February 22, 2019
By Ned Kehde
Chad Cheney of Lake Stevens, Washington, is the proprietor of Big Sexy Baits. And since November of 2018, we have been exchanging emails and telephone conversations with him about several of the soft-plastic baits that his company manufacturers.
On Jan. 10, we published a gear guide about his Spade Grub, and in the endnotes of that guide, we noted that we would in due course publish gear guides about Big Sexy Baits’ Creation Zone, Grub Combo, HydraStick, Mayhem HD, Nemesis, Paddle Tail, HydraStick, and Recluse.
As we were working on the Spade Grub publication, Cheney told us that the Mayhem HD was created for Midwest finesse applications, which, of course, caught our fancy.
In an email about the Mayhem HD, Cheney wrote: “I wanted to create a finesse bait that was durable, compact, and had great movement. … I wanted it to be more than just a shortened stick bait. I wanted the tail to be segmented to give it more action. … I wanted the physical appearance to resemble a grub and worm all in one.”
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He sent us some Mayhem HDs to examine, work with, and describe, and here is what we discovered.
It is 2 3/4 inches long.
The peristomium segment is flat. It possesses a width of five-sixteenths of an inch and a circumference of about 1 1/16 inches.
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Its anterior section, which includes its peristomium, is 15/16 of an inch long. It is encircled with 11 metameres or minor segments. Its eleventh metamere is the widest one, measuring seventh-sixteenths of an inch with a circumference of 1 1/4 inches.
It is endowed with a worm-like clitellum that is 1 1/8 inches long. Near the junction of the clitellum and posterior section, the clitellum is seven-sixteenths of an inch wide with a circumference of 1 1/4 inches. Except for the portion of the clitellum that is embossed with the letters BSB, its epidermis is smooth.
The junction of the clitellum and posterior is prominent.
The posterior, which includes its anus, is 1 1/4 inches long. It is adorned with seven significant segments. It is seven-sixteenths of an inch wide at its widest spot with a circumference of about 1 1/4 inches.
Its anus is dome shaped with a width of five-sixteenths of an inch and a circumference of about 1 1/16 inches.
The Mayhem HD is manufactured with a phthalate-free soft plastic in the following hues: Baitfish, Black with Red, Blood Red with Black, Frog Skin, Green Pumpkin with Black, Hot Copper, Junebug with Green, Larva White, Mardi Gras, and Pumpkinseed with Black.
They are not impregnated with salt, and they are buoyant, which are attributes that many Midwest finesse anglers relish.
Rather than being impregnated with scent, the Mayhem HD is marinated in BSB Pro Scent. According to Cheney, marinating them after they are manufactured does not interfere with any of the soft-plastic’s properties, and in fact, it enhances the durability of the Mayhem HD. He notes that it is marinated before it is packaged and in the package.
It is not impregnated with salt, and it is buoyant, which are attributes that many Midwest finesse anglers relish.
Anglers can purchase a package of 12 for $4.44.
Endnotes:
(1) Here is a link to Big Sexy Baits’ website: https://www.bigsexybaits.fish/product-page/2-75-mayhem-hd.
(2) Most of the time, Midwest finesse anglers will affix a small mushroom-style jig to the Mayhem HD’s anterior section. But there will be spells when they will affix it to its posterior.
The one at the top is rigged with a blue 1/32-ounce mushroom-style jig affixed to the posterior of the Mayhem HD. The one at the bottom is rigged with a blue 1/16-ounce mushroom-style jig affixed to the anterior section. They will present it to their black bass quarries by employing the six standard Midwest finesse retrieves or slight variations of those retrieves. Here is a link to the Midwest Finesse column that describes the six retrieves: http://www.in-fisherman.com/editorial/six-midwest-finesse-retrieves/153946 .
