Savage Gear’s 3D Bluegill V2
July 20, 2020
By Game & Fish Staff
Fishing lures have really softened up over the years.
With advances in plastics technology, baits are more pliable and life-like than ever before. And soft plastic is now being used on a variety of lures, such as topwater poppers, realistic-looking swimbaits and a myriad of frog imitators.
Here’s a look at some of the new freshwater soft lures unveiled in conjunction with ICAST 2020, held this year online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Z-Man Fishing Products | Long ShotZ Made with Z-Man’s durable and buoyant ElaZtech, the Long ShotZ brings a new element to drop-shoting. Thin body, flat belly, wedge-shaped mid-section, tiny spade tail, 15% salt impregnation. Click for more on new products from Z-Man . zmanfishing.com
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Hyperlastics | DartProp Pro SK The ICAST 2020 winner in the freshwater soft baits category, the DartProp Pro has a prop on the front and the rear of the lure. You cast, let it sink and retrieve. You also can work it was a topwater prop bait by speeding up the retrieve. Big-minnow action comes from the lure’s body shape. abandofanglers.com
Kalin’s | Poppin’, Rattlin’ Google-Eye Lily Stalker Frog One of many new lures from Kalin’s this year at ICAST, this frog is not your standard hollow-body frog. It has a concaved front design and glass rattle eye. Open Gap System hooks are slanted slightly upward to greatly increase hook-ups; hooks are tucked into recessed hook pockets for weedless fishing. Comes in eight colors, ½ oz and 2.5” size. acmetackle.com
Lunkerhunt | Popping Bug Super-tough (TP foam) and a high-floater, the Lunkerhunt Popping Bug can withstand frequent strikes as it pops and gurgles on the retrieve. Rigged with a 4/0 wide-gap hook. Can be fished in thick weeds ... or open water.. lunkerhunt.com
YUM | Spine Craw Compact with a tight, rapid movement in the water, the Spine Craw features angled appendages that displace more water and slows the lure’s decent. 3.75 inches, it can be fished as a flipping bait, trailer or on a Texas or Carolina rig. lurenet.com
Molix | Rattlin Pop Frog New hollow body frog was designed in collaboration with USA Team Frog Eaters, and has an exclusive design that makes it suitable for different styles of fishing. You can fish it like a traditional popper frog, or with a walk-the-dog presentation. Has double OMTD custom hooks. molix.com
Nikko Fishing | Nikko Craw 3.2” Wide claw stance and unique body features combined with floating, super tough material; from the designers of the Nikko Hellgrammite. Can be used on ned rigs, jig heads, as trailers, Texas-rigged, even topwater. Weedless. Length: 3.2 inches. nikko-fishing.com
Savage Gear | 3D Bluegill V2 The new 3D Bluegill has improved details and a photo print finish for a realistic look. Four segmented bodies; heavy-duty jig hook and internal rattle; life-like action at fast and slaw retrieval speeds. savagegear-americas.com
Storm | Largo Shad Inspired by pro bass angler Jacob Wheeler, the Largo Shad comes in lengths of 3 and 4 inches and 16 colors (6 of those are new and inspired by Wheeler). Durable. Exaggerated tail swing. Available in packs of seven (3 inches) and six (4 inches). rapala.com
Strike King | Rage Tail Rage Ned Craw Compact version of the Rage Tail, this bait is designed for Ned-rig anglers. Riggable on Ned head jigs, including Strike King's new Weedless Ned Head. Length is 2.75 inches. Comes in 12 colors. strikeking.com
Big Bite Baits | BFE A great choice for flipping, the BFE is designed by bass pros Bradley Hallman and Matt Pangrac. Thick body with added rings for turbulence; hook slot for rigging with a straight shank or an EWG hook; wings and tail designed to allow lure to glide into tight places; antennas provide tantalizing secondary action. bigbitebaits.com
13 Fishing | Shadow Spin When you take finesse techniques, develop and refine them into one package, this is exactly what comes out. It’s all business in the front with a custom machined aluminum prop and a downright party in the back with the subtle wedge-tailed paddle that shreds a whole new riff in the spy game. Watch: More on the Shadow Spin . 13fishing.com
Chasebaits | Ripple Cicada The 1.75-inch Ripple Cicada weighs 1/5th ounce and is a soft hollow-bodied crawling top water lure. The rippled body, with UV enhancements, produce wave motion action in the water that fish see and feel with their lateral lines. The naturally realistic head includes antennae and prominent "strike-point" eyes. The clear wings have proprietary glitter-flash UV enhancements and skeletal outlines for increased visibility and realism. chasebaitsusa.com
