Photo: BassFan
The Pit Boss Jr. is among the new additions to the HAVOC soft bait family.
By BassFan Staff
Looking for something new to add to your fishing arsenal this spring and summer?
Berkley rolled out several new baits at this year's Bassmaster Classic, ranging from brand new shapes in its iconic PowerBait lineup and additional baits in the growing Havoc series of pro-designed soft plastics to a revamped Flicker Shad crankbait.
Here's a brief rundown of what's new:
PowerBait soft plastics
> Fight'n Bug: Rigged on a 4/0 hook or as a jig trailer, the 3 1/2-inch Fight'n Bug features open, active pinchers and extended tentacles that will get the attention of big bass hanging around rocky points where crawfish tend to gather.
Check out the Fight N' Bug in the water:
> Slim Shad: Rigged on a large jighead or a belly-weighted hook, the 6-inch Slim Shad will be a wake-up call to the behemoths holed up in deep-water grass pockets or other predators that prey on big baitfish. Designed for deep-water applications, the Slim Shad cruises through the water and produces a significant belly roll that creates more flash, making it an effective bait in low-light or murky water conditions.
Check out the Slim Shad in the water:
> Rib Shad: The swimbait craze is alive and well and the new 4 1/2-inch Rib Shad gives anglers a new option for their umbrella rigs or when trying to offer a different look on pressured waters.
Check out the Rib Shad in the water:
HAVOC soft plastics
> Boss Dog: Gary Klein designed his beefy 6-inch lizard bait that figures to be a fine addition to any Carolina or Texas rig arsenal. Features a hook channel on the underbelly and an indented ribbed cavity on the back that will conceal hook points.
Check out the Boss Dog in the water:
> Pit Boss Jr.: By adding a pint-sized version to the popular Skeet Reese-designed Pit Boss family, anglers can now target finicky bass with this 3-inch bait that can be used in so many different ways – Texas-rigged, jig trailer or on a Mojo rig.
Hard Bait
> Flicker Shad Pro: Berkley's Flicker Shad crankbait is nothing new (it was originally released about 6 years ago), but the versions released at the Classic this year offer anglers more options in terms of size and color patterns. The 1 5/8-inch version weighs 1/8 oz. and can be easily thrown on spinning tackle as can the 2-inch model which weighs 3/16 oz. and will dive to 11 feet.
The bait is available in both Slick and Flashy color schemes. The Slick models (both sizes) are more opaque while the Flashy (available in 2-inch size) is more transparent.
Check out our photo gallery of the new baits below:
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Who's The Boss?
Among the new products Berkley introduced at this year's Bassmaster Classic was the Havoc Boss Dog. With design input from Gary Klein, the 6-inch lizard-style bait figures to be a great addition to any Carolina rig arsenal or be just as effective Texas-rigged on a straight-shank 3/0 hook. (Photo: BassFan)
Pit Stop
Another new addition to the Havoc product line is the 3-inch Pit Boss Jr. Whether used as a scaled-down flipping or pitching bait or as a jig trailer, the Pit Boss Jr. should be a go-to option when the bite slows down. (Photo: BassFan)
Sizing 'Em Up
Here's the new Pit Boss Jr. (left) shown next to its 5-inch predecessor, the Papa Pit Boss. The Pit Boss Jr. will be available in 25 colors, including the purple grass version shown. (Photo: BassFan)
Give 'Em A Flick
The updated Flicker Shad Pro Series will appeal to anglers who like to throw small cranks on spinning tackle or even troll them in multi-species applications.
The 1 5/8-inch model (top) weighs 1/8 oz. and it can dive into 8 feet. The 2-inch version is 3/16 oz. and will dig to 11 feet.
Two new color palettes – Flashy and Slick – give anglers plenty of new options in the Flicker Shad Pro. The Flashy series features translucent colors and a holographic sheen. Opaque colors with a holographic sheen highlight the Slick colors. The belly of the Flashy models is transparent, exposing the built-in rattles.
Bug 'Em Until They Bite
One of the new PowerBait products introduced at the Classic was the Fight'N Bug. It's a 3 1/2" craw bait that features open pinchers instead of flat flapping claws. Tentacles extend from the nose of the bait and two shorter tentacles or legs adorn each side of the bait.
Rigged on a 4/0 hook, this bait will produce whether Texas-rigged or used as a jig trailer. It's available in 12 colors. (Photo: BassFan)
Hit 'Em In The Ribs
What figures to be a popular new PowerBait product, the 4.5" Rib Shad is a ribbed paddle tail swimbait with a thick head and midsection that tapers to a segmented tail that activates an ample paddle tail when fished deep or shallow on a swimbait head or weighted hook. It's available in 12 colors. (Photo: BassFan)
Fat Head
The Berkley PowerBait Rib Shad has a thick head that gives the bait a bigger profile that other similar swimbaits. (Photo: BassFan)
Slimming Down
The 6" Berkley PowerBait Slim Shad is a beefy yet skinny swimbait that is designed for deep-water applications where big predators reside.
Whether rigged on a big jig head or Texas-rigged, the Slim Shad moves through the water with a significant amount of belly roll that produces more flash, which makes the bait ideal in low light or murky waters. (Photo: BassFan)
The Bigger They Are ...
Don't let the size of the new 6" Berkley PowerBait Slim Shad fool you. Bass of all sizes will try to chomp on this slender swimbait. Here it's shown in oyster shell gold. Rig it on a big darter head jig and hold on. (Photo: BassFan)
Get In Line
The popularity of the Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon line is well documented. Now the line wizards at Trilene have stepped up their game with an XL version that is engineered for spinning reels and has a smaller diameter than the original. (Photo: BassFan)
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Berkley – 2014 New Releases
