2021 Gear Guide
By Tackle Warehouse | updated September 2021
The best soft plastic bait categories are two of the most competitive grudge-matches in all of bass fishing. 2021 was a shootout among some of the top companies in the industry to win best soft plastic worm or miscellaneous soft plastic, as well as, best new craw or creature bait. The votes have been tallied and winners have been chosen for Viewer’s Choice and TW Staff Picks categories. With outstanding offerings from vendors like Z-Man, Berkley, Yum, NetBait, Strike King, Missile Baits, and many more, below you can see all of the top candidates and who won this year’s awards.
Taking action and versatility to a new level, the Z-Man Turbo Fattyz Worm fills a gap in the Z-Man line-up and gives anglers one worm that is just as effective buzzing across the surface as it is dredging the bottom. Made from Z-Man’s legendary 10X tough ElaZtech plastic, it features a streamlined body followed by an aggressive paddle tail, which produces a hard kicking action that attracts fish and triggers unbelievable strikes. Fish it weightless on the surface through heavy cover or go sub-surface and fish it on a shakey head, Texas-rig, or Carolina-rig, the Z-Man Turbo Fattyz Worm can do it all and just gets bit.
"This Turbo FattyZ has a wider body to it, it has a 15% salt content so you can cast it a mile. It also has a great kicking tail...The kicking tail is the key, we wanted to make sure it spit and sputtered on the surface but also has a good slow roll action." - Miles Burghoff, MLF Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit angler
After a long-awaited return, the Uncle Josh Pork Frog is back on the market for anglers who live and die by the old jig and pig. Made from natural pork hide, the Uncle Josh Pork Frog is one of the best jig trailers ever created and delivers a subtle action, soft texture, and taste that simply can’t be replicated by modern day soft plastics. Known for its exceptional performance in cold water conditions or when a slower rate-of-fall is needed to entice a bite, the Uncle Josh Pork Frog is in a league of its own when it comes to jig trailers.
"Uncle Josh has been making pork since 1922 and about 4 years ago we got out of it because we couldn’t find good product. We have found a new source and it is back!" - Matt Bichanich, Uncle Josh
Winning the Viewer’s Choice award for Best New Craw or Creature Bait by a landslide, the Z-Man Hella Crawz delivers unmatched versatility and is sure to become a staple in your tackle box. Designed to excel as a jig trailer or a flipping bait, it features a streamlined body to help it slip through cover and two large flapping claws that displace a tremendous amount of water to attract hungry bass. It is also made from Z-Man’s 10X tough ElaZtech material, which is extremely durable and super buoyant, making the Hella Crawz a great option for shakey heads, Carolina-rigs, and even topwater presentations as well. Offered in tournament-proven crawfish colorways, the Z-Man Hella Crawz is one you never want to leave the dock without.
"It is a small compact 4" bait that is excellent for flipping in and out of cover. One feature that sticks out to me right off the get, it does not have a ton of appendages which allows me to enter in and out of cover very easily and effectively, making me overall more efficient. This is an excellent new addition to the ElaZtech family. You got to be sure to pick up some." - Mark Daniels Jr., MLF Bass Pro Tour angler
The new Berkley Maxscent Chigger Craw handily took the win in this year’s TW Staff Picks selection for Best Craw or Creature Bait. Merging the proven Chigger Craw body shape with Berkley’s signature Maxscent formula, the Berkley Powerbait Maxscent Chigger Craw delivers a deadly combination of enticing action and super-charged scent that will help you bring more check-cashing bass to the scales. Equally as versatile as well, anglers can utilize the Maxscent Chigger Craw on anything from Texas-rigs, shakey heads, even buzzbaits. Grab a bag of the Berkley Powerbait Maxscent Chigger Craws and experience the Maxscent magic for yourself.
"The same 4" chigger craw that you know and love. It has the side appendages, the giant flappy arms, but now it is available in MaxScent. On the back of a jig, this craw is going to be a perfect compliment. I fish a lot of full-size jigs, compact jigs, swim jigs and the chigger craws are always my favorite." - Mike Iaconelli, past Bassmaster Classic Champion & Tackle Warehouse pro