NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE: Boosting Sonar Visibility

NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Boosting Sonar Visibility

Mad Scientist Tackle’s new LS Snipin’ Jig developed to generate the maximum sonar return and fish appeal

FINLAYSON, MN (July 15, 2025) – Looking for the absolute brightest and crispest return when sniping bass, walleyes, crappies, and more with forward-facing-sonar (FFS)? Look no further than Mad Scientist Tackle’s new LS Snipin’ Jig, which sports six sides and 18 total facets to provide the strongest, most reliable sonar return when stalking fish with FFS.

“Sniping bass, walleyes, and crappies has become the way to catch fish with today’s forward-facing sonar,” said Mad Scientist Tackle Sales Director, Patrick Kalmerton. “Especially in the tournament world, if you aren’t fishing with FFS, it’s hard to compete. And now, even everyday anglers are equipped with FFS and employing the same techniques and baits.”

Kalmerton continued: “But one of the biggest challenges is seeing the bait fall with sonar, especially at long distances and with smaller presentations. Sure, tungsten is one answer, but then you get a fast rate of fall, which sometimes turns the fish off.”

“We figured out a better way was to introduce a lead jig with the right, slower rate of fall, but design it in such a way that it would return solid sonar signals, even stronger than tungsten can produce. That’s the origin of the Mad Scientist Tackle LS Snipin’ Jig, with it six sides and an unprecedented 18 flat facets to reflect sonar and show up nice and clear on your screen.” 

Kalmerton also said the Mad Scientist Tackle crew intentionally designed the LS Snipin’ Jig with a short shank for pairing with smaller plastics and live bait, making it a do-all for bass, walleye, and crappie anglers.

Minnow-shaped soft plastics in the 3- to 4-inch range harmonize with the LS Snipin’ Jig. Consider FFS-specific soft plastics like the Megabass Hazedong Shad, Castaic Jerky J, Keitech Shad Impact, and 6th Sense Juggle Minnow.

The LS Snipin’ Jig’s sonar reflectivity isn’t limited to FFS, either. It’s a great jig for vertical fishing applications where it’s important to see your lure in real-time, like when jigging deeper for crappies, walleyes, and even bass. 

And then you get to Mad Scientist Tackle’s pioneering and eye-popping APEX Vision coatings. Feedback has shown that the amplifying APEX Vision coatings enhance catches, drawing fish to the bait when other traditionally-painted or naked-colored jigs won’t spur fish to react.

“Our APEX Vision coatings really shine in stained and murky waters,” explained Kalmerton. “You might see the fish on your FFS screen, but unless you’re right above them, it can be hard to get bit. Our field testers are seeing that fish will scoot over to investigate Mad Scientist coated jigs, which gives you a margin of error on the cast.”

If you’re fishing with FFS and looking for a better sonar return on your jig, then you’re going to want to give the Mad Scientist Tackle LS Snipin’ Jig a shot. Preliminary testing proves that they’re big-time fast food for all kinds of fish—and difficult, pressured fish at that!

LS Snipin’ Jig FEATURES:

  • Unique six-sided design with 18 flat surfaces to reflect FF Sonar
  • Short shank to hide hardware from fish
  • High-carbon, razor-sharp steel hook
  • Perfect for fishing with small soft plastics or live bait
  • SIZES: 1/8- and ¼-ounce
  • COLORS: APEX Vision Red, Blue, Green, Gold, Pink and Natural

MSRP $5.99 (3 per pack)

About APEX Vision Colors: Made For the Way Fish See

All Mad Scientist Tackle baits start off as either nude, pearl, or black base lures that are then customized through a multistage process whereby they end up in an APEX Vision coating, which radiate color in the visible, UV, and infrared spectrums, mimicking real baitfish scales and making it highly visible to predatory fish. Available colors include Red, Blue, Green, Gold, Pink, and Natural.

The novel coatings were developed to appeal to the way fish see, creating flashing iridescent colors in visible, UV, and infrared spectrums that attract fish from farther than ever.

Here are recommendations for when to use each APEX Vision color: 

APEX +RED: Proven to entice reaction bites, Apex +RED imitates bleeding baitfish so perfectly that predatory fish can’t resist. It’s also the best choice for fishing in the green, algae blooms of late summer. 

APEX +BLUE: In stained to dark water, APEX +BLUE outperforms other colors. Thanks to the iridescent flash of the lure, fish see it in stained to murky water conditions with low light. 

APEX +GREEN: One of the best colors on any body of water, APEX +GREEN resembles young-of-the-year and other baitfish. It works best in spring and summer in clear and stained water. 

APEX +GOLD: Gold is a standard in every angler’s arsenal, but APEX +GOLD has brought fishing to a whole new level. It resembles a school of baitfish/minnows and is a great choice year ‘round in any water color. 

APEX +PINK: One of the most popular colors to attract predator fish from a distance. It works well in clear and stained water conditions. 

APEX +NATURAL: Resembles crayfish and gives off a more natural presentation, especially when fishing near rocks. It performs well in clear and stained water.