First Look: Berkley PowerBait Gilly Swimbait

Mike Iaconelli wasn’t in attendance at ICAST 2021 last week, but his name still created quite a buzz at the huge fishing trade show in Orlando.

First, Hobie introduced a new "Ike" signature fishing kayak, the Hobie Mirage Pro Angler 14 360 Mike Iaconelli Edition, with a bold Iaconelli video lead-in before the watercraft was unveiled to ICAST attendees.

Next, came Pure Fishing’s Best of Show win with the Ike-designed Berkley PowerBait Gilly soft-plastic bass lure that was believed to be the first lure to win the award at ICAST in two decades. Berkley says the Iaconelli design has "heavy Japanese design and technique influence."

The result is an ultra-realistic soft-plastic swimbait that imitates a bluegill — and looks like the real thing in and out of the water.

The look, action and taste (to the fish, of course) are impressively realistic. Rig it sideways and swim the bait with a steady retrieve.

Check out related video above to see the Gilly in action

The Berkley PowerBait Gilly has a hollow head for easy "crushing" on strikes and to orient the bait upright when swimming. Available in three sizes (90mm, 110mm, 130mm), the Gilly can be rigged a variety of ways: weightless, Texas rig, jig head, weighted swimbait hook, stinger hook and even a drop shot.

Infused with PowerBait flavor and available in HD Tru and standard colors.

Berkley PowerBait Gilly Facts

• Pro-inspired design from Berkley pro Mike Iaconelli with heavy influence from Japanese designs and techniques
• Remarkably lifelike shape, color and action
• Hollow head section collapses easier with strikes and helps keep the bait oriented in an upright posture when swimming
• Packed with Berkley’s famed PowerBait flavor so anglers have the chance to set the hook on every bite
• Can be rigged weedless sideways as a Texas rig; or on a jig head, with a weighted swimbait hook, line-through stinger hook rig or on a drop shot

• Available in HD Tru Colors and standard injected colors
• Sizes: 90mm and 90mm HD • 110mm and 110mm HD • 130mm and 130mm HD
• Package Count: 90mm –  4 • 110mm – 3 • 130mm – 2
• MSRP: $6.49 Standard Colors/$7.49 HD Tru Colors
• Available: September 2021

Colors

• Black Blue Fleck
• Blue Shiner Gold
• Green Pumpkin
• HD Bluegill
• HD Crappie
• HD Pumpkinseed
• HD Sunfish
• HD Warmouth
• HD Yellow Perch
• Ike’s Green Pumpkin Blue Flash
• Pumpkinseed
• Watermelon Candy