Are Berkley Lab Series Baits Actually Better? Lake & Pond Tested

By Wes Littlefield •

I’m typically a late adopter of fishing lures and baits. I stick with what I know works, and once a lure has proven effective, I’ll reluctantly add it to my tackle box (until I gain more confidence with it). However, the Berkley Lab Series earned a significant spot in my tackle box after its release just a few short months ago. I was skeptical when Berkley first announced these new baits, but I’ve become a believer since. As you keep reading this Berkley Lab Series Baits review, you’ll learn why I think they’re great and why I think Berkley can still drastically improve them. 

Specs & Features: Berkley Lab Series Baits

Lab Series Minnow

  • Colors: Wakasagi, Highland Shad, Gizzard Shad, Electric Shad, Platinum Shad, Phantom Herring, Acid Shad, Limestone, Silver Shiner, or Threadfin
  • Lengths: 5.25” or 6.5” 
  • MSRP: $15
  • Scientifically engineered to trigger bites: via the four primary proven feeding stimuli -Color. Action. Scent. Taste.
  • Proven in the Lab for confidence on the water: small-batch, precision-layered construction fuses the best of our fish-proven formulas into one bait.
  • Unlimited Color and Action: Lab Series delivers scent dispersion and taste without compromising color and action.
  • Rapid Release MaxScent Slime: coating activates on contact with water for immediate scent dispersion.
  • Minnow profile with purpose-driven action: fast tail quiver, natural body roll, and an internal air pocket that keeps the bait perfectly level at any line angle.

Lab Series Finesse Worm

  • Colors: Ember Jelly Fusion, Morning Dawn Red Flake, Oxblood Red Flake, Payload, Sunset, Bold Bluegill, Spectrum, Violet Morning Dawn, Platinum Shad, or Prism Shad
  • Length: 6”
  • MSRP: $15
  • Scientifically engineered to trigger bites via the four primary proven feeding stimuli: Color. Action. Scent. Taste.
  • Proven in the Lab for confidence on the water: small-batch, precision-layered construction fuses the best of our fish-proven formulas into one bait.
  • Unlimited Color and Action: Lab Series delivers scent dispersion and taste without compromising color and action.
  • Rapid Release MaxScent Slime: coating activates on contact with water for immediate scent dispersion.
  • Finesse Worm profile with purpose-driven action: sleek body profile, subtle slow wag on the fall that transitions into sharp, snappy quivers when worked.

Lab Series Flat Worm

  • Colors: Violet Morning Dawn, Ember Jelly Fusion, Oxblood Red Flake, Wakasagi, Tactical, Platinum Shad, Obsidian Black, Highland Shad, or Prism Shad
  • Length: 3.6”
  • MSRP: $15
  • Scientifically engineered to trigger bites: via the four primary proven feeding stimuli – Color. Action. Scent. Taste.
  • Proven in the Lab for confidence on the water: small-batch, precision-layered construction fuses the best of our fish-proven formulas into one bait.
  • Unlimited Color and Action: Lab Series delivers scent dispersion and taste without compromising color and action.
  • Rapid Release MaxScent Slime: coating activates on contact with water for immediate scent dispersion.
  • Flat Worm profile with purpose-driven action: bite-sized morsel that imitates forage bases from Goby to Threadfin Shad.

What Makes Berkley Lab Series Baits Special?

Berkley Lab Series is unique because it’s the first softbaits to optimize color, action, scent, and taste. To achieve this, all Lab Series baits are “small-batch poured with a proprietary blend of MaxScent, PowerBait, and Rapid Release Slime engineered to trigger bites from pressured fish.” 

Berkley Lab Series Baits Review

Berkley invited me to the pre-release of their new Berkley Lab Series soft plastics, and while I was there, I thought it was surely a lot of hoopla for “just another soft plastic.” Sure, it combined a bunch of features no other soft plastic had, but was it really game-changing? 

Initial Thoughts

When I first got my hands on the Berkley Lab Series Baits, I wasn’t super impressed. They just seemed like every other soft plastic I’d ever used. However, Berkley demonstrated scent-releasing technology using a dye, which caught my attention. 

I went away thinking it was a pretty cool product, but I still didn’t buy into all the hype. Boy was I wrong. Just a few days later, Berkley Lab Series Baits nearly single-handedly won the 2026 Bassmaster Classic. I was excited to test them out now. With the cat out of the bag, Berkley had to speed up production, but about a month later, I had a few versions of the Lab Series Baits in my hands and headed to my pond. 

On-the-Water-Performance

Once the baits hit the water, they begin releasing a special scent formula to attract fish and initiate a bite. The problem is that when you handle them, they’re ridiculously slimy until that coat has dried or been used up. 

The action of every style looked amazing. They wiggled and moved like they were supposed to and looked as natural as any soft plastic I’ve ever used. I know some plastics are too soft, while others are too firm, but these seem to hit the sweet spot of what I (and the fish) like. 

It didn’t take many casts to learn that the fish love these baits. I’ve caught several bass and sunfish using Berkley Labs Series Baits. Including my first-ever largemouth double! Once I get a bite, the fish rarely let go, so not only do they look and smell real to the fish, they must feel and taste real too. 

One of these lures typically lasts me 3-4 fish, so they’re reasonably durable, but definitely not the most durable soft plastic I’ve ever used. They stretch well and will survive multiple stabs with a hook, but eventually they will rip. The other thing is the scent-releasing technology only lasts so long; then it’s gone, and as of right now, there’s no way to reapply it.

I’ve got a buddy who will typically outfish me, even if we’re throwing the exact same thing, standing right next to each other. But on our most recent trip, I had my Berkley Lab Series Baits handy, and I finally outfished him. I caught more bass on a single cast (that was the time I doubled up on bass) using these lures than he did the entire time we were out kayak fishing on the lake. I credit a large part of finally outfishing him to using these baits. The best part was, I used his favorite technique (Shaky head) to catch most of my fish (~7 total). 

After fishing with the Berkley Lab Series Baits, I’ve become a raging fan, except for a few small frustrations. The first being that they’re expensive. $15 per box for 5-10 baits, depending on the style you choose. Berkley says this is because of the time-consuming hand-pouring process they use to craft these baits, which I understand. That’s also the big reason why these baits are nearly always out of stock. Berkley can’t make them fast enough to keep them on shelves. My last complaint is the limited types available, but Berkley has promised to come out with more in the future. 

Pros

  • Trusted Brand
  • Gets Bites
  • Holds up well through multiple fish

Cons

  • Expensive
  • Limited availability
  • Limited styles

 

Last Cast: Berkley Lab Series Baits Review

Overall, I’ve been very impressed with the Berkley Lab Series Baits. Every single one has exceeded my expectations and is truly a game-changing bait. I’ve become an early adopter (which is crazy!) because they simply work better than the other soft plastics in my tackle box, including some of my favorite Berkley baits. I can’t argue with catching fish when others aren’t, nor can I argue that this championship-winning bait doesn’t get more bites than my others.

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