So you’ve tied yourself in knots over all the types of lures out there. You’ve pulled an early morning digging up nightcrawlers, and you let your friend convince you to buy a cast net to catch baitfish. So what else is there? Well, let me introduce you to PowerBait! But just which fish can you catch with this doughy invention?
Due to its malleable form, enriched scents and vivid coloration, PowerBait is ideal for catching a variety of different fish. These include different types of game fish and panfish. Trout, however, is the number one fish in terms of the effectiveness and popularity of the bait.
Alright, we know that power bait works for trout and a few other types of fish; but how exactly, and why exactly does it work for them, and how well?
Want to learn how to catch more fish using PowerBait? Learn how by following these PowerBait Fishing tips.
Understanding PowerBait And Which Fish It Works On
To understand why PowerBait is effective, we need to understand where it came from, how it’s made and for what purpose it was made.
PowerBait was patented by Berkley Fishing in 1988. A quick trip to their website will tell you that they took 25 years to develop this bait through scientific testing of various formulae.
PowerBait falls under the dough bait category, and slightly more recently, the soft plastics bait category. The reason being is the different products on offer. Depending on the type of fish you are after will determine which variety of bait you use.
PowerBait is made by combining PVC (polyvinyl chloride) plastic with an oil-based resin, no matter the form. This mixture is heated to merge the two compounds. By adding more PVC or resin, the texture of the bait can be made softer or harder.
During the manufacturing process, specific scents are added to the mixture. These scents are what appeal to the fish. A big point to note with this is that PowerBait does not broadcast the scents immediately into the water. This is because of the oil (the oil actually prevents the water and scents from mixing).
When a fish bites the bait and general use (scraping rocks, handling, etc.)., the plastic begins to deteriorate, causing more of the scent to be released. This is both a benefit and a drawback. The benefit is you can use this bait for a longer period before it needs to be replaced, while the drawback is that it takes time to really become effective in drawing fish from the surrounding areas closer with smell alone.
PowerBait was originally designed to be malleable dough bait for trout fishing. Once it achieved success in both stocked and wild trout, Berkley decided to expand their range into soft plastics. This opened up the doors to bass, catfish, and other panfish.
PowerBait For Trout Fishing
Due to the fact that PowerBait was originally designed for trout fishing, there are many products available in various colors and textures. PowerBait works well with stocked trout because these fish often receive food in the form of pellets, which the PowerBait replicates. Wild trout are a little bit more difficult but will still take the bait. You may need to adjust the color somewhat before you begin to have success.
Some of the recommended products for trout are:
- “PowerBait (natural scent) Trout Bait.”
- “PowerBait (extra scent) Glitter Trout Bait. “
- “PowerBait (original scent) Trout Nibbles. “
The combination of bright colors, sparkling glitter and scent is very effective in drawing troutin. The style of fishing generally requires a sinker to be added so that the bait (which tends to float) is pulled downwards into the range of the fish.
PowerBait For Other Game-fish Fishing
PowerBait is not limited to trout fishing. There are many other products available for targeting fish that are not trout. Other commonly fished species on PowerBait are:
Bass
When a fish searches for food, it relies on its senses of smell, taste, sight, hearing and touch (through the vibrations in the water). Certain fish rely more heavily on certain senses than others bass, for example, rely more on smell and taste when selecting their food. Bass have a front set of “taste buds,” which allow them to taste the food before swallowing it. This helps them to make last-second decisions. PowerBait is designed to help the bass “settle the issue of deciding” and swallow the bait. The biggest point that Berkley likes to tote is that a bass needs .25 seconds to decide if it will swallow the bait or not, which is precisely the same amount of time it takes a human to react to a fish bite. Berkley guarantees that bass will hold onto the bait for a longer period because of their soft baits’ superior taste and smell.
Some of the recommended bass products are:
- “PowerBait Power Worm.”
- “PowerBait Power Swimmer.”
- “PowerBait Maxscent The General Worm.”
When choosing soft bait, it is important to choose the best color for the area you will be fishing in. “Green pumpkin” is a good option for most places.
Catfish
Although there is some debate about whether catfish fall under game or non-game fish, I’ve decided to place them here along with bass, mostly due to the popularity of their being fished. Catfish rely quite heavily on their sense of smell. This ties in well with PowerBait’s releasing scent design. Catfish are not picky eaters, but they do need to be attracted to the bait in the first place.
Currently, on the market, there is one specific catfish-orientated product.
- “PowerBait Catfish Chunks.”
Even though the catfish-specific selection is limited, many anglers have “accidentally” caught a catfish on one of the trout dough baits. The benefit of PowerBait is that all of the products are made to release scents into the water, which in turn is what draws catfish (and other fish) to the bait.
Powerbait For Panfish Fishing
Like trout and catfish, Berkley has a range of PowerBait designed for crappies and other types of panfish.
Crappies, Bluegills and Yellow Perch
Of the panfish variety, these are some of the more popular species caught on PowerBait products.
Recommended Powerbait for panfish
- “Powerbait Crappie Nibbles Glow (Chartreuse).”
- “Powerbait Sparkle Crappie Nibbles.”
- “Powerbait Power Minnow.”
Although the nibbles may seem to be the same product, they come in various colors and glitters. Depending on how murky the water body is on the day will determine which color variety of the nibble you will use. All colors benefit from the scent-releasing properties of PowerBait.
One of the practices that is gaining popularity is to take the PowerBait and coat a lure with it. This adds a scent to the lure that improves its effectiveness.
As with catfish, a dough of the trout variety will invariably also get you a few bites from panfish, even if these are not the specific target species.
The biggest benefits of PowerBait are:
The fact that it comes in a variety of colors,
It floats –so you won’t get tangled up as easily in vegetation,
It is easy to use and reuse, and
It tastes and smells good enough that most fish will not pass up the opportunity to have a taste.
Then, Berkley’s popularly flaunted remark is put to the test; does PowerBait actually hold a fish for 18 times longer? Judging by the majority of revives, I’d say, yes, it does and therefore effectively catches a variety of fish.
A quick look online will tell you that if PowerBait is not the top pick for most people, it defiantly is in the top 5 picks for trout, crappie and bass fishing.
Conclusion
Berkley, the creators of PowerBait, has researched which stimulants work best in appealing to a fish’s sense of taste and smell. Love it, hate it, there are a range of baits for a range of fish that many people have given the thumbs up to. So why not give it a go!
