HOME | TACKLETOUR FORUMS  | EDITOR'S CHOICE | REVIEW ARCHIVE | ABOUT US | 

Reels | Rods | Lures | SwimbaitsBFS Lines | Term. Tackle | Tools | Storage | Apparel | Enthusiast | Watercraft | Interviews | Events | Autopsy


 


 

 


Lure Review

 

 

No Joke About It, Berkley's Powerbait Jester is a Contender

 

Date: 12/29/19
Tackle Type: Lures
Manufacturer: Berkley
Reviewer: Cal






Total Score: 7.75 - GOOD

Introduction:
During ICAST we came across a new bait for Berkley in their Powerbait soft plastics, the four inch Jester. It's a crawdad imitator designed to move in the subtle and not so subtle ways depending on current and how much movement you try to impart to the lure through the movement of your line. We brought some in for a closer look.

 

Berkley Powerbait Jester Craw Specifications

Type Crawfish Imitator
Material Soft Plastic
Colors/Patterns 8
Sizes 3.75"
Scent/Plastic Treatment Powerbait
# per package 6
Resealable Bag? Yes
MSRP $3.99


Introducing Berkley's Powerbait Jester

Impressions: Originally listed at ICAST as a 4" bait, the Jester is now listed at 3.5" but actually measures 3.75". It has a somewhat familiar look and profile only because the lead designer on the bait has since left and started his own company. The Jester actually has more appendages and the segments across the claws are more pronounced. Of course, what I like about this bait is the ringed main body.

 

The strategy of including rings along the body of a soft plastic is in full blown revival and I like it because it gives the bait a super soft texture and has the added benefit of trapping air bubbles, slowly releasing them as you work the bait.

 


Originally listed at ICAST as a 4" bait, the Jester is now listed at 3.5" but actually measures 3.75"

 

Real World Tests: I kept it simple with the Jester rigging it as a trailer on the back of a Dirty Jigs Finesse Swim Jig tied to the end of 8lb Seaguar Tatsu fluorocarbon spooled on a Daiwa Millionaire CT SV70 (JDM Model) mounted on a Lew's TiPro medium powered casting rod.


It's a crawdad imitator designed to move in the subtle and not so subtle ways depending on current

The Jester's body measures one and three quarters of an inch (1.75"), so if you prefer to fish it Texas style either weighted or unweighted, it does fit nicely on a 3/0 hook. My preference for this is something like Gamakatsu's straight shank Finesse Heavy Cover Hook.

 


It has a somewhat familiar look and profile only because the lead designer on the bait has since left and started his own company

 

In the water, the Jester demonstrates very good, if not predictable movement when hopping it up and down off the bottom. At rest, as a trailer bait on the end of a jig, the claws float up and give the bait that defensive posture that elicit strikes.

 

The bait's appendages seem to respond well to any little movement in your line but that's a little more difficult to see from the boat. In areas where there is current, like the tidal waters of the California Delta, I can imagine this bait would be very effective.

 


The Jester actually has more appendages and the segments across the claws are more pronounced

 

Dropped beside the boat, without a hook or line attached, the bait has a kind of neutral buoyancy, sinking a few inches below the surface before stopping and spinning with the current. This tells me it would be very effective fished unweighted pitched and skipped under docks if you have the patience to let to let it sit there and sink ever so painstakingly slow.


Rings on the body help trap air released as tiny air bubbles when the bait is submerged

Berkley molds the Jester out of a medium consistency soft plastic that is firm and has good durability. Like all soft plastic baits, it will eventually tear when rigged Texas style, it seems to hold up, when threaded onto the shank of a jig's hook, quite well. You can more than likely get your money's worth out of this bait.


In the water, these claws/flaps sit up with a defensive posture

Design & Ergonomics: Of course, the magic with all of Berkley's soft plastic Powerbait products is in that proprietary fish attractant formula. The Jester is packed, infused, drenched, however Berkley incorporates their formula, the Jester is definitely Powerbait. The scent is not overwhelming, but it the staying power is incredible because all you have to do is touch it and your fingers (or whichever body part brushes against the bait) will be Powerbait enabled.


Berkley molds the Jester out of a medium consistency soft plastic that is firm and has good durability

Price & Applications: Berkley's Powerbait Jester retails for $3.99 for a pack of 6 baits which breaks down to $0.67 per bait. The average price across 36 baits of similar size and profile is $0.78, so the Jester is actually priced very competitively for its category. Of course, if your go to bait in this category is the Reaction Innovation Sweet Beaver, that bait retails for $0.48 per bait.


Berkley's Powerbait Jester retails for $3.99 for a pack of 6 baits

Ratings

Berkley Powerbait Jester Craw Ratings (?/10)

Construction/Quality Colors are very vibrant and translucent, they look great in the water 8
Performance Moves well in the water, good defensive posture at rest, and holds up well to multiple bites 8.5
Price At $0.67 per bait, very competitively priced 8
Features A familiar profile that doesn't really break new ground but the Powerbait is strong in this one 7
Design (Ergonomics) Good sized bait with a ringed body and several appendages but only 8 colors for now to select from 7
Application Can be fished as a trailer or by itself weighted or unweighted 8

Total Score

7.75
Ratings Key: 1 = terrible : 2 = poor : 3 = lacking : 4 = sub par : 5 = mediocre : 6 = fair : 7 = good : 8 = great : 9 = excellent : 10 = unbelievable!
For More Details of the updated rating system visit our explanation here

 

Pluses and Minuses:

Plus

Minus
+ Powerbait infused - Limited color selection for now
+ Intricate colors  
+ Sets up nicely as a trailer bait in defensive posture  

  


The Jester's design alone with the ringed body and segmented claws make it interesting and then add on top of that, a non-mess scent formulation in Powerbait and it's kind of a no brainer

 

Conclusion: The image of jars full of a mealy, multi-colored, playdough like paste still fill my mind whenever I see the term "Powerbait," so each new soft plastic from Berkley infused with this formulation continues to surprise me for how normal they look. Package the Jester in a more subtle or generic, resealable bag with no indication of whether or not its Powerbait enabled, and it's easy to mistaken it for just another other soft plastic trailer/creature bait. The bait's design alone with the ringed body and segmented claws make it interesting and then add on top of that, a non-mess scent formulation in Powerbait and it's kind of a no brainer. Berkley's Powerbait Jester is a bait with which you can contend.

 

Looking for Berkley Powerbait Jester Craws?

Try TackleWarehouse


 

   

Google
  Web
  TackleTour

 

 

 
 





 

 



Copyright 2000-2024 TackleTour LLC All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy information