See the New Bait Used by Dylan Nutt to Win the Bassmaster Classic

I’ve never met 2026 Bass Pro Shops BASSMASTER Classic Champ Dylan Nutt, but one thing I can tell you about him: he can’t keep a secret. 

Nutt dominated the 2026 Classic held near Knoxville, Tennessee, March 13-15, using a secret soft-plastic bait from Berkley that a fortunate few of us in the media were sworn to protect in the week prior. Nutt’s win blew the lid off the top-secret bait, accelerating Berkley’s initial release date of the new line of baits from June to March of 2026. 

The week before the Classic, Berkley hosted several outdoor media members in Bardstown, Kentucky, in the heart of bourbon country, to unveil the innovative Lab Series of soft-plastic baits. The series of new baits has a powdery coating that becomes slimy when exposed to water. After being submerged, they mimic the slimy feel of a waterborne creature, similar to that of a fish.

The coating also delivers scent in multiple stages, working instantly and throughout the bait’s lifetime. The quick-release powder, based on the same fish-attracting formula as MaxScent, is applied to the bait, which is also infused with Berkley’s popular PowerBait flavor. 

But the enhancements to the Lab Series go far beyond the slime layer.

At the media event, the Berkley team showcased the Lab Series' small-batch layered-pouring process for creating the new soft plastic series. The multi-layered approach combines a MaxScent layer, a proven PowerBait layer and a MaxScent Rapid-Release Slime that releases a burst of fish-attracting scent upon contact with water.

“Lab Series results from multiple projects converging to create a bait that eliminates compromise,” said Nathan Ragsdale, Senior Product Manager – Freshwater Bait at Berkley. “For the first time, we combine MaxScent’s scent dispersion, PowerBait’s taste, and new scent activation technology in one bait, maintaining the profile, action, and colors anglers want. This opens new possibilities for bait design and techniques that weren’t feasible before.”

Currently, the new Lab Series includes three models: a 6inch straight-tailed Finesse Worm, a 3.6-inch Flat Worm intended for drop shots, and the 5.25-inch Minnow, which was instrumental in Nutt's Classic victory.

Additionally, Berkley’s Lab Series introduces new translucent colors with enhanced softness, which improves movement and action in water. 

All of the Berkley pros fishing the Bass Pro Shops 2026 BASSMASTER Classic were given early access to the Lab Series, but it was Nutt who smashed the field, using the Lab Series Minnow on a 3/16-ounce jighead as he targeted pre-spawn bass with forward-facing sonar (FFS). 

In summary, the new Berkley Lab Series baits intend to enhance the appeal of soft plastic lures presented to pressured bass that are increasingly hesitant to eat a lure. Dylan Nutt’s Classic win may stand as a testament to the effectiveness of the new Lab Series. Just don’t expect him to keep it a secret. 

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