Minibaits for Panfish (cont.) Click for larger version. Worms: Big news on the worm front is expansion of Berkley's line of Gulp! baits. After nearly a decade of research and product design, this biodegradable line of baits came to fruition last year. New sizes and shapes have been added for 2005. Gulp! is a water-soluble rather than a petroleum-based product, which means that flavors leach out several hundred times more efficiently than plastisol lures. Moreover, lost baits can be safely eaten by fish or will decompose to natural substances within a year. Gulp! baits also have a lifelike feel that panfish can't resist. The lineup for worms includes a 4" Earthworm, the 6" Extruded Nightcrawler, and a 1" Mini Earthworm, perfect for skewering on a #12 hook to tempt the most finicky shellcracker. Gulp! worms can be fished whole or cut into pieces like a live worm. In addition to familiar terrestrial worms, panfish consume untold tons of tiny aquatic worms called oligochaetes that inhabit lakes and reservoirs. Bloodworms and tubifex are familiar, but other kinds of tiny segmented worms dwell on the bottom, many still obscure to science. Tiny tubular plastics, like the Noodel and Micro Noodel from Custom Jigs & Spins; Lindy-Little Joe's Split Tail, Mini-Spade and Nail Tail; and ISG's Copepod, Amoeba, Shrimpy, and Panfish Leechette resemble these tiny wiggly creatures. Match with a tiny head like ISG's Plankton Jig Hook, available in 1/100-, 1/64-, and 1/34-ounce. Leeches are worms, too, and Berkley's Gulp! Leech will be the bait of choice for those venturing out to find bull 'gills come spring. Three inches of supple, jet-black bloodsucker, the Gulp! Leech is sturdily held on a baitholder hook. With Gulp!, you can even pour leech juice into the zippered pouch and the revolutionary substance will soak it up, releasing it when placed in the lake. Click for larger version. Grubs & Maggots: This group of larval insects has long been an ice-fishing favorite for tipping on tiny plastics or fishing on a jighead. The natural juices of a mousie, spike, Eurolarva, or waxworm seep as the grub is pierced, adding an enticing flavor to the presentation. Berkley's Micro Power Wiggler, a tiny grub, has been a mainstay for ice fishing and finesseful coldwater presentations. This year, Berkley has added Sparkle Power Wigglers, with micro scales that add flash, available in 3 colors; and also the Honey Worm, a slightly larger waxworm imitation. In the Gulp! line, you'll also find the Maggot, a 1-inch larva with lifelike taste and texture, available in 3 colors. DeLong, one of the oldest names in soft plastics, has revived several favorites. The Mayfly Nymph, inch-long Mousie, and 3/4-inch Corn Borer come rigged with a hook for ease of use. Infused with anise, these baits are available in 6 colors. Custom Jigs & Spins Ratso is a mousie imitator, a horizontal hanging bait with tapered tail. Like the Shrimpo, they're available in glow colors. Berkley's Powerbait line also includes the 1-inch Power Nymph, with 10 tiny appendages for subtle action. Does a "grub" imitate a grub, or is it more like a minnow? I vote for the latter, but due to their long-standing name, we'll talk about grubs, here. Casting a small twister-tail grub on a leadhead is a classic presentation for crappie, and trolling these lures also is effective all summer and fall. Twisters from 1 to 3 inches generally match panfish mouths. New to the line-up are the Little Joe Thumpin' Tails, available in 1-, 2-, and 3-inch sizes and 11 colors. Using a new injection technology, Spike-It engineers have crafted holographic plastics to fill their Diamond Flash Holographics line, which includes 2-inch Holo Grubs and 2-inch Tubby Grubs. And Berkley's Gulp! line includes a 2" Minnow Grub. Bass Assassin's 2-inch Curly Shad has a tubby shad profile that matches their Assassin Jighead for casting or trolling. Continued -- click on page link below.

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