In the Name of Versatility

Lures on the market are in abundance. A stroll through the fishing section of any sporting goods store or online retailer will yield hundreds to thousands of results. There’s different shapes, sizes, colors and configurations – most of which have their place on the market.

In recent years, trends in lures have pushed more towards technique and situational specific options. Such options are designed to excel in specific instances, all the while being less than ideal in others. While there’s certainly reasons to own lures as such, there’s something beneficial about options that work in a wide variety of conditions and scenarios.

Versatility, in it’s purest definition, means the ability to be adapted to different functions or activities. In terms of fishing, the soft plastic paddletail/swimbait category is arguably one of the best examples. Lures in this category have features that allow them to be used in wide range of situations.

You can fish them fast or fish them slow. You can fish them on the bottom, fish them on the surface, or literally anywhere in between. You can drag them, jig them, swim them, or employ a variety of other techniques.  On the rigging side of things, the options are essentially endless – with selections involving jigs, dropshots, Texas rigs, and trailers being some of the most common.

Beyond their versatility in terms of rigging and style, it’s important to note their resourcefulness in terms of fish species they catch. It’s safe to say that the lion’s share of fish can be targeted using swimbaits, as they’re ideal for replicating many of bait and prey species that fish actually feed on.

Eurotackle is no stranger to the world of soft plastics, particularly the paddletail/swimbait category. One of it’s flagship products – the B-Vibe – is a shining example of versatility. Coming in at 2 inches, the B-Vibe packs a serious amount of fish catching punch into a small package.

Based on it’s compact design, it’s obvious that the B-Vibe was developed with finesse fishing in mind. The average fisherman that sees the bait likely thinks crappies, bluegills, and maybe trout – and that’s a fair assessment – but the number of species caught on the lure is ever growing. In recent years, the company has received photos featuring a variety of other species like walleye, bass and pike, as well as some more exotic species like peacock bass and snook, all of which were caught on the lure.

Anyone that’s familiar with Eurotackle plastics know just how soft they are – the B-Vibe is no different. The ultra-soft composition offers users the ability to fish the bait at variable speeds. If the fish want it slow, fish it slow. If they want it fast, fish it fast. No matter the retrieval speed, the flat paddle will provide a lot of action.

An important note – although the bait is soft in nature, the overall design doesn’t sacrifice durability. It’s not uncommon to catch dozens of fish before being forced to add a new plastic. Additionally, an intermediary flat surface wad added to solidify the bait and prevent tearing. 

The B-Vibe pairs well with jigs in the 1/32 oz to 1/8 oz class – particularly those in the Tungsten Soft-Lock series. The jigs featuring size 4 hooks were specifically developed with the B-Vibe in mind and allow for painless removal without tearing the plastic. Effectiveness of jig size varies on a variety of conditions, like water depth or target species. Opt for larger jigs in deeper water or if targeting larger species.

In addition to jigs, the B-Vibe is an excellent finesse option for dropshotting and vertical jigging.

The B-Vibe is currently offered in twelve fish catching colors.

With so many options on the market, it’s easy for anglers to think they need something for every single scenario. That being said, there’s those versatile options that continue to perform day in and day out.