tips for soft baiting snapper with berkley
By Alistair Arkell
Why should you use Berkley Gulp! Gel?
Whether you’re fishing in a tournament situation or spending a casual day on the water, every little adjustment that you can make to increase your chances of catching fish is vital. Berkley Gulp! Gel scent is one of the best tools that you can have in your arsenal to maximise your chances of catching fish while you’re wetting a line.
We’ve all had sessions where the fish are being fussy and it seems like no matter what you do, they won’t eat a lure. This is where the 30 years of research that Berkley have put into their Gulp! scent formula will pay off for you, with the Berkley Gulp! Gel proving time and time again that it can convince fussy fish to inhale a lure they otherwise wouldn’t have touched.
On top of this, fish won’t shy away from a lure due to having scent on it, so applying Berkley Gulp! Gel can have nothing but a positive impact!
What lures can you use Berkley Gulp! Gel on, and why?
You can use Berkley Gulp! Gel on basically any lure, however I particularly like using it on lures that are fished slowly such as soft plastics and vibes. These lures are typically fished hard on the bottom, and in many cases are simply drifting along with the current.
It’s not uncommon for bream and other species to bite and pick at the lure many times before finally sucking it in. This is why applying Berkley Gulp! Gel is absolutely crucial, as it allows the fish to get a taste of the realistic Gulp! scent formula and therefore commit to eating it. Without this scent, the fish will often realise something is wrong and you’ll miss the bite, however by applying Berkley Gulp! Gel you’ll simply find that you catch more fish!
How do you apply Berkley Gulp! Gel?
Applying this scent is extremely easy. Squeeze out a small amount of Berkley Gulp! Gel and rub it all over the lure with your fingers. It’s important that you don’t apply too much as this can affect the action on some lures, and as well as this the Gulp! formula is highly concentrated which means you don’t need a lot to attract attention of fish throughout the area. You only need to re-apply every 15 or more casts!
How do you adapt your technique when using Berkley Gulp! Gel scent?
Applying scent to your lures allows you to fish a lot slower. I’ve had several sessions where I have applied the Berkley Gulp! Gel to my lures and basically just ‘dead-sticked’ the lure on the bottom allowing it to drift with the current and fish have hit it. In other words, even when I have left the lure to drift along with no action whatsoever, the appeal of the Berkley Gulp! Gel alone has caused fish to eat it.
Any final advice?
I suggest keeping your Berkley Gulp! Gel out of direct sunlight as much as possible. If you store it in a cooler environment it will keep a thicker consistency and last longer on your lures. The final tip is to get your hands on this amazing scent as soon as possible and try it for yourself. You’ll soon see your catch numbers increase, and you’ll out-fish other anglers on the days when the fish are being fussy. Berkley Gulp! Gel is a real game changer!
