COLUMBIA, S.C. (Jan. 11, 2024) – Like the rest of the world, the sport of fishing is evolving and forcing anglers to evolve with it. Forward-facing sonar, otherwise known as live sonar, has become a hot topic and is an incredible tool to allow anglers to evolve as fisheries change. It enables anglers to understand more about fish behavior than ever before by providing them with the ability to see how fish react to their baits in real-time. As forward-facing sonar advances, anglers using it are looking for baits that allow them to better interact with fish using this technology. Built on a tradition of innovation, Berkley is leading that charge, with three all-new baits that allow anglers to best interact with fish on forward-facing sonar and in ways never seen. Introducing the all-new Berkley Krej, Finisher, and Power Switch.

“Berkley is the leader in science-based bait development, and we take pride in providing anglers with the best solution to help them catch fish in any environment,” said Berkley’s Chief Brand and Product Officer Jon Schlosser. “We’ve known that forward-facing sonar was coming and have spent the past few years learning about the trend in anticipation of it catching on. Its impact on how anglers are approaching fisheries is advancing each day, and we at Berkley have made a conscious effort to take on the responsibility of providing those anglers with the best baits possible to interact with fish on forward-facing sonar. By taking our science-based approach to bait development and applying it to FFS the team at Berkley Labs has been able to create some truly special baits that are proven to catch more fish with FFS. It’s exciting to see how revolutionary these baits are, not only in their design, but in how they enable anglers to manipulate their baits in ways that have never been done before.”

Berkley Krej

With it’s innovative, upturned bill the Berkley Krej is one of the most unique baits anglers will see on the market this year. This revolutionary hard bait was designed to mimic the natural, upwards fleeing reaction of a baitfish from predatory strike. Contrary to conventional methods of fishing a jerkbait, the upturned bill of the Berkley Krej (that’s “Jerk” spelled backwards) allows it to work its way upwards in the water column, only to fall backwards towards the fish chasing the bait. Purposefully designed in Berkley Labs to excel with forward-facing sonar, this new style of fishing, or “krejing”, allows the angler to take advantage of being able to see how the fish reacts and work the bait up and away from the fish to better imitate a natural fleeing motion, or back towards the fish to trigger reaction strikes.

“The Krej is a bait that performs like no other hard bait, especially when paired with forward-facing sonar,” said Berkley’s Senior Project Engineer of Bait and Terminal Tackle, Dan Spengler. “It’s a bait that took over two years to develop, integrating key bait fish movements and predator-induced prey reactions like darting, erratic motion behavior, and changes in motion. Whether it’s on the rise or fall, the Krej is always in action. We implemented an upturned bill which allows this bait to conquer the water column in a way a standard jerkbait cannot, but yet it can do so much more than that. There are several ways to manipulate this bait to interact with fish and it gives anglers a solution to the current gaps when using forward-facing sonar.”

KEY FEATURES

Upturned bill delivers unique ascending & darting action when worked.
Backwards fall on pause (backslide) allows the angler to maintain presence in the strike zone longer and provides a triggering mechanism for reaction bites.
Combination of ascending action and backslide on the fall maximizes angler control & time in the strike zone.
Bait can be fished sub-surface or topwater to best imitate the natural progression of predator & prey.
Optimized for use with forward-facing sonar
Sinking (1ft / sec)
Sizes: 100mm
Colors: Blue Vapor • Stealth Shad • Stealth Minnow • Wakasagi • Chrome • OG Blue • Table Rock • Hankie Pankie • Nebu • Stunna Shad

MSRP: $14.99
Available: January, 2024

Berkley Finisher

Purpose-built for forward-facing sonar, the Finisher optimizes the bait’s time in the strike zone by “hovering” and moving laterally in the water column with minimal retrieve progression. This unique ability provides the angler with maximum control when using FFS to effectively maneuver the bait based on how the fish is reacting to it.

Whether fishing it like a modern style, fin-less glide bait for walleye or like jerk bait for bass, the Finisher delivers strike producing action day in and day out when attacking the various scenarios that forward-facing sonar unlocks. Its’ weight-forward design allows for precision casts, fast drop-ins and a wide range of actions that will draw a strike out of the moodiest fish. The modern finless double-treble design brings the Finisher to the forefront of modern hard bait design for fit, finish and performance.

“The Finisher is the first of its kind, a hovering hard bait we call it,” said Spengler. “It truly gives anglers ultimate control of their bait. Being able to manipulate it in several ways based on what fish are responding to, especially when pairing this bait with forward-facing sonar. What makes this bait unique is that it has no fin structure, which can allow it to do a multitude of actions. From erratic darting to natural minnow-like tail movement, what makes the Finisher deadly is its flat bottom which allows it to hover or hang in the water column. A bait with such diversity truly allows anglers to have control of how they’re interacting with fish on forward-facing sonar.”

KEY FEATURES

Pro Tip: Use subtle wrist snaps for medium glide. Long, harder strokes will produce longer darting and gliding actions.
Optimized for use with forward-facing sonar, giving the angler the control to put the bait where, when and how they want it to generate strikes.
Multiple ways to fish – like a glide bait for walleye, a sinking jerk bait for bass, or stroll it along the mid-water column.
Unique, meandering swim action on the fall, paired with body quiver/shimmy
Un-matched, minnow-like, tail swing when returning to center (resting position)
Ultra-premium colors and texture
Built to excel in casting or vertical presentations
Cover the water column vertically, laterally, and forwards/backwards
Arc-shaped body paired with a flattened belly allows anglers full control in the water column, allowing the bait to “hover” in position while being worked.
Perpendicular line-tie maintains knot locked and in position every time
Features two Fusion19™ treble hooks for maximum hook-up ratios
Sizes: 5cm • 7cm • 9cm
Colors: Chrome Red Perch • Wakasagi • Blue Smelt • Bad Anaconda • Black Gold • Black Silver • Chrome • Chrome Perch • Crazy Steel • French Pearl • Gold Chrome • MF Firetiger • Nebu • OG Blue • Perch • Pink Pearl • Prime Time • Purple Slime • Stealth Shad • Sunset 84

MSRP: $8.99 – $10.99
Available: January, 2024

Berkley PowerBait Power Switch

Built to interact with fish on forward-facing sonar, the Berkley PowerBait Power Switch gives anglers the control to “switch” methods or react to how the fish are behaving or the structure they see.

When a fish is located using forward-facing sonar, the window to catch the fish begins, and that window will close fast. Anglers need to react and present their bait as quickly and precisely as possible. The weight-forward design of the PowerBait Power Switch allows for precision casts, fast fall rates and a wide range of actions to make the most finicky of fish commit to biting. With such a design, it allows anglers to have total control, and the ability to interact with any fish at any depth in the water column utilizing a variety of “hover” and “stroll” techniques. Packed with PowerBait flavor and pre-rigged with a Fusion19 hook to ensure a positive hook-up ratio for every angler, the Power Switch’s baitfish design will appeal to a wide range of species, making it a bait to always have tied on and at the ready.

“The Berkley PowerBait Power Switch is one of the first baits that incorporates several different actions and techniques into one bait,” said Berkley’s Project Engineer of Bait, Kyle Peterson. “This bait can sink fast, hover at the angler’s desired water column, with each action working together in one profile. It gives anglers everything they need to best interact with fish, especially when paired with forward-facing sonar.”

KEY FEATURES

• Purpose-built for forward-facing sonar and ultimate angler control
• Heavy, weight-forward design allows for precision casts and fast sinking
• Control the fall rate or pause the fall with the new hovering technique
• On retrieve, “switch” techniques and actions whenever and however you want
• Packed with PowerBait flavor ensuring you have the chance to set the hook on every bite
• Natural baitfish profile and 3D eyes
• Pre-rigged with a high-quality, sharp Fusion19 hook
• Available in a range of sizes to accommodate all freshwater game species
• Available in standard, HD Tru Color and holographic “wizard” colors
Sizes: 1.75-inch • 2.5-inch • 3-inch • 3.5-inch • 4.25-inch • 5-inch
Colors: Clown • Firetiger • Green Pumpkin • HD Blacknose Shiner • HD Purple Wizard • HD Pink Wizard • Wonderbread • HD Blue Wizard • HD Red Belly Goby • HD Stealth Minnow • HD White Wizard • HD Yellow Perch • Lemon Head Glow • Silver Bullet

MSRP: $9.99
Available: September, 2023

To learn more about Berkley, click here.

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