July 18, 2014
By Ned Kehde
Northland Fishing Tackle's Impulse Paddle Shad was introduced to the angling world at the International Convention of Allied Sportfishing Trades show at Orlando, Florida, on July 15.
In the eyes of several knowledgeable observers, this soft-plastic swimbait looks as if it will catch the fancy of scores of Midwest finesse anglers and their quarries, as well as oodles of temperate bass anglers, who like to a wield soft-plastic shad-shaped bait affixed to a small jig.
According to Chris Morgal of Bemidji, Minnesota, and Northland's marketing manager, the Paddle Shad possesses the profile and action of a fat-bodied crankbait and the subtleness, texture, and scent of a soft-plastic paddle-tail grub. In addition to its distinctive body shape and paddle tail, it is endowed with what is described as "action-amplifying dual tail hinges." These three elements allow the IMPULSE Paddle Shad to quiver, flutter, roll, undulate, and vibrate unlike any soft-plastic swimbait that has ever been created.
It is manufactured in three-inch and 3 1/2-inch lengths. It is designed to be affixed to 1/16-ounce, 3/32-, and 1/8-ounce jigs, such as Northland's 1/16-ounce Gum-Ball Head, 3/32-ounce Lip-Stick Jig-Worm, 1/8-ounch Rock-It Jig, and 1/8-ounce Slurp! Jig Head.
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It is manufactured in eight colors: Blue, Brown Crawdad, Firetiger, Fluorescent Chartreuse, Hot Steel, Perch, Purpledescent, and Silver. It is impregnated with Northland's IMPULSE Instinctual Attractant, which is a baked-in MicroPlankton formula.
The suggested retail price for a package of four is $3.99, but anglers will not be able to purchase them until the winter of 2014-15.
