The big news from Optimum this year is the BLT series Top Of The Line Swimbait. Optimum has been producing swimbaits for a number of years in various configurations and this one is designed for when you don’t want a hook below the bait.
This bait has the line through construction that allows the lure to go up the line when you hook a fish so that there isn’t anything other than the hook in the fishes mouth. The line channel goes through the nose of the bait up to its back where the treble hook is then tied on and positioned for casting.
There is a counterbalance weight in the belly of the lure so that it can be drug over structure while the angler maintains that bottom contact without having to worry about the hook points getting snagged. It can do double duty and used to fish open water with the idea that a strike will hook the fish in the top of the mouth. The BLT should be appearing in stores soon.