One of the most anticipated walleye lures ever, the Berkley Flicker Minnow, finally arrived at my doorstep this week. Of course it got a work out this weekend, and here are my comments associated with the bait.
Just a little back story before the review. The original release date for the Flicker Minnow was suggested to be in early June. At that time, Berkley delayed the release date to early August. According to social media threads, the delay was due to high demand of the product and an inability to meet the existing pre-orders. However, some anglers speculate there may have been other factors related to the delay, creating some disappointment within the walleye fishing community.
Berkley has announced via Facebook the “ship to store date” as August 7, 2014. However some select colors were available at Bass Pro shops around August 1st. This is where I obtained my baits prior to the August 7th release date. Price point at Bass Pro Shops was $5.99 a lure; However, I’ve seen many other retailers priced at $4.99 on preorders.
Over this past weekend, we were able to utilize this bait, and ran it conjunction with other powerhouse baits such as Berkley Flicker Shads, Salmo hornets, and Rapala Shad Raps. Our informal test site was the east shore of Lake Winnebago, a hot bed for multi species angling, especially walleyes. Water conditions were stained, and an east wind was present, which typically results in a tough bite in this part of the lake.
Out of the package, the Flicker Minnow ran true, and needed no additional tuning. This is a common trait of the Berkley product; put it in the water and it run straights. We tested it at multiple speeds, and the lure ran best in the 1.0 to 3.0 mph ranges, in my opinion.
We grabbed the packaging to locate the dive curve. There is some confusion in the blister pack marketing, as the front of the package says the lure runs 18-23 feet deep (Pro slicks size 7’s run at 14-17 feet as stated on the package), but the dive curve (on the back) shows a 15 foot maximum depth. After reexamining the packaging after we were off the water, the actual dive curve is inside the package and the curve on the back of the package is just a generic example.
We ran size 9 Flicker Minnows on this test, in Chartreuse Pearl and Purple Flash. We also ran similar colors on our other baits. We targeted water from 6-11 foot depths while trolling.
The result was that the Flicker Minnows did not catch any fish on our three hour test. The Salmo Hornets caught two walleyes, and a crappie. The Flicker Shad took several sheep head and a crappie. The single Rapala Shad Rap caught a white bass.
Granted this is not a very scientific test, and rather is more observation. The area we fished has never been a strong “stick bait” area for me. The color choices I had available would not be my first choices given the stained water and cloud cover conditions.
The Flicker Minnows were solid and looked great in the water. They will be a productive lure for walleyes and other game fish. Our test was a little disappointing from a fish production stand point, but the test area and length of time given worked against the Flicker Minnows. Given an assumed inaccurate dive curve on the packaging, better results may have been produced having the correct depth data.
Overall, this is a great bait. Realistically, this bait has not had enough time in the water to deem it the “best bait ever”, or a “total dud”. My suggestion is to buy a few baits and try them, rather than making a major investment into the complete lineup. Overall there are 16 standard colors, and 2 sizes of baits (2.75 inches and 3.5 inch).
From a buyer’s perspective, it might be wise to wait for sales related to this product. Many retail shelves have remained empty this fishing season waiting on the release of the Flicker Minnow. Having missed most of their selling season, retailers may be anxious to move a season’s worth of inventory in just a month or two, to minimize inventory during the winter months. Watch for in-store specials and on-line promotions.
