July 12, 2013
By Dan Johnson
Bass fans have plenty to love in the latest crop of lures and softbaits from the 2013 Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades — better known as ICAST. Following is a sample of hot new bass lures, including topwaters, softbaits, and rigs, aimed at our favorite quarry that promise to produce banner catches for seasons to come.
Arbogast Buzz Plug Have you ever wished you could stop your buzzbait next to a stump and let it idle, twitch, and shake until nearby bass lost their cool? Or kill a buzzing retrieve when a bass blew up but missed the bait? Now you can. This near-weedless, floating buzzbait waggles side-to-side on a straight pull, then lifts its nose when paused — putting the wickedly sharp double hook in perfect sticking position. No takers? Twitch of the rodtip, and the upturned nose slaps the surface, daring bass to come get some. Available in six colors.
lurenet.com Johnson Beetle Spin 'R Bait A spin-off of the legendary lure designed by Virgil Ward more than half a century ago, the new Beetle Spin 'R Bait sports a wildly flexible rubber skirt in place of the traditional soft body. A standout for a variety of retrieves, the bait also features three-dimensional eyes and colorful beads on the spinner arm for added attraction. Available with either a hard-thumping, deep-cupped Colorado or more subtle willow-leaf blade, in 1/16-, 1/8-, and ¼-ounce sizes and eight colors.
berkley-fishing.com Berkley Havoc Back Slide Built with insight from bassin' phenom Mike Iaconelli, the new 4-inch Back Slide features an overweight tail section and flat belly that allow it to glide backward on the drop — into or under gnarly bass-holding cover such as laydowns. Berkley engineers cleverly achieved the feat of dual density by upping the salt content in the Back Slide's backside. For best results, Ike recommends rigging it weightless on a 2/0 wide-gap hook. Available in 14 colors.
berkley-fishing.com Booyah Poppin' Pad Crasher With a concave mouth that catches water and creates a popping, chugging commotion, the new Poppin' Pad Crasher is perfect for open-water and sloppy situations alike. Featuring the proven hollow frame and durable skin of its elder sibling, the Pad Crasher, it rides snaglessly across cover yet remains pliable enough to collapse when bass attack. Throw in a sashaying, spinnerbait-style skirt and the ½-ounce bait is destined for greatness. Available in frog, rodent, and baitfish patterns.
lurenet.com Jackall Super Eruption Spinnerbait Jackall raises the bar for blade slingers with the new Super Eruption. Reverse-teardrop blades spin on splashdown, and feature contrasting front-and-back colors to catch the eye of bass in stained scenarios. Plus, the company says its 0.8 mm stainless shaft transmits fish-attracting vibrations better than conventional wires. Available in 3/8- and 1/2-ounce sizes and eight colors, including the tasty-sounding peanut craw pattern.
jackall-lures.com Gene Larew TattleTail Bass pro John Murray leaned on years of finesse fishing experience on high-pressure western waters when he helped design Larew's new TattleTail. Destined to be a do-everything finesse worm, the 6-inch softbait shines for a variety of subtle presentations, from drop-shotting and split-shot rigging to shaking and swimming. Credit the slender, tapered profile, and tight-throbbing paddle-tail for tantalizing quivers and shivery shakes that should part the lips of even the most jaded bass. Available in 12 colorations to fit most bassin' situations.
genelarewlures.com River2Sea Spittin' Wa Building on the success of its Bully Wa, River2Sea unveils the Spittin' Wa. Based on the soft-bodied Bully frame, it adds special features including a clear, soft-plastic cupped mouth that's tricked out with bubble jets at the base. The body is sealed at the bottom to boost the bait's buoyancy, but a special release port astern lets air escape when a bass clamps down. Available in 2¾- and 2¼-inch sizes and eight colors. The larger version weighs ¾ ounce and sports a size 6/0 black-nickel double hook, while its smaller compatriot weighs ½ ounce and features a 4/0 double hook.
river2seausa.com Terminator Weedless Football Jig With a balanced head, full silicone skirt, and heavy-duty, wide-gap VMC jig hook, this weedless wonder fears no cover and is perfect for plying deep rocks, gravel, and sand no matter what wood or weedgrowth lurks in the neighborhood. Available in ½-, ¾-, and 1-ounce sizes and six killer color patterns.
terminatorlures.com VMC Drop Dead Weighted Hook Crafted especially for the deadly bass presentation of the same name, the Drop Dead Weighted Hook features a tapered locking spring to pin softbaits to the nose of the hook without damaging them. Plus, an extra-wide gap enables the weight to ride low on the shank, where it acts as a keel. Designed to be paired with the Trigger X Drop Dead Minnow, it also excels with the Flutter Worm and a variety of similar softbaits. Available in sizes 3/0, 4/0, and 5/0 with multiple weighting options.
vmchooks.com Yo-Zuri Sashimi Craw While the company's claim that this is the ultimate crayfish lure might spark a few dockside debates, there's no arguing over whether or not this is a great bass bait. For starters, the 3 3/8-inch, 7/8-ounce articulated body yields a lifelike swimming motion, and offers amazing attention to detail on everything from its eyes and UV egg sac to quivery appendages. Then there's Yo-Zuri's patented Color-Change technology, which causes the bait to change hues when swimming. Add a ribbed surface that creates Wave-Motion vibrations, along with the versatility to be fished as a jig or crankbait, and you've got a serious bass-catching craw. Available in six patterns.
yo-zuri.com
