KVD Deep JerkBait
Legendary bass pro Kevin Van Dam and Strike King’s new KVD Jerkbait both will bring fish to the boat. This lure’s realistic baitfish patterns and stainless-steel hardware and nickel-plated hooks last. Unique weighting means it casts well and retrieves straight. Or twitch, crank or troll it. The 4 1/2-inch, 3 1/2-ounce bait is available in 12 colors. We like the pro citrus shad. $9.99; basspro.com
Pure Fishing Choppo
We loved Pure Fishing’s Choppo right away. Its torpedo-shaped dog-walking propeller-plopping bait is apparently irresistible. Our success ratio with the floating plug makes it beautiful, as does its stainless-steel hardware and galvanized hooks. The choice of 16 colors and four sizes—75 mm, 90 mm, 105 mm and 120 mm—makes choosing impossible, so buy three and get one free. $11.99; berkley-fishing.com
Gravel Dawg Phantom Craw
Strike King and KVD in the same sentence means bad luck for bass. The new Gravel Dawg tight wobbling crankbait skips over bottom structure in 5 to 8 feet of water while luring in bass with a rapid-fire vibration that fish can see and feel. The stainless-steel hardware and sharp hooks accent the highly polished, designer bait colors that look good enough to hang on your wall.
PowerBait Maxscent Hit Worm Magnum
Texas-rig the 7-inch Hit Worm or fish it wacky-style, sticking a hook right in the middle. Either way, it drives bass nuts. This pro secret tactic keeps working. Add to it that Powerbait scent release compound, and the fish might eat it faster than real food. It comes in five colors. $8.99 for a 10-pack; tacklewarehouse.com
Berkley Power Blade
Safety-pin-style spinners became popular about a half-century ago because they could be buzzed across the surface, danced up and down through the water column, or slow-walked across the bottom. The Berkley Power Blade’s hookup orientation skips over snags. Glossy painted heads and gold-and-silver-finished willow-leaf blades drive the flash and appeal of live, fleeing bait. There are nearly an unlimited number of color combinations in 3/8, 1/2, 3/4 and 1-ounce sizes. $9.99; tacklewarehouse.com
PowerBait Creature Hawg
Scientific laboratory tests prove that PowerBait attracts fish. The new Creature Hawg is packed with it, and simulates crawfish and other creepy things crawling on the bottom, but it’s slow to sink thanks to the fluttering “claws.” It’s available in 14 colors—the usual suspects. We can’t wait to drop some of the brand-new Creature Hawgs in front of bass in our pond. We smell…a fish fry! (It’s OK, the pond manager says they are overpopulated. What a great problem.) $8.99 for an eight-pack; berkley-fishing.com
Rage Hawk
Rage Hawk is only 3 1/4 inches long but packs a big punch. A 5/0 worm hook maximizes hookups. Cast it weightless or weighted, depending the bass’s depth and hunger. More weight enhances faster action. Less weight appeals with a slow crawl. The lure comes in a variety of colors. $6.99 for a pack of nine; strikeking.com
