Berkeley Gulp have become overnight sensations, dominating fishing markets previously ruled by live bait, the development of the two products was anything but fast. For more than 20 years, Gulp! technology has existed in Berkley’s Spirit Lake, Iowa, testing labs. Berkley fish biologist Dr. Keith Jones and chemist John Prochnow devoted two decades to perfecting the baits, waiting until the baits performed up to their rigorous standards before releasing them.
Long known as a company that is steeped in technology and constant product innovation, Berkley previously revolutionized the soft bait market with the development of Power Bait. But now, as the inshore saltwater, cold water and bass markets are embracing Gulp!, many are asking what is Gulp!, what makes it so effective and what makes it different from Power Bait. While some of that information is highly guarded, Berkley is now making available answers to some of these questions to help anglers learn more about the most powerful baits on the market.
Gulp! is not plastic Standard soft plastic baits (worms, lizards, craws, etc.) are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), the same material used to make pipes and other items. To make a soft plastic bait out of PVC, the material must be heated up and combined with an oil-based resin. The more oil-based resin added to the PVC, the softer the bait will be. This is how Berkey Power Bait is made. The difference between Gulp! and Power Bait is that Gulp! is made using water-based resins. This allows for much more scent distribution than with oil-based resins.
Because oil and water do not mix, when scent is added to a bait created from PVC and an oil-based resin, the oil literally traps the scent inside the bait. While some of the scent does get out, the oil is actually functioning as a barrier. However, anglers know that when fish bite Power Bait, they hang on much longer than they do with others. By biting the bait, the fish is releasing that scent which makes them think it is actually food. This results in more positive hook sets. “I always tell people to throw a Power Bait worm until it falls off the hook,” Prochnow said. “Once that bait gets chewed and mangled, that’s when the scent is going to be escaping the most.”
