The Mattlures "Hardbass" is 7 1/2 inches long and weighs in at 3 1/2 to 4 ounces and will be available in 3 different sink rates, floating, slow sinking and fast sinking. The Hardbass will offer swimbait enthusiasts several different color variations to choose from and possibly even a billed version.
The bait will be equipped with top quality components including Owner 1/0 ST41 Trebles with xtra heavy musky grade split rings. The bait has already been tested for a little over a year and has gone through several different prototypes. I am now satisfied with my final version as it gets the big bites I designed it for. The planned release date will be late summer 09, price is TBD
Roboworm, the leaders in soft plastic technology, are now trying their hand in the swimbait market with the recent release of the 5" EZ Shad Swimbait. The EZ Shad features a slot hook pocket on the bottom of the bait & works best when rigged with a 5/0 weighted, offset shank hook (1/4oz). The EZ Shad is available in five different fish catching colors: Hologram Shad, SXE Shad, Prizm Perch, Blue- Back Minnow, & Stocker Trout. T
he EZ Shad can be rigged completely weedless or Texposed for those open water applications. Along with some great color schemes, The EZ Shad has an ultra-realistic swimming action and is a well made, versatile swimbait that offers anglers a quality alternative to the mass produced cheap stuff that is out there.
The newly released 6" Weedless Huddleston Swimbaits have quickly become one of the hottest new products we have seen hit the market this year. Ken Huddleston and his staff really did their homework when it came to the testing and eventual development of the weedless technology of this swimbait. First of all, there were no changes in the overall shape & swimming action of the bait. Each swimbait features the Vortex tail & great attention to detail that has made Huddleston a legendary swimbait producer.
What is different though, is a 5/0 jig hook that is molded completely concealed inside the bait along with an air pocket that allows the body to collapse upon hook set. Also, the line tie is recessed inside the bait which allows you to not have to clean the "snot" or slimy algae, that tends to build up on an exposed line tie of swimbaits.
In the first week od December Mattlures released the new Hard gills series. These baits are 5 3/4in. The floaters weigh 1.65 oz and the sinkers weigh 1.9oz. The sinkers sink a little less then a foot per second. Each Hard gill uses musky grade split rings and black nickel treble hooks. The baits will easily do a 180 degree turn with a twitch on slack line. The baits are made from a composite material so you never have to worry about water damage. The paint schemes are taxidermy quality and each bait has two coats of a very strong and glossy. Each color also available in a billed model...
In the first week of December 2008, we saw the release of the new "molded" Lunker Punker from Black Dog Baits. These new models feature the same great "walk the dog" action of the original, except they are a lot lighter due to their hollowed body construction. Another benefit to the injection molding process is the consistency with regards to the shape and size of the baits and a substantial reduction in retail price compared to the hand-made originals. The new molded Punkers feature a life like three dimensional scale patterns, fins, and gill plates.
