Berkley Wild Thang
Erratic Action Crankbaits Picking up Steam
Legendary crankbait angler David Fritts and a host of Berkley engineers designed the new Berkley Wild Thang 8.5, giving anglers a difference-maker in the world of crankbait fishing with a bait that is anything but ordinary.
The 2 1/4-inch Wild Thang 8.5 has a unique bill design that allows the bait to search wildly throughout the water column with side-to-side action and rattle. The aggressive tail thump and enhanced side flash draws fish from all depths and directions.
The Wild Thang 8.5 excels in all types of water clarity, but is most at home in areas of rocky flats, points and banks and is the key when fish are looking for a chase. Fish simply cannot resist attacking this bait as it ricochets from rock to rock.
Twelve custom colors are available that rival boutique, custom-built baits that cost big bucks. High-quality components and a violent action give this square bill something to boast about. No. 4 Berkley Fusion19 treble hooks adorn the Wild Thang.
About $ 6.95
800-237-5539
[email protected]
www.berkley-fishing.com/
Berkley Warpig
Go Lipless to Land More Fish
While lipless cranks are also go-to baits for open water, they have a tendency to get hung up on every stick up or blade of grass when used around cover. It can be difficult to find baits that are as adept at ripping through grass as they are at targeting suspended and schooling fish. But the new Berkley® Warpig is ready to help every angler catch more fish.
The versatility of the Warpig is unmatched. David Fritts, key designer of the Warpig, has experienced great success ripping or simply casting and retrieving this bait. There are numerous ways an angler can deploy these fish catching baits. The steady retrieve capitalizes on the bait’s natural erratic behavior. But for a different presentation retrieve, pause and repeat.
Available in quarter-ounce and half-ounce models, the Warpig easily rips through grass with its blunt-nose design. The Warpig is also valuable when used adjacent to or on top of weed beds, the home of fish looking for an easy meal. The bait is also a great search bait, letting the angler work a lot of shoreline quickly. This lipless crank has a rapid roll and tail wag for maximum sound and vibration no matter the retrieval speed.
The quarter-ounce Warpig measures 2 3/8" long and is complete with Berkley Fusion19 No. 6 treble hooks while the half-ounce version, three inches long, comes with Fusion19 No. 5 treble hooks. Available in 12 custom-painted colors.
About $ 6.95
800-237-5539
[email protected]
www.berkley-fishing.com/
Berkley Pitbull
Square bill perfect for heaviest of cover
The design team at Berkley continuously puts baits through rigorous testing with pros and internal staff of engineers and anglers. The actions, colors and movements must be precise or it’s back to the drawing board. Berkley is known for its attention to detail, and the Pitbull, designed to produce where other square bills fall short, is the perfect example.
The new Berkley Pitbull 5.5 is specifically designed for anglers that like to fish shorelines.
With an erratic, hunting action, the Pitbull 5.5 is designed by Gary Klein, professional bass fishing’s leading expert for square-bill fishing. When using this 2 3/8-inch bait, search through a stump field or shoreline rocks and stick ups to produce a winning bag or just have a great day on the water. The wobble of the Pitbull creates maximum flash and deflects off structure with ease.
Designed to fish in depths from 1 to 5 feet, the Pitbull is available in 12 pro-selected colors, designed for use on a wide variety of conditions. For cloudy or murky water, use one of the high-vis colors like Brown Mustard or Yellow Perch. When the water gets clear, go to Gilly or Vintage Craw.
The Berkley Pitbull is equipped with Berkley No. 4 Fusion19 treble hooks, giving anglers a decisive advantage.
About $ 6.95
800-237-5539
[email protected]
www.berkley-fishing.com/
Berkley Digger
Digger 6.5 and Digger 8.5 get deep and get there quickly
Berkley® Digger 6.5 and Digger 8.5 crankbaits are new for 2016. Designed by legendary angler David Fritts and Berkley engineers, the Digger has an aggressive wobble with maximum side flash and doesn’t waste any time getting deep.
The teardrop-shaped bill on the 2-inch Digger 6.5 and 2.5-inch Digger 8.5 allows the bait to dive quickly, reaching down to 9 feet deep. Castability is important when it comes to crankbaits of this size and when the Berkley team designed the Digger series they built a bait that can be cast a country mile. This gives anglers the opportunity to put distance between the fish and the boat, getting the bait to the proper depth and decreasing the likelihood of spooked fish.
Pauses intermittent throughout the retrieve will cause the Digger to rise slowly. This subtle rise is unlike any other crankbait on the market. The Digger also features 3D eyes and gill slits to add to the lifelike features of the bait.
Varying the retrieve of the Digger is important to success. Often fish are in the mood to chase, but sometimes a slower retrieve is what the fish want. The Digger is ideal for adjusting retrieval speed to target bass that aren’t willing to eat but just might be enticed by a high-action snack.
Two Berkley Fusion19 No. 6 treble hooks dangle below the Digger 6.5 while the 8.5 adorns two Fusion19 No. 4 treble hooks. Fusion19 hooks are ultra-sharp and made to exacting standards to ensure fish do not simply shake off when fighting to the boat.
Berkley Digger hardbaits are available in 12 custom-painted colors.
About $ 6.95
800-237-5539
[email protected]
www.berkley-fishing.com/
Berkley Cutter
New suspending jerkbait available in three sizes
A suspending jerkbait must do three things really well: be castable, suspend and deliver maximum action with minimal rod movement. Designed by legendary jerkbait angler David Fritts and B.A.S.S. Elite Pro Justin Lucas, the new Berkley Cutter gives anglers a reason to believe in a jerkbait once again.
Berkley Cutter jerkbaits possess qualities that pros rely on when fishing in colder waters. The long, narrow body of the Cutter allows this jerkbait to be thrown easily with no line snags on the hooks. With the coffin-shaped bill, the Cutter 90+, Cutter 110+ and Skinny Cutter 110+ have maximum darting action and side flash, essential when fish are lethargic and unwilling to bite. As the rod tip is lightly twitched, the Cutter slices through the water columns in a downward, erratic movement.
The Cutter 90+ and Cutter 110+ are ideal when water temps are creeping up and fish are looking for an easy meal.
The Skinny Cutter 110+ has a narrower body and more pronounced bill, which is ideal for extreme cold-water situations. Length for the Cutter 90+ is 3 1/2 inches while the Cutter 110+ and Skinny Cutter 110+ are 4 3/8 inches long. High-grade Berkley Fusion19 No. 6 treble hooks give the Cutter sticking power.
There are 12 custom color schemes for the Cutter each selected by the pro staff to give anglers the best colors options.
About $ 7.95
800-237-5539
[email protected]
www.berkley-fishing.com/
Berkley Bad Shad
Berkley Launches Next Evolution Crankbait
To give an angler confidence is to give them the greatest chance to succeed on the water. The new floating Bad Shad offerings from Berkley® are a confidence builder when anglers are down to the wire and looking for a limit or a payday.
With an irresistible side roll and tail wag, the Bad Shad comes in size 5 measuring 2 inches long and size 7 measuring 2.75 inches long, diving to depths of up to 9 feet. Legendary crankbait angler David Fritts and a host of Berkley engineers designed the Bad Shad.
Fritts’ skill as a crankbait angler is so renowned there was no other choice to design a premier, casting shad. With a gentle taper through the mid-section down to the tail, the Bad Shad is aggressive when diving and rises slightly at every pause. The high-definition eyes of the Bad Shad penetrate through turbid waters while the flash and paint schemes mimic natural forage.
The Bad Shad 5 (1/4 ounce) has a body length of 2 inches and is outfitted with Berkley Fusion19 No. 7 treble hooks while the Bad Shad 7 (1/3 ounce) has a length of 2.75 inches and Fusion19 No. 6 treble hooks. Each model is available in 12, custom-painted colors.
About $ 6.95
800-237-5539
[email protected]
www.berkley-fishing.com/
Berkley Fusion Hooks
Berkley hooks are engineered to be sharpest on the market
Bass anglers understand the importance of sharp hooks, though most don’t practice their hook sharpening skills often enough. The new Berkley Fusion19 hooks give novice and avid anglers the sharpest hooks that stay sharper longer than any other on the market.
These needle-point hooks are designed to withstand the toughest, thickest cover without damaging structural integrity. The traditionally rich Japanese philosophy of making superior swords and knives combined with a technologically-advanced polymer coating called Slickset™ gives anglers the advantage. Utilizing Slickset coating, Fusion19 hooks easily penetrate with less force to catch more fish, and conserve energy during long days on the water.
The versatile family of Fusion19 hooks includes nine bass-specific designs including extra-wide gap (EWG), superline EWG, weedless EWG, weighted EWG, offset worm, dropshot, heavy cover, swimbait and weighted swimbait hooks.
Each package of Fusion19 hooks features an innovative, resealable clam for easier storage. Fusion19 packaging helps novice and advanced anglers quickly, while fishing or at the store, identify the hook to best suit their need. On each package, there are easy-to-read keys to identify which soft baits work best with each hook.
Fusion19 hooks have a smoke satin finish, in counts from four to eight hooks per package.
About $ 3.99 to $5.99
800-237-5539
[email protected]
www.berkley-fishing.com/
Berkley Rope Handle five-gallon bucket
Rope handle makes carrying heavy items easy
Berkley® constantly strives to improve the angling experience at all levels. The new Berkley Rope Handle five-gallon bucket is no exception, allowing anglers to store and carry gear with ease.
Berkley and Top Shelf Marine partnered to create this well-designed tool for anglers. Standard bucket metal handles just can’t measure up to the durability and comfort of the Berkley Rope Handle five-gallon Bucket.
Boat owners will appreciate this strong handle made from 5/8-inch diameter marine grade 12-strand nylon line as it won’t rust, won’t rattle and won’t scratch the finish on the boat. With the rope handle’s special bucket transition hooks, there is no need for the home-made version which requires big holes cut in to the bucket for the rope, leading to chum or water sloshing out.
Besides, a rope handle is just more comfortable when lugging buckets full of fish or ice and won’t slip out of wet or slimy hands.
The crisp, white five-gallon bucket features a red Berkley logo and is ideal for holding chum, fish, ice or water or simply carrying items from one place to another. The bucket is also great for deck care and maintenance.
Each Berkley Rope Handle five-gallon bucket has an MSRP of $19.99. For anglers who already own a five-gallon bucket, Berkley offers the rope handle separately with an MSRP of $14.99.
About $ 14.99 or 19.99
800-237-5539
[email protected]
www.berkley-fishing.com/
Product Review
