|
FoodSource's biodegradable Food Sticks really are Fish Food
| Date: |
12/27/04 |
| Tackle type: |
Lures |
| Manufacturer: |
FoodSource
Lures |
| Reviewer: |
JIP |
Total Score: 8.0
Introduction:
Save our waters and fish by using Fish Sticks, a new biodegradable worm is a stick
bait similar to Senkos,
possess good weight for casting, and are actually more durable than many plastics,
but most interesting of all... these lures are composed of consumable fish food. Food Sticks are
edible and include natural scents intended to attract bass to
commit to more strikes.
|
FoodSource
Food Stick
Specifications |
| Type |
Soft
Stick Bait |
| Colors |
6
available |
|
Scented |
Yes |
| Size |
5" |
|
Number per bag |
10 |
|
Package |
Resealable plastic bag |
|
Price |
$5.95 |
Impressions: When we first took the Food Stick out of
the package the first thing we noticed was that the FoodSource worm resembled the
renowned Senko®. Its size,
shape, and texture are all very similar to the Senko® but the Food Stick feels more
stiff and when wiggled doesn't flutter loosely like its plastic counterparts. Our
test lures contained black flecks and the surface was ribbed throughout. The FoodSource Food Stick 5" comes 10 per bag and
is available in 6 different
colors and scent combinations.
Introducing the new Food Stick, a
100% biodegradable worm developed by FoodSource
Composition: FoodSource Food Sticks are "the
lures fish love to eat.™ That's because they aren't made of plastics
but of protein and nutrient rich fish foods. These lures are 100% completely edible and
will not harm fish or pollute waters. The proprietary ingredients
remains a hidden secret, but we found out that the lure is mostly composed out
of gelatins.
|
Complete Rig
for Food Stick |
| Rod |
St.
Croix Tournament Bass Teaser |
| Reel |
Daiwa TDX |
| Line |
50lb. Power Pro |
About FoodSource Lures: FoodSource Lure Corporation was founded in 2003 and
through much research and development by university scientists and experienced
anglers, they have created a lineup of lures that are made entirely out of edible
ingredients. Today they have a variety of biodegradable plastics ranging
from catfish baits to crappie grubs and various worms of different styles for bass
fishing.
This soft stick bait is a fish
food, made out of gelatin and other secret ingredients that fish will want to
eat
Field Tests: What better place to test the Food Sticks than the California
Delta where tules are spread throughout the waterways, structure are plentiful,
and flipping and pitching soft stick baits are an effective way to land some
quality bass.
Casting: The FoodSource Food Stick is very
good weight making it easy to cast effortlessly with or without any additional
weight. We pitched the Food Stick 5" worms weightless on a new St. Croix
Tournament Bass rods paired with the Daiwa TDX running 50lb. Power Pro braided
line, and were able to hit targets over 20 feet away. When additional weight is
pinned on the line you
won't have any problems casting this lure much further. The lure remained well
balanced and effortless to cast.
The Food Stick is a good weight
for casting weightless and drops at a constant speed
Action: Worms can be worked in many ways to tease bass to strike.
Flipped, pitched, dragged on the bottom and so forth, but no
matter what way you retrieve them, the action must be right. The Food
Sticks do catch fish, but its action isn't the most active when wiggled
underwater due to its stiffer build. You won't find the Food Stick swim in
a sine wave shape like we've seen with plastics, but when pitched and flipped infront of a bass you'll definitely draw strikes, and if they miss and
sample the lure, the extra element of taste will help draw a second strike.
The taste of food and added scents
attract fish to bite, and fish will hold onto this lure longer than plastics
Durability: Even though the Food Sticks aren't at the top of the action
list, their durability is pretty high up there. That's one
thing about Senkos, due to their high salt content they tend to break apart after one or two
particularly aggressive fish. FoodSource lures are exceedingly resilient and
during our tests we went through many bass
before the Stick was finally deemed usable. Also because the worm is more stiff
you'll experience less hook slippage which will ensure that your hook is in the optimal
position for a solid hookset.
A largemouth bass falls victim to
the 5" Food Stick on the Delta
Because this worm is biodegradable, we've noticed
that over time the size of the lure expanded and at the tips became somewhat
discolored after time, but
we didn't notice any degradation in it's durability or action. We placed
one of our used Food Stick into simulation tank and it took about three and a half weeks
before it dissolved. This is great for our waters since this is one lure
that will not pollute our waterways and in doing so helps protect our fish
stocks. Another important thing to note is you
shouldn't leave a Food Stick out after a day of fishing or it'll be as dry as jerky. After it has dehydrated you can put water back into the worm by
soaking it in water, but it is best to prevent the lures from drying out if at
all possible. With other biodegradable lures such as the Berkley
Gulp!, you cannot place a used lure back into the bag with the new ones.
This is because they have the potential of promoting bacterial growth which can spoil the entire
bag. This is not the case with the FoodSource lures which are resistant to
microbes. You can feel free to mix used
and new Food Sticks together, and be confident that you will not sully your
stockpile.
Ratings:
|
FoodSource
Food Stick Ratings
(?/10) |
| Construction/Quality |
Good solid construction that gives it durability even though it's made out
of food |
8 |
| Performance |
Fish food that attracts fish to eat it, but because of its ingredients the
worm does come out to be stiffer than plastics |
7.5 |
| Price |
A
100% biodegradable lure took much R&D before it can become a product, thus
the price we would expect to be higher than plastics. These soft stick
baits are unique, and it's priced the same as the famous Senko |
8 |
| Features |
The
entire Stick is a feature itself. It's made out of protein and
nutrient rich fish food and it's enhanced with additional attractants |
8.5 |
| Design
(Ergonomics) |
It's designed uniform and right. The lure is molded without any
imperfections |
8 |
| Application |
A
good choice of lure to use in waters that ban certain type of materials or
in any freshwater area targeting bass |
8 |
|
Total Score |
8.0 |
Pluses and Minuses:
|
Plus
Minus |
| J
Biodegradable/Environmentally safe |
L
Stiffness doesn't give it a nice "wiggly"
action like plastics |
| J
Attracts fish to strike and hold |
L
Will dehydrate if left out |
| J
Durable |
|
| J
Good weight for flipping |
|
| J
Can store used and new baits together in the same bag |
|
Conclusion: Fish need to eat and what better way to catch
those inquiring bass than to feed them with something that's actually fish food. FoodSource has developed a 100% biodegradable soft stick worm that will not harm
fish or the water they reside in, instead it'll help them grow bigger if they do ingest
the lure. The Food Sticks are nicely weighted for easy casts even when rigged weightless. The
fish attracting characteristics of this lure actually come more from the scent and
taste of the unique food
source formula than its actual action when retrieved, but in the right hands the
lure still can be brought to life. Feed the fish, help our
environment, and catch some lunkers all at the same time with the novel new Food Sticks.
|
