Berkley Again

[FishTank]

I like a lot of Berkley baits but sometimes they tend to copy whatever they want. Here is another new example.... the Cull Shad. Is it another knock off that might actually be good or is it going to be another dud?

 

 

[SmoothJiveTurkey]

There will be a point when it's impossible not to "copy" something. 

[suzuki2903]

Looks almost like the megabass magdraft . Berkley does like to copy that’s for sure but they sell a lot of them too

[NorthernBasser]

I'll see your Cull Shad and raise you a Bass Mafia Daingerous Unrigged Swimbait. Zaldain obviously used to be with Megabass and totally ripped them off as soon as he left. The description is the best part. No shame at all.

 

Painstakingly designed and tested by Elite Series Angler Chris Zaldain.

 

And here's the Megabass Freestyle. I guess the Freestyle is looking down, while the Daingerous is looking more straight ahead. Very innovative, indeed.

[JediAmoeba]

4 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

I'll see your Cull Shad and raise you a Bass Mafia Daingerous Unrigged Swimbait. Zaldain obviously used to be with Megabass and totally ripped them off as soon as he left. The description is the best part. No shame at all.

 

Painstakingly designed and tested by Elite Series Angler Chris Zaldain.

 

And here's the Megabass Freestyle. I guess the Freestyle is looking down, while the Daingerous is looking more straight ahead. Very innovative, indeed.

But 2 for $14. I like the magdrafts and just bought a bunch of the Zaldaingerous ones...

[NorthernBasser]

5 minutes ago, JediAmoeba said:

But 2 for $14. I like the magdrafts and just bought a bunch of the Zaldaingerous ones...

Megabass is 2 for $15.

I'm not saying they won't be a good bait or anything. Just talking about brands copying each other. 

[BigAngus752]

18 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

I'll see your Cull Shad and raise you a Bass Mafia Daingerous Unrigged Swimbait. Zaldain obviously used to be with Megabass and totally ripped them off as soon as he left. The description is the best part. No shame at all.

 

Painstakingly designed and tested by Elite Series Angler Chris Zaldain.

 

And here's the Megabass Freestyle. I guess the Freestyle is looking down, while the Daingerous is looking more straight ahead. Very innovative, indeed.

Are you blind?  The dorsal is pointy...er!  Totally different lure.  Wait, which one is the top one?

[JediAmoeba]

5 minutes ago, NorthernBasser said:

Megabass is 2 for $15.

I'm not saying they won't be a good bait or anything. Just talking about brands copying each other. 

Yeah - but the bass mafia ones come in 6 and 7". Being a swimbait guy I liked Zaldain but when he went to the googan squad, I lost a lot of respect for him. I dont like the googan squad or what they represent - but i also understand why he did it and I would have probably done the same.

[BigAngus752]

1 hour ago, FishTank said:

I like a lot of Berkley baits but sometimes they tend to copy whatever they want.

This has just become norm in every single merchandise category, for better or worse.  But sometimes it's just smart business.  Especially if someone truly innovates.  For example, how many striker-fired semi-automatic pistols are there?  Why? All because a brilliant, Austrian engineer that manufactured curtain rods and knives decided late in life that he could design a more efficient pistol.  And he was right.  And every gun manufacturer with half a brain found a way to mimic it. 

[Drawdown]

Are there any truly un-mimicked plastics out there anymore?

[Fishin Dad]

2 hours ago, FishTank said:

I like a lot of Berkley baits but sometimes they tend to copy whatever they want. Here is another new example.... the Cull Shad. Is it another knock off that might actually be good or is it going to be another dud?

 

 

To me this does not look like a Magdraft at all.  It has the Berkley “honeycomb” tail and a unique design to hold the treble hook.   There are very few revolutionary baits that don’t resemble anything else.   Innovation seems to come with little improvements to make an existing bait better.  This one seems to meet that criteria.  

[softwateronly]

This guy have friends yet?

 

https://thehookuptackle.com/products/dice-rubber

 

scott

[suzuki2903]

46 minutes ago, Fishin Dad said:

To me this does not look like a Magdraft at all.  It has the Berkley “honeycomb” tail and a unique design to hold the treble hook.   There are very few revolutionary baits that don’t resemble anything else.   Innovation seems to come with little improvements to make an existing bait better.  This one seems to meet that criteria.  

It’s literally to a T the same concept as the magdraft lol  is it better ? Time will tell but it’s again Berkley taking someone else’s idea and putting their little spin on it and then talking it up like it’s the next best thing. 

[Deleted account]

2 hours ago, BigAngus752 said:

how many striker-fired semi-automatic pistols are there?  Why? All because a brilliant, Austrian engineer that manufactured curtain rods and knives decided late in life that he could design a more efficient pistol.  And he was right.  And every gun manufacturer with half a brain found a way to mimic it. 

 

SA/DA for life, particularly a CZ 75...

[Fishin Dad]

8 minutes ago, suzuki2903 said:

It’s literally to a T the same concept as the magdraft lol  is it better ? Time will tell but it’s again Berkley taking someone else’s idea and putting their little spin on it and then talking it up like it’s the next best thing. 

There are a lot of swimbaits with treble hooks on them already.   This does not look like a Magdraft.  It has no fins, Berkeley’s honeycomb tail, a different shape,a different system holding the treble (which is flawed on the Magdraft).  I have no affiliation with Berkley and no reason to defend them, but they seem to get nailed a lot for this and many others do this too.  Everyone has a stick bait.   Everyone makes a ribbon tail worm, etc, etc, etc.  

[BigAngus752]

8 hours ago, Deleted account said:

 

SA/DA for life, particularly a CZ 75...

That's funny you mention that.  Don't want to hijack a thread, but I just had to call a training Sgt. at a police department to have a conversation with him about the duty pistol his agency's recruit chose to bring to our Basic Law Enforcement academy.  The kid brought a CZ.  We (the Master Firearms Instructors) thought it was cool, but it has no decocking lever and the young man brought a duty holster that would NOT allow the pistol to be secured in the holster with the hammer back, and we won't allow him to thumb the hammer down each time he goes back into the holster. 

 

I had to call his agency and explain the issue, why we wouldn't allow him to manipulate the hammer with his thumb 1000s of times, and that they needed to help him find a holster that would allow him to carry it cocked and locked.  Fortunately the training Sgt I was on the phone with immediately told me that he had a 1911 on his hip and he would get an appropriate holster for the young man right away and they were cool with the cocked and locked CZ.  Very reliable guns and rare enough to draw some "Hey that's cool" remarks. 

[Deleted account]

It catches fish, but I don't like the Choppo nearly as much as the WP 110.

[Functional]

I like having options between manufacturers honestly, particularly with soft baits. There are plenty of copies but some hold up better than others. Kind of a pain to find out which hold up and which dont though. For instance, Keitech easy shiner hasnt been very durable for me vs a Zoom super fluke. Havent tried yet but my BIL was having issues with the 6th sense Divine swimbaits holding up too. At the same time the Keitech Swing Impact FAT has held up great. 

[PhishLI]

20 hours ago, NorthernBasser said:

I'll see your Cull Shad and raise you a Bass Mafia Daingerous Unrigged Swimbait. Zaldain obviously used to be with Megabass and totally ripped them off as soon as he left.

But the line through version is interesting. Check out the vid on his YT channel. Included talks with the bait designer.

 

[NorthernBasser]

33 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

But the line through version is interesting. Check out the vid on his YT channel. Included talks with the bait designer.

 

 

Yeah, that is a cool idea/design. 

 

I know companies rip off other companies all the time. Heck, Strike King pretty much copied the Keitech Fat with their Rage Swimmers, but some people like those better because they're a little more durable. I use them as well (along with other similar baits).

 

I think my biggest issue with the BassMafia version of the Magdraft Freestyle is how they and Zaldain are acting like they invented the wheel. How they put all this time into it. Zaldain talking about how one of the designers having a military background etc. It's friggin' hilarious. Dude, you literally took a Magdraft and had them change a few MINOR things.

 

 

18 hours ago, softwateronly said:

This guy have friends yet?

 

https://thehookuptackle.com/products/dice-rubber

 

scott

I think they're safe with that one. ? Tho the Cover Scat (which is a great bait) already has companies trying to keep up. 

[Dogface]

On 3/12/2023 at 9:09 PM, softwateronly said:

This guy have friends yet?

 

https://thehookuptackle.com/products/dice-rubber

 

scott

 

Interesting!! That could be the next wacky worm. 

 

I'd like to try that but at $15 it is a little pricey. 

[Bluebasser86]

On 3/12/2023 at 5:48 PM, NorthernBasser said:

I'll see your Cull Shad and raise you a Bass Mafia Daingerous Unrigged Swimbait. Zaldain obviously used to be with Megabass and totally ripped them off as soon as he left. The description is the best part. No shame at all.

 

Painstakingly designed and tested by Elite Series Angler Chris Zaldain.

 

And here's the Megabass Freestyle. I guess the Freestyle is looking down, while the Daingerous is looking more straight ahead. Very innovative, indeed.

Not at all defending, because it's a obvious copy and saying they took a bunch of time designing it is laughable, but the Bass Mafia version has a flatten/squared off belly that acts like a keel because one of the biggest issues with the Magdraft is rolling and that's supposed to help with that issue. Don't think there's many differences other than that. 

On 3/13/2023 at 8:22 AM, Deleted account said:

It catches fish, but I don't like the Choppo nearly as much as the WP 110.

I've caught hundreds of fish on a WP, still have never caught a fish on a Choppo, despite carrying at least a half dozen of them in various sizes and colors. 

 

 

Big fan of most of Berkleys offerings, and I'll be eagerly waiting for the Cull Shad to hit the shelves to try one for myself. 

[NorthernBasser]

31 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Not at all defending, because it's a obvious copy and saying they took a bunch of time designing it is laughable, but the Bass Mafia version has a flatten/squared off belly that acts like a keel because one of the biggest issues with the Magdraft is rolling and that's supposed to help with that issue.

Do you have issues with the Magdraft Freestyle rolling on you? The rigged/harness version rolls on me if I'm not swimming it at the correct speed, but I don't think I've ever had issues with the Freestyle.

[Bluebasser86]

8 hours ago, NorthernBasser said:

Do you have issues with the Magdraft Freestyle rolling on you? The rigged/harness version rolls on me if I'm not swimming it at the correct speed, but I don't think I've ever had issues with the Freestyle.

Not as much as the rigged version but it does occasionally, especially as they get torn up and I run out of places to hook them.

[SuperDuty]

On 3/12/2023 at 9:54 PM, Deleted account said:

 

SA/DA for life, particularly a CZ 75...

CZ makes a lot of fine firearms. Love the CZ75 and also the 452 rimfires. They are amazing rifles!