Strike King is pleased to announce a breakthrough line of baits the saltwater world has been eagerly awaiting!

“We have been laboring tirelessly on these baits for years,” offered Strike King Pro and renowned saltwater captain Mike Frenette. “The result is a remarkable line of saltwater lures that will elevate the fishing experience for serious anglers. In true Strike King form, we have waited until these baits are just right. Strike King introduces six new saltwater lures that have been built to withstand the toughest fishing and can handle any battle you throw at them. “They are engineered with singular focus – to put more fish in the boat and to make you a better angler.”

First in the 2022 Saltwater line up is the Sexy Dawg Hard Knock, the battle-tested topwater ‘walking’ bait with a sound chamber designed to emit a loud and distinct rattle that is unmistakably Strike King. Engineered to walk side-to-side at a slow cadence or when burned across the surface at lightening speed for vicious reaction strikes, the Sexy Dawg Hark Knock will draw out fish holding in mangroves or heavy cover and is great in open water around bait pods or shallow ledges.

The Sexy Dawg Hard Knock is preloaded with Mustad Trip Grip hooks that are particularly effective when fish are slapping at topwater baits. These 4-X strength saltwater hooks are supercharged for giant bites and can withstand the punishment of years of saltwater fishing. The Sexy Dawg Hard Knock is built with an extra durable finish to withstand saltwater, and perfect for fishing a hard plastic around rock walls and oyster beds that will challenge any conventional paint job. 

“This bait will quickly become a favorite of saltwater captains,” offered Frenette. The Louisiana pro loves to fish the Sexy Dawg Hard Knock in two to five feet of water to draw strikes from roaming predators, as well as around school of mullet and menhaden. “The Sexy Dawg will get their attention unlike any other topwater, and it is easy to work at any speed.”

Strike King also introduces the Saltwater Red Eye Shad, a lipless diving crankbait that excels around schooling baitfish, over drop offs, and when ‘yo-yoed’ around deep jetties and sandflats. Frenette chooses the Red Eye Shad when bouncing hard plastics off oyster beds and rock walls, as well as when fan casting down grasslines on high tide. The Red Eye Shad maintains a subtle wobble on the fall and remains exceptionally balanced and upright. Unlike other lipless cranks on the market, the Saltwater Red Eye Shad stands on its nose when bounced across the bottom. Its excellent buoyancy puts this bait firmly in the sight of searching predators and puts fish in the boat. 

Strike King is pleased to announce its all-new Pre-Rigged Shrimp with a hard-plastic jointed tail for exceptional life-like action. The 3-inch shrimp features Strike King’s highly-durable plastics engineered to withstand hard strikes and multiple catches, while maintaining exceptional movement and flexibility. It is equipped with a 1/4-ounce jig head for an ideal rate of fall and fantastic castability on windy days. The new Strike King shrimp has been battle-tested by Strike King’s top notch Saltwater Pro Team and has become a trusted shallow water weapon for slowly bouncing and swimming near feeding predators on the flats, and pitching around boat docks and oyster beds. It is a deadly bait when fish are chasing ghost shrimp in open water or actively tailing for crustaceans in the backs of creeks. Saltwater captains also fish the Strike King Pre-Rigged shrimp under a popping cork to drift past structure and target fish that are ambushing prey at the mouths of creeks. The Strike King Pre-Rigged Shrimp’s versatility is matched only by its exceptional action.

Like the Pre-Rigged Shrimp, Strike King’s 3.5-inch Flood Minnow features a highly durable plastic body to withstand powerful strikes without tearing. It is built with a wide-profile tail that displaces water and maintains incredible fishing action whether crawled slowly across the bottom or burned at high-octane speed. It is ideal for a jig head, like the Redfish Magic Flats Jig Head by Strike King. 1/8-ounce is the primary jig head weight of choice for fishing in shallow water or in low wind conditions, while 1/2-ounce is the answer for fishing deeper ledges, ditches and drop-offs. The SW Paddle is also exceptional Texas Rigged for pitching near heavy cover or around oyster beds. The SW Paddle excels for redfish, sea trout, flounder, grouper and snook. 

New for 2022, Strike King is also offering two of its absolute fan favorites in a host of innovative saltwater colors. The 3.75-inch Strike King Rage Swimmer paddle tail swimbait is now offered in 12 saltwater colors for enthusiasts chasing snook, sea trout, redfish, flounder, and a host of predators. The Rage Swimmer has become an absolute necessity on the backend of a jig head, like the Strike King Squadron Head or the Strike King Redfish Magic Flats Head. Likewise, the 3.5-inch Strike King Rage Menace, now offered in 12 saltwater colors, is a lethal trailer on a Strike King Thunder Cricket worked down rock walls or pitched along grass lines in the back of creeks at high tide. 

In 2022, Strike King is set to equip Saltwater guides, pro competitors and avid anglers alike with a host of breakthrough baits to keep anglers in the action. Whether you are poling the back of a creek deep in the marsh or braving the open water, Strike King offers a collection of reliable, durable saltwater lures to put more fish in the boat. Tie one on!