FRESHWATER GOLD MINE

As a couple of keen anglers from out west, we love new fishing gear, and I’m sure you do too. There’s always something new and exciting dropping on the fishing scene, and for us, getting out to try new techniques & experimenting with new lures to see if you can ‘crack the code’ is what keeps us motivated.

When we were asked to test out the new for 2022 Berkley PowerBait range before they were set to hit the shelves in tackle stores, we were extremely excited to see how they would perform on some Australian freshwater natives in our local impoundment and rivers.

It was a sunny Wednesday morning and the postman arrived nice and early with a package from the team at Berkley. We felt like a couple of kids who’d just woke up on Christmas day, we couldn’t wait to rip the box open to see what was inside. Sparing no time at all, we had the box open, and lures spread everywhere across the floor. Predominantly being golden perch and Murray Cod anglers, we knew at first glance the new PowerBait were going to be successful for us and golden perch especially were going to go crazy for them!

What laid in front us were two new shapes – PowerBait Fan Tail Shrimp and the PowerBait Craw. Each shape had a variety of sizes and colours, which had us talking about where we were going to use them and what they were going to catch.

The PowerBait Fan Tail Shrimp comes in three different sizes – 2, 3 & 4” and six colours – Camo, Pearl White, Smelt, Houdini, Pink Glitter and Cappuccino.

Our first trip out to our local impoundment with the new baits was a success, landing some nice golden perch on the 2” Fan Tail Shrimp rigged with Berkely Nitro Bream Pro #2 jighead. We tried a few techniques to see what worked best, and found working the lure vertically, applying a small but erratic shake of the rod tip gave the Fan Tail Shrimp an action that is irresistible to golden perch.

Like fishing for any species, fishing can shut down at times and a getting a bite can become tough. During a shut down period is often when we downsize our lures and opt for a more subtle approach, and this is exactly where the Fan Tail Shrimp worked its magic! With a tail that flicks out on the drop and glides, matched with the ability to come to life with action at even the most subtle flicks of the rod, we were able to manage a few extra bites that would have normally would have been passed up.

Like the 2” size, the 3” Fan Tail Shrimp worked well as a vertical presentation but can also be hoped across the bottom using a hop – hop or slow roll retrieve imitating a fleeing shrimp darting around the rocks and weed.

Berkley PowerBait Fan Tail Shrimp are ideal for working around standing timber in impoundments where shrimp are often found, they may also be used around laydown timber where freshwater natives hide awaiting to ambush their prey. The Berkley PowerBait Fan Tail Shrimp is also an ideal soft plastic for freshwater rivers especially around undercut banks or tangled snags that natives use to ambush their prey.

Next on our list to throw into the water is the all-new PowerBait Craw. An extremely detailed and life like plastic with an extraordinary action coming from the specially designed pincers. The craw come in two sizes – 2.5” & 3.5” and a great range of colours which are ideal for targeting most freshwater natives from bass in small creeks to golden perch in large impoundments.

The Powerbait Craw has six stunning colours in the range – Bloodworm, Black, Cappuccino, Camo, Houdini & Pumpkinseed. The variety of colours will accommodate for many species who reside in both clean and dirty waterways.

We found the Craw can be fished successfully slow and subtle or retrieved more erratic to trigger a reaction bite. The swimming action produced from the pincers of the Craw allowed us to fish both vertically and horizontally meaning we were able to cover a lot of ground with the one lure.

These baits have impressive detail which gives them a life like appearance from the very tip of the tail through to the very tip of the craws. The foils on the pinchers allow the Craw to have an amazing action even when retrieved at low speeds. When fished with an erratic action they omit a remarkable vibration into the water which is picked up through the lateral lines of the target species.

We found the craw to be a real standout and worked super effective during the warmer months when crustations are active and prevalent.

We have tested these new soft plastics in our local impoundment and rivers and can confidently say they are a worthy addition to your arsenal, do yourself a favour and grab a pack from your local tackle store.