SHRINKAGE!
As George Costanza from Seinfeld learned the hard way, no one is impressed with shrinkage…
Same goes for expensive fishing lures… no one enjoys a shriveled up soft plastic.
As an artificial only angler (well, at least 95% of the time), I am a huge fan of Berkley Gulp lures… in particular, I love the Gulp Shrimp and Gulp Saltwater Jerk Shads.
The only issue with these soft plastic baits is that they are expensive (and they can SHRINK).
In fact, I spent many years bashing Berkley Gulps because I thought they were way too costly, and I had seen a few of them shriveled up on docks over the years.
However, any negative thoughts and comments about Berkley Gulp Baits quickly changed once I started making some minor adjustments when using them. These small, but critical adjustments allowed me to catch more fish per bait than any of the others artificial lures I was using… bringing the cost per fish caught way down.
These small, but critical adjustments allowed me to catch more fish per bait than any of the others artificial lures I was using… bringing the cost per fish caught way down.
Berkley Gulp Bait Killers…
This video below explains the two biggest killers of Gulp baits (and it shows you how to keep your baits from an early demise).
First, I show what happens when a Gulp bait is left out of the super secret Berkley Gulp liquid for too long…
Ultimate Bait Shrinkage!
It reminded my brother of the movie “Beetlejuice” when everyone’s heads were shrinking.
Fortunately, this issue is easily dodged with simple maintenance that is fully explained in the video.
Next, you’ll need to be mindful of rinsing the hooks or jig heads that you rig the Gulp baits on with fresh water in order to prevent them from rusting… I’m not sure what exactly is in the “Gulp juice,” but it seems to cause hooks to rust if it’s not washed off after use.
Here’s the video.
How to Maintain Your Berkley Gulp Baits for Maximum Fish Catching
Conclusion
Berkely Gulp soft plastic baits can be a great addition to your arsenal when pursuing snook, redfish, seatrout, and any other predator fish that call the inshore waters home. Just be sure to use these simple tips to help you save money on tackle.
Just be sure to use these simple tips to help you save money on tackle.
And avoid shrinkage at all costs…
What do you think?
Do you have any other tips on making sure your soft plastics last longer?
Let me know in the comments.
Bonus Gulp Tip (Live Bait Gulp Trick)
For Gulp baits that are too damaged to properly use on a hook or jig due to catching tons of fish is to save them for cutting up into really small chunks for catching pinfish if you are ever in need of them or if you want to let some kids have a blast catching lots of fish… click here to see how to use Gulp chunks for pinfish.
Related Post: 10 Fishing Tips That Will Make You A Better Inshore Fisherman
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