com
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