New Havoc shape released at Classic catches bass
The Classic is always a fun time not just for the tournament but also for all the new tackle that’s been getting released in recent years at the big tournament. Berkley brought out some new shapes from their Powerbait and Havoc lines, but one of them from the Powerbait line that caught my eye was the new Berkley Powerbait Rib Snake.
I was drawn initially to the profile of the soft bait as I could see it being a good shaky head and even a thin profile flipping bait like a lizard. But after fishing with it, these four elements really stood out to me:
• Slender but bulky at the same time
• Bubbles in ribs release slowly
• Good head shape for small rigging
• Tail action from scented material
It has whip appeal
The tail whip on the Rib Snake looks good under the water on a shaky head. I hopped it up and down and drug it along and as it bumped over the rocks, it shook the paddled tail with a subtle vibration. But as you bump the lure along and shaky it and pop it, the tiny air bubbles it collected on the cast slip out and away from the bait. I can see this being very appealing to bedding bass in clear water or for those weary bass that study a bait a while before eating.
Rigs perfect on shaky heads, Texas rigs alike
The head is a great size and shape to slide easily onto both corkscrew type keepers and regular collar keepers on a shaky head. And because of the ribs, you can actually poke the hook point back through the bait into the ribs for an easier hookset. On a Texas rig it has a fairly unique profile and I think it will flip nicely without getting hung on stuff because it’s just a hair stiffer than some of its competitors. So it will slide in and out of cover easily while still having a unique profile in that setting.
Good action, scent and durability
Many times when lures are made out of other materials for scent purposes, the baits can lose some of their durability and a lot of their action. That didn’t seem to be the case at all with the Powerbait Rib Snake. It fished well and caught bass. I like how it behaved in the water and stood up to several bass before finally tearing. A pack of these baits will last you through a good day or at least a good morning of fishing.
The baits come 8 to a pack in the current 5 1/2-inch size. It comes in 9 colors and is already available in most big box retailers and local shops alike including here at Tacklewarehouse.com online.
