When I’m fishing for redfish, trout and the other saltwater inshore fish I find live shrimp or frozen pogies are typically “one fish” baits. That is, the fish strikes and the bait is lost. Doesn’t matter if there is a hook up, the strike alone ruins the bait. Anglers were quickly discovering that a single Berkley Gulp! Shrimp was just as good after the first bite as it was on the fourth or fifth.So just imagine, in the early days of Gulp!, the excitement of inshore anglers as they were catching more fish and not having to mess with keeping their baits alive nor having to toss out unused bait.
Just what is it about Gulp! that separates it so much from live and plastic baits? Well, first of all Gulp! is water based. There is not one morsel of plastic in Gulp!. Water based also means water soluble. Scent dispersion is 400 times that of plastic baits. Gulp! baits literally breathe water. As water enters and leaves the bait it takes with it the strong scent, leaving a virtual Gulp! scent trail in the water.
When Berkley Gulp! was first introduced 15 years ago the general inshore angler was relying heavily on live and frozen baits. Shrimp, pogies and crabs, the mainstay inshore baits, were purchased daily with leftovers discarded and the practice repeated the next day.
To the amazement, and delight, of inshore anglers Gulp! not only was out fishing the tried and true but the unused baits were good the next day, and the day after that and the month after that.
Additionally, Gulp! is almost entirely biodegradable and does not litter the water like other baits.
There is no other bait like Gulp!. Since its introduction, anglers made up their mind not to trust anything else. A look at IFA (Inshore Fishing Association) tournament results provess that professional anglers rely heavily on Gulp! and the top finishers at just about every event are using the bait.
The next generation of Gulp! formula is more potent than ever. Through thousands of field tests over the past 20 years, Berkley scientists have learned a thing or two about what triggers fish into striking. Recent developments have lead the Berkley team to create a new and enhanced Gulp! formula that is now 35-percent more effective than the original.
Gulp! is available in newly, designed resealable packages to protect the integrity of the baits’ shape and Gulp! Alive! in resealable tubs. It offers the most popular saltwater shapes and colors. Shrimp, crabs, eels, mullet, grubs, pogies, sandworms, bloodworms, croakers….the list of shapes goes on and on.
Durable Gulp! is now a mainstay in most tackle boxes and professional and recreational anglers alike have discovered just how great this bait works.
There hasn’t been a live shrimp or pogie in my boat in years.
By Capt. Greg Watts