Like fishing with live bait

Hey, Keith here.

A few weeks ago, Berkley flew me and a handful of other outdoor writers to Kentucky during Bassmaster Classic week to unveil something that had been quietly in development for years.

I’ve always been a fan of PowerBait, and with this release, Berkley has taken that concept to the next level.

Originally, these baits were not scheduled to be released to the public until May.

But after one of the anglers who received early samples went on to win the Bassmaster Classic using them, that timeline changed quickly.

What impressed me most was the level of focus placed on getting fish to fully commit to the bait instead of simply bumping it and swimming away.

Today I share what I saw, what makes these baits different, and how I would fish them this April.

BEST LINKS

What I looked at this week

• 10 best baits for ponds: Find peace in murky water madness (Anglers)

• Dylan Nutt wins 2026 Bassmaster Classic on this secret bait (Wired2Fish)

• How Dylan Nutt smashed em’ to win the Classic (BassBlaster)

• The two "mystery baits" that defined the 2026 Bassmaster Classic (Sports Illustrated)

• Fishing swampy ponds for clear water bass (RABASSIN)

Deals of the week

• Sportsman's Warehouse marked down the Lew’s XFinity Speed Spin Spinning Reel from $59.99 to $24.00.

• Cabela's has a Quantum Throttle Spinning Reel reduced from $64.99 to $39.97.

• Academy has a Dobyn’s Fury spinning rod on sale for $119.99, regular price $149.99.

DEEP DIVE

Why Berkley’s new Lab Series baits created so much buzz

During Bassmaster Classic week, Berkley invited several outdoor writers to Kentucky for a first look at its new Lab Series soft plastics.

The idea behind the series is simple but ambitious: 

Combine everything Berkley has learned over decades about scent, taste, action, and color into one bait designed to trigger bites from fish that have seen it all.

These baits combine MaxScent, PowerBait flavor, and a Rapid Release slime coating engineered to disperse scent immediately when the bait hits the water.

What impressed me most was how realistic the baits felt once the coating activated.

At the event, Berkley passed the baits around and asked us to spray them with water before picking them up.

Once activated, the coating made the baits incredibly slick. Several of us could barely pick them up because they were so slimy.

They genuinely felt alive in my hand.

As someone who has poured my own soft plastics in the past, I also spent time studying impressive detail in the color layers. 

The pouring process allows multiple colors and scents to exist in the same bait without sacrificing action. My hand-poured baits never came close to that level of consistency.

After the event, I had the opportunity to fish the Lab Series Minnow myself. I rigged it weightless and weedless and caught four bass in shallow water in a short amount of time.

What stood out most was how long the fish held on after the bite, which has always been one of the biggest strengths of PowerBait.

This feels like the next evolution of that idea.

The combination of scent and flavor gives fish a reason to commit instead of just bumping the bait and swimming away.

For anglers fishing pressured ponds or heavily fished public water, that can make a real difference. If a fish holds on longer, you have more time to detect the bite and set the hook.

Originally, these baits were under lock and key until May, but before the Classic began, Berkley provided early samples to a select group of anglers.

One of those anglers was Dylan Nutt, who went on to win the Bassmaster Classic using the Lab Series Minnow as one of his primary baits.

When something wins the biggest tournament in bass fishing before it even reaches store shelves, people take notice.

One caveat, however, is that these baits are not cheap. During the seminar, we were told they should retail for $14.99 per pack.

But for serious anglers or tournament anglers, the performance justifies the price.

In my opinion, this is one of the most advanced soft-plastic bait platforms available for triggering bites from pressured fish.

The Lab Series lineup currently includes three baits built around proven finesse techniques:

• The Minnow

• The Flat Worm

• The Finesse Worm

Each features a familiar profile enhanced with scent dispersion technology designed to produce more committed bites.

Here is how I would fish each of them this April.

Minnow

The Lab Series Minnow is essentially a fluke-style bait designed to imitate baitfish.

It features a natural body roll and subtle tail movement that makes it effective when fish are keying in on shad or other forage. 

How I fish it in April

Right now, bass are often either spawning or cruising just outside spawning areas.

I like to rig the Minnow weightless and weedless and fish it around shallow cover.

Docks, grass edges, and shallow wood are all great targets.

A slow twitch-twitch-pause retrieve keeps the bait in the strike zone longer and allows the scent to disperse naturally.

This is a great choice when fish are following but not fully committing.

Flat Worm

The Flat Worm is a finesse bait with a compact profile designed to imitate small forage like shad or gobies. 

Its subtle movement makes it effective when fish are pressured or inactive. 

How I fish it in April

During April, fish are often transitioning between staging areas and spawning flats.

I like to fish the flat worm on a drop shot or light jig head around the first drop off the bank or near spawning pockets.

It's a great option when fish are not aggressively chasing but still willing to eat an easy meal.

Clear water and pressured ponds are perfect situations for this bait.

Finesse Worm

The Finesse Worm has a slender profile with subtle movement designed for slower presentations. 

It produces a controlled quiver that works well when fish are hesitant to bite larger profiles. 

How I fish it in April

Cold fronts are common during April, and those conditions can push fish slightly off the bank.

When that happens, I like fishing a finesse worm on a shaky head or wacky rig.

It's a simple presentation that works well around transition banks, secondary points, and staging areas.

If the bite gets tough, this is often the bait that keeps producing.