This was the first year that Pure Fishing (parent company of Berkley) opted out of ICAST. With the show now a distant memory, Berkley finally dropped its new line of baits. For me, this promises to be one of the more memorable bait releases ever executed.
Why, you ask? Well, I, along with a select few other media members, had the opportunity to fish Lake Champlain with some of the best pro anglers — the likes of Edwin Evers, Justin Lucas, and Bobby Lane — to see how they performed before the release.
What does that mean for you, the reader? You’re not stuck with content that was produced on a showroom floor. I actually got to, you know, fish the stuff and see if it catches fish.
Consumer availability dates vary, but you should be able to pick them up at the Berkley site or Tackle Warehouse in short order. Here’s what I learned about these baits on the water with the best in the business.
Side Note for the Trolls: I’m confident some online Negative Nancy will accuse Berkley of copying a particular ICAST award-winning bait with the release of its new topwater. News flash: I was fishing these baits in early June, long before the show.
So no, Berkley did not sit on its laurels and quickly piece together knockoffs of ICAST winners. Go back to your conspiracy theories on Scott Martin.
Berkley PowerBait CHOP BLOCK
I’m going to start with the bait that the pro anglers seemed most excited about, the Powerbait CHOP BLOCK, a natural extension of the Berkley Powerbait Nessie Soft Glide Bait. It’s much the same, except it has the classic, taller profile associated with most glides. That made me happy, because I didn’t like the Nessie due to its short profile.
Still, I had my doubts, because it’s a budget glidebait at $16-30, depending on whether you go with the 6-, 8-, or 10-inch version. A lot of budget glides claim to catch ’em just like the expensive ones. But on the water, they don’t fish right.
Edwin Evers killed all doubts. He took me to fish docks with the soft plastic glide. In an hour, we moved at least 10 fish, some multiple times, and hooked two, all with the 8-inch version. So, does it work? Uhhhh. Yes.
You must ensure that the Fusion19 Harness system is properly placed in the hook retention mechanism for it to swim correctly. It stays put on casts and retrieves, but if you hang it on structure or shake a fish with it, be sure to get it back in correctly. When you have a fish on, the system ensures a fish can’t use the leverage of the bait to come unglued.
When he’s trying to stick them, Edwin said he uses the 6- or 8-inch version, and opts for the 10-inch when he’s trying to locate fish in pre-tournament practice. With the success we saw, I’m confident this bait will show you any big fish hiding under a dock. If they don’t commit, circle back with a traditional bait.
It will be available in October in 12 colors and has fantastic detail considering the price and soft plastic construction.
Edwin Evers’ Glide Bait Setup
While out there, I asked Edwin some of his thoughts on how to be successful with this particular bait. He started with equipment, and heavily emphasized having the correct rod. He happened to be using the exact rod that I awarded “Best Swimbait Rod” in my Best Bass Fishing Rods Buyers Guide.
While casting at a dock, he said, “I could not make that cast without this rod. In fact, I wouldn’t have won Redcrest without this rod.” To be successful, a glidebait rod needs a moderate action and cannot have a fast tip. You can purchase the rod he uses here.
Edwin pairs the rod with the 25-pound Berkley Game and stressed the importance of using mono over fluorocarbon.
Berkley PowerBait MaxScent Flux-Gill
A Berkley bait drop wouldn’t be a Berkley bait drop without a new MaxScent profile, would it? While soft plastics may not be as sexy as some of the other new baits, I’ve been singing the praises of MaxScent since its release, and I’m happy to see the line get extended with the Flux-Gill.
While I’m not usually a fan of soft plastics with a bluegill profile, this one is changing my mind, because I saw more fish caught on this bait than any of the other new Berkley baits. However, that’s a bit of a layup, since we were fishing during the spawn on Lake Champlain.
Regardless, the best part of this bait is its ability to be rigged in a litany of ways. When I hopped on Brandon Coulter’s boat, he had it on a drop shot. We smoked smallies on flats in 10 feet of water.
In typical Florida fashion, Bobby Lane had it on a Texas Rig for flipping into thick cover. Edwin had it on a Neko Rig.
There’s solid piece that runs down the middle of the vented body. That piece is what allows it to be rigged in so many configurations. The only way I didn’t enjoy fishing it was on the Neko rig, as the entire body had too much drag to feel anything, despite the vents.
But on a drop shot or Texas rig, it’s money. You can get them in 12 colors for $10 per pack of six. Available now.
Berkley Screamin’ Choppo
The Screamin’ Choppo is a classic case of “great minds think alike.” Berkley took its plopper-style bait, and like Rapala, cranked up the volume, but with a metal rivet in the tail instead of a blade.
Out of the package, you won’t hear noise from this bait by just twirling the tail. But once water pressure is applied to it on a retrieve, it squeaks and can be heard from a shockingly long distance.
The first fish I caught on Lake Champlain was on Brandon Coulter’s boat with the Screamin’ Choppo. I had only been throwing it for 5 minutes before it produced.
On Bobby Lane’s boat, we threw the noisy plopper in very rough conditions that I would rarely throw a top water in. But thanks to the noise, the bait still stands out among aggressive chop.
I’ve fished this bait on my home waters as well, and I caught a dozen fish on it in a morning. While the premise is similar to the award-winning Rapala, it doesn’t sound the same. And fortunately for anglers, baits are cheap, so you can buy both and have different sound options to fine-tune what the bass want. The Screamin’ Choppo is available in multiple sizes and 14 colors and retails for $15. It’s available for purchase in October.
Berkley Triple Minnow Rig
The Berkley Triple Minnow Rig stood out to me more than any other bait due to its pure ingenuity. It’s rare in this day and age to find something that hasn’t been done before. Hats off to Berkley for thinking outside the box on this one.
This bait is where an A-rig and finesse fishing meet. I’m talking tiny minnows and spinning rods. You have one spot to put a hooked bait, and two spots for “dummy baits.” It’s made to be paired with your favorite strolling minnow.
The rig comes in a large package with five minnows and jig heads, and the clear tubing and harness to properly rig it. Since this is so unique, Berkley even put a fun little comic book–inspired instruction manual on the packaging.
I didn’t get to fish this particular bait on Champlain, as the conditions weren’t quite right for it. I have, however, fished it on my home waters and caught fish with it.
The Triple Minnow Rig is designed with FFS applications in mind, making your minnow stand out from the rest by resembling a school of minnows. It’s not limited to FFS, though, and I’ve fished it blind with success.
In my opinion, the jury is still out on its effectiveness. Finesse fishing evokes images of stealth and thin fluorocarbon leaders, not bulky tubing and a harness. Still, I have caught fish with it, and it will give the bass on your home body of water a look they haven’t seen before.
The ready-to-fish kit retails for $20 with four color options, and the standard rig is $10. I’m still experimenting with this one, and having a good time doing it. Come October, you can start experimenting with it too.
Berkley Riveter Buzzbaits
To continue the topwater trend, the Riveter Buzzbait incorporates a similar rivet to that found in the Screamin’ Choppo. Out of the package, this buzzbait sounds phenomenal. There’s no need to do the ridiculous things anglers do, like dangle it out a truck window for an hour to get it to start squeaking right.
The Riveter Buzzbaits come in two variations: a skirted option with four different colors or the “Toad” non-skirted option with three colors.
While I was throwing the Choppo on Brandon Coulter’s boat, Colton Cozza, who does PR for Berkley, was throwing the skirted Riveter, and he was into fish just as quickly as I was. The thing flat out produces.
While in some backwaters of Champlain with Edwin Evers, we cast the Toad Buzzbait around and were still catching bass, despite hot conditions and super-bright light. If you’re a buzzbait dude, add this one to your arsenal.
Available in October, the Riveter Buzzbaits will set you back about $10.
Final Thoughts on the New Berkley Baits
Berkley continues to be one of the most innovative bait makers in the world with this new drop. All the “Berkeley Labs” science talk isn’t just marketing; it’s a real representation of how the brand operates. That science is done by people who fish, which means we, the consumers, get to see some of the fishiest designs available.
I’ve been excited to talk about these new Berkley baits for months, because I know they catch fish. Having on the water experience gives me high confidence in recommending them to readers. This isn’t a bait drop where it’s a gamble on whether the baits you’re buying are good or not. They’re the real deal and will catch fish. Go pick up a few for yourself, and get after it.
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