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Googan Squad Booger: How to Rig & Fish This Finesse Bait
Meet the Googan Squad Booger: 20 Tentacles, Endless Possibilities Bass have seen just about everything. Worms, craws, swimbaits, and every creature bait imaginable. Sometimes, getting that next bite means showing them something completely different. Enter the Googan Squad Booger, a unique Coike-style finesse bait designed to bring a whole new level of movement and versatility to your tackle box. Featuring 20 flexible tentacles surrounding a rounded center sphere, the Booger creates a presentation unlike your traditional soft plastic. Whether you're hopping it along the bottom, shaking it around docks, or letting it slowly sink through the water column, those tentacles come to life with even the slightest movement. What Makes the Googan Squad Booger Different? At first glance, the Booger looks like something from another planet. But there's a method to the madness. The Booger features a compact spherical body surrounded by 20 flexible tentacles, creating movement in nearly every direction. Even subtle rod movements can bring those appendages to life, giving bass an unusual presentation that stands out from traditional finesse baits. Constructed from durable elastomer material, the Booger is designed for flexibility, movement, and repeated use. But one of its most useful features is something you might not notice right away. Built-In Nail Weight Rigging Hole The Booger features a specially designed hole in the bottom of the bait that makes inserting a tungsten nail weight quick and easy. Instead of fighting to push a nail weight through the material, anglers have a dedicated opening to help simplify the rigging process. This allows you to add weight directly through the center of the bait and customize its presentation depending on how you want to fish. It's a small detail that makes a big difference when you're constantly adjusting your setup on the water. How to Rig the Googan Squad Booger One of the biggest advantages of the Booger is its versatility. With several rigging options available, anglers can experiment with different presentations to match the conditions and how bass are behaving. Here are four ways to rig the Booger. 1. Tungsten Nail Weight + Wacky Hook One of the most effective ways to rig the Booger is by inserting a tungsten nail weight through the dedicated opening in the bottom of the bait. Once the weight is positioned through the center, skin hook a wacky hook through the rigging nipple. This setup allows the bait to sink while its 20 tentacles move freely around the center sphere. Try hopping it along the bottom or shaking it in place to create subtle movement without pulling the bait too far away from your target. 2. Lightweight or Weightless Sometimes, the best presentation is the simplest one. Fishing the Booger with very little weight or completely weightless allows you to take advantage of its natural movement as it slowly works through the water. This can be a great option when targeting fish that are reluctant to chase faster-moving baits. Cast it around docks, along structure, or near visible fish and let the bait do the work. 3. Frog Hook Rigging Looking for another way to present the Booger? You can also rig it with a frog hook through the center of the bait. This gives anglers another option for experimenting with different retrieves and presentations while keeping the Booger's unique profile intact. 4. Treble Hook Rigging The Booger can also be rigged on a treble hook, giving anglers another way to customize their setup. With its spherical body and tentacles extending in every direction, the Booger offers plenty of opportunities to experiment and find the presentation that works best for the fish you're targeting. Your browser does not support video playback. How to Fish the Googan Squad Booger The Booger's design gives anglers plenty of flexibility when it comes to fishing techniques. Whether you're targeting bass on the bottom, around docks, or suspended in the water column, there are several ways to put those 20 tentacles to work. Hop It Along the Bottom: One of the simplest ways to fish the Booger is to let it reach the bottom and work it back with short, controlled hops. Give the rod tip a small lift, let the bait settle, and repeat. As the bait moves and falls, the tentacles react to the movement, creating an attention-grabbing presentation. Shake It in Place: When bass aren't willing to chase, sometimes you need to bring the action to them. With the Booger, subtle shakes of the rod tip can activate the tentacles without requiring you to move the bait very far. Try this around docks, brush piles, or other areas where you suspect bass are holding. A little movement can go a long way. Let It Slowly Sink: The Booger can also be fished with a slow-sinking presentation. Using a lightweight or weightless setup, allow the bait to descend naturally through the water column. Its 20 tentacles create movement as the bait falls, giving nearby bass something different to investigate. Experiment with different amounts of weight to adjust the fall and find what gets the best response. Fish It With or Without Forward-Facing Sonar: You don't need fancy electronics to catch bass on the Booger. Whether you're casting around docks, targeting visible cover, or working along the bottom, the Booger can be fished using traditional techniques. But for anglers using forward-facing sonar, it also provides an interesting finesse option for targeting individual fish. Use your electronics to locate bass, position your cast, and experiment with subtle movements or a slow fall to see how the fish react. No matter how you prefer to fish, the Booger gives you another tool to add to your lineup. Choosing Between the 20mm & 24mm Booger The Googan Squad Booger is available in two inner sphere sizes: 20mm and 24mm. Both feature the same unique 20-tentacle design and elastomer construction, but the different center sphere sizes give anglers options when choosing their presentation. 20mm Booger: The smaller option is a great choice when you want a more compact presentation. Whether you're fishing around pressured bass or experimenting with lighter finesse setups, the 20mm Booger offers a smaller profile. 24mm Booger: The larger option provides a bigger center sphere for anglers looking to increase the overall profile of their presentation. It's another option for adjusting your approach based on conditions and fish behavior. Having both sizes in your tackle box gives you more flexibility when the fish aren't cooperating. When Should You Throw The Booger? The beauty of the Booger is that it isn't limited to one specific fishing technique or situation. From shallow docks to deeper structure, the Booger can be worked through a variety of fishing environments. It's especially worth experimenting with when traditional soft plastics aren't producing the bites you're looking for. Sometimes bass want a familiar presentation. Other times, something completely different is exactly what gets their attention. With 20 flexible tentacles, multiple rigging options, and a unique spherical design, the Booger gives anglers a new way to approach those situations. Get Weird. Get Bit. The Googan Squad Booger might look a little strange, but that's exactly the point. With its 20 flexible tentacles, durable elastomer construction, built-in nail weight rigging hole, and multiple rigging options, the Booger brings a fresh approach to finesse bass fishing. Whether you're hopping it along the bottom, shaking it around docks, or watching bass react to it on forward-facing sonar, there's no shortage of ways to put this bait to work. Available in 20mm and 24mm inner sphere sizes, the Booger is ready to bring something different to your tackle box. 20 tentacles. Endless possibilities. One weird way to get bit. Shop the Booger
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Googan Squad Schooler: How to Rig & Fish the Schooler
The Googan Squad Schooler: One Bait. An Entire School Stop Fishing Single Baits. Start Throwing the School. Bass are opportunistic predators, and there's one thing that can really get them fired up: a tightly packed school of vulnerable baitfish. When hungry bass see an entire group of easy meals swimming together, it's an opportunity that's hard to pass up. That's exactly the idea behind the Googan Squad Schooler, a unique soft plastic bait designed to imitate an entire school of minnows in one compact presentation. Featuring six lifelike minnow appendages, realistic 3D eyes, and flexible elastomer construction, the Schooler creates the illusion of multiple baitfish swimming together. Whether you're slowly retrieving it through the water, twitching it along, or burning it back with sudden pauses, the Schooler brings a completely different look to your bass fishing lineup. Why throw one minnow when you can throw the whole dang school? What Makes the Googan Squad Schooler Different? Most traditional swimbaits imitate a single baitfish. The Schooler takes a completely different approach. Instead of one baitfish profile, the Schooler features six individual minnow appendages extending from a central body, creating the appearance of a tightly grouped school of baitfish. As the bait moves through the water, the flexible minnows react to changes in retrieve speed, creating a pulsating presentation that resembles a group of baitfish swimming together. This unique design is intended to trigger competitive feeding behavior, giving bass the appearance of multiple easy meals in one presentation. Six Minnows. One Big Reaction. One of the most exciting features of the Schooler is how the individual minnows work together. Rather than relying on a single tail or body movement, the Schooler uses six flexible appendages to create a larger, more dynamic presentation. Each minnow features realistic 3D eyes, adding another layer of detail to the overall baitfish imitation. Whether you're retrieving it steadily or adding quick twitches with your rod tip, the Schooler is designed to make those minnows come alive. Durable Elastomer Construction The Schooler is constructed from flexible, tear-resistant elastomer material designed to withstand repeated use. That durability is especially important with a bait featuring multiple thin appendages. The flexible material also allows the individual minnows to respond to subtle movements, helping create the Schooler's signature schooling action. How to Rig the Googan Squad Schooler The Schooler gives anglers multiple ways to customize their presentation, but one of the easiest ways to fish it is on a jighead. 1. Rigging the Schooler on a Jighead A great starting point is a 3/16 oz. to 1/4 oz. jighead, depending on the depth you're fishing and the retrieve speed you want. For situations where you need additional weight, you can increase to a 1/2 oz. jighead. To rig the Schooler: Insert the jighead hook through the center of the bait. Carefully work the bait onto the hook, keeping the central body aligned. Push the bait securely onto the jighead's plastic keeper to help hold it in place. Check that the minnows can move freely before making your first cast. Once rigged, you can fish the Schooler much like a spinnerbait, using a combination of steady retrieves, changes in speed, and occasional pauses. 2. Alternative Line-Through-Style Rigging Another unique feature of the Schooler is a small hole located on the top of its central body. This opening provides an alternative rigging option that can be used for a line-through-style presentation. It gives anglers another way to experiment with the bait's setup and movement beyond traditional jighead rigging. The exact hook and line configuration will depend on the rigging method you choose. Your browser does not support video playback. How to Fish the Googan Squad Schooler One of the biggest advantages of the Schooler is that you don't need an overly complicated retrieve to make it work. The bait's unique design creates movement as it travels through the water, but changing your retrieve can help bring the entire school to life. Here are a few ways to fish it. 1. Fish It Like a Spinnerbait If you're comfortable fishing a spinnerbait, you've already got a good starting point for the Schooler. Make a cast, let the bait reach your desired depth, and begin a steady retrieve. As the Schooler moves through the water, the six minnows create a schooling presentation that can draw attention from nearby bass. Experiment with retrieve speeds until you find what gets the best response. 2. Create a Pulsating Schooling Action One of the most unique ways to fish the Schooler is by changing your retrieve speed to create a pulsating effect. Start with a steady retrieve, then briefly accelerate or slow down. These changes allow the flexible minnow appendages to react, creating the appearance of a school of baitfish changing pace together. Think about how a real group of minnows moves through the water. They don't always swim at one constant speed. Sometimes they accelerate, bunch together, or suddenly change direction. The Schooler gives anglers an opportunity to imitate some of those movements with a single bait. 3. Slow Roll It When bass aren't aggressively chasing baitfish, slowing things down can make a difference. Try retrieving the Schooler at a controlled, steady pace while keeping it at your desired depth. A lighter jighead can be useful when you want to maintain a slower presentation. This approach gives bass more time to track the bait and commit to a strike. 4. Burn It With Pauses When bass are actively feeding on baitfish, don't be afraid to pick up the pace. Burn the Schooler through the water, then briefly pause before accelerating again. The sudden change in speed can create an erratic presentation that imitates a school of baitfish reacting to danger. This technique is worth trying when bass are chasing baitfish or feeding aggressively. When Should You Throw the Schooler? The Schooler is designed around one of the most recognizable feeding opportunities in bass fishing: groups of vulnerable baitfish. That makes it a natural option when bass are targeting minnows, shad, or other small forage. Here are a few situations worth experimenting with: Schooling Bass: When fish are actively chasing groups of baitfish, the Schooler offers a way to imitate multiple minnows with one cast. Open Water: Use steady retrieves and changes in speed to create a moving school of baitfish. Around Docks & Structure: Work the Schooler through open lanes near areas where bass may be waiting to ambush passing forage. Changing Conditions: Experiment with different jighead weights and retrieve speeds to adjust your presentation. The key is to pay attention to how the bass are feeding and match your retrieve accordingly. Choosing Between the 2" and 2.5" Schooler The Googan Squad Schooler is available in two minnow sizes: 2 inches and 2.5 inches. Both feature the same six-minnow design, realistic 3D eyes, and flexible elastomer construction. 2" Schooler: The smaller option is ideal when you want a more compact schooling presentation. It's worth trying when bass are feeding on smaller baitfish or when you want to downsize your overall profile. 2.5" Schooler: The larger version gives anglers a bigger baitfish presentation. It's a great option when you want to show bass a larger group of minnows or match bigger forage. Having both sizes available gives you more options when adjusting to different fishing situations. Why Schooling Baitfish Trigger Bass Bass frequently take advantage of schools of baitfish because groups of smaller forage can create opportunities for an easy meal. When baitfish bunch together, predators may target individuals that become separated, change direction, or appear vulnerable. That's the feeding behavior the Schooler is designed to capitalize on. By presenting six minnows together in one lure, the Schooler creates the visual impression of multiple potential targets. Add in a pulsating retrieve, a sudden twitch, or a quick burst of speed, and you've got a presentation designed to get the attention of bass looking for their next meal. Fishing Single Baits? Start Throwing the School. The Googan Squad Schooler isn't your average soft plastic. With six lifelike minnows, realistic 3D eyes, durable elastomer construction, and multiple rigging options, it's designed to bring an entirely different presentation to the water. Whether you're slow-rolling it like a spinnerbait, twitching it through open water, or burning it back with sudden pauses, the Schooler gives you plenty of ways to imitate a group of vulnerable baitfish. Available in 2" and 2.5" minnow sizes, the Schooler is ready to turn one cast into an entire school of opportunity. One Bait. An Entire School. Shop the Schooler
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Zinger 2.0: The Redesigned Spinnerbait
The Googan Squad Zinger 2.0: A Spinnerbait Rewired The spinnerbait has earned its place as one of the most reliable bass fishing lures ever made. From burning shallow banks to slow-rolling around submerged cover, it's a bait anglers can rely on in just about any season. But even a proven bass-catching design has room for improvement. Meet the Googan Squad Zinger 2.0, a redesigned spinnerbait built to deliver better balance, consistent performance, and the versatility anglers need when conditions change. We went back to the drawing board, took what made the original Zinger effective, and refined the details that matter most on the water. What's New With the Zinger 2.0? The Zinger 2.0 isn't just a new look for an old favorite. Its updated design focuses on how the bait moves through the water, how it performs at different retrieve speeds, and how effectively it can be fished around cover. Three key improvements set it apart: Redesigned V-Shaped Head: A hydrodynamic design that helps the bait perform across a variety of retrieve speeds. Low Center of Mass: Helps maintain the proper running position for a more consistent presentation, especially when fishing around cover. Improved Bait Keeper: Helps keep your trailer secured in place throughout the day. These updates work together to make the Zinger 2.0 a more refined, dependable spinnerbait without sacrificing what anglers loved about the original. A Redesigned Head Built for Performance One of the biggest upgrades to the Zinger 2.0 is its new V-shaped head. The hydrodynamic design helps the spinnerbait move efficiently through the water, whether you're fishing a slow, steady retrieve or picking up the pace to cover water. That versatility matters because bass don't always want the same presentation. Some days, a slower retrieve is what gets their attention. Other days, moving quickly and triggering a reaction strike is the better approach. The Zinger 2.0 is designed to handle both. Better Balance Around Cover Spinnerbaits shine when you're fishing around the places bass love to hide. Laydowns, grass edges, docks, and submerged structure are all prime targets, but maintaining a consistent presentation around cover is important. The Zinger 2.0 features a lower center of mass designed to help the bait maintain its proper running position as it moves through the water. That means you can focus on putting the bait where the fish are instead of constantly adjusting your retrieve. An Improved Bait Keeper for Your Favorite Trailers Adding a soft plastic trailer is one of the easiest ways to customize a spinnerbait. Whether you're looking to add a little extra bulk, change the profile, or create more action, trailers give anglers another way to dial in their presentation. The Zinger 2.0 features an improved bait keeper designed to help hold your soft plastic trailer securely in place. It's a small detail that makes a difference when you're making cast after cast. How to Fish the Zinger 2.0 One of the biggest advantages of a spinnerbait is its versatility. You can adjust your retrieve based on water conditions, available cover, and how aggressively bass are feeding. Here are three ways to put the Zinger 2.0 to work. 1. Slow Roll It Around Structure When bass are holding deeper or aren't actively chasing bait, try slowing things down. Cast past your target, allow the spinnerbait to sink to the desired depth, and maintain a slow, steady retrieve while keeping the blades moving. This technique can be especially effective around submerged timber, deeper grass edges, and other underwater structure. 2. Burn It Through Shallow Water When bass are actively feeding, a faster retrieve can trigger aggressive reaction strikes. Keep the Zinger 2.0 moving just below the surface as you work along shallow banks, grass lines, and other high-percentage areas. The key is to cover water and look for fish willing to chase. 3. Deflect It Off Cover Sometimes the best strikes happen when a bait suddenly changes direction. Retrieve the Zinger 2.0 alongside laydowns, dock posts, and other cover, allowing it to make occasional contact and deflect. That sudden change in movement can be enough to trigger a bass that wasn't willing to commit to a straight retrieve. When Should You Throw a Spinnerbait? Spinnerbaits are a year-round option, but certain conditions make them especially effective. Windy banks, stained water, overcast skies, and areas with active baitfish are all great opportunities to tie one on. The combination of flash, vibration, and a moving baitfish profile gives bass multiple reasons to strike. With the Zinger 2.0's redesigned head and improved balance, anglers have another versatile option for adapting to changing conditions. The Zinger. Rewired. The original Zinger was built to catch bass. The Zinger 2.0 takes that foundation and refines the details. From its hydrodynamic V-shaped head to its low center of mass and improved bait keeper, every update is focused on delivering a better experience on the water. Whether you're burning shallow banks, slow-rolling deeper cover, or targeting bass around structure, the Zinger 2.0 is ready to go to work. SHOP THE GOOGAN SQUAD ZINGER 2.0 Same mission. New design. More reasons to tie one on.
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Meet the Vermin Weedless Rat
Meet the Vermin: The Weedless Rat Built for the Nastiest Water A rat swimming across the surface isn't something bass see every day, but when they do, it's an opportunity for an easy meal. That's the idea behind the Googan Squad Vermin Weedless Rat. Developed over more than a year by LakeForkGuy, Jon B, and Googan product designer Phillip, the Vermin was designed to bring the profile and natural swimming action of a rat to a soft-bodied bait you can throw almost anywhere. Its segmented body creates a realistic swimming action across the surface, while an internal mesh system adds durability and a belly hook slot allows it to be rigged weedless with a weighted swimbait hook. The result is a topwater bait you can swim across open water, over grass and pads, around docks, through laydowns, and into the kind of cover where you'd expect a real mouse or rat to end up. Here's how more than a year of designing, testing, and refining turned the Vermin from an idea into one of the most unique baits in the Googan lineup. More Than a Year in the Making The Vermin started with LakeForkGuy, Jon B, and Googan product designer Phillip working together to develop a rat bait that didn't just look the part. It needed to fish the way they wanted it to. Over more than a year, the team worked through the design, action, durability, and rigging of the bait. A realistic segmented body needed enough movement to create a convincing swimming action across the surface, but those same segments couldn't become weak points after a few aggressive strikes. The bait also needed to move naturally while being able to work through grass, pads, wood, and other cover. Those challenges helped shape the Vermin into the bait it is today. Built to Swim Like the Real Thing Throw the Vermin into the water and the idea behind the bait becomes pretty obvious. On a steady retrieve, the segmented body moves across the surface with the profile and swimming motion of a small rat or mouse making its way across the water. That natural swimming action gives bass a presentation they don't see nearly as often as a traditional topwater bait. You can slow it down and let the body work, add pauses to make the bait look vulnerable, or pick up the pace and make it look like something trying to get back to shore in a hurry. Your browser does not support the video tag. A Segmented Body Built to Last Getting the movement right was only part of developing the Vermin. The team also needed to make sure the segmented design could hold up once fish started eating it. That's where the internal mesh reinforcement system comes in. The mesh reinforces the segmented body and helps prevent the individual sections from ripping apart after repeated strikes. It gives the Vermin the flexibility needed to create its swimming action while adding durability where a segmented soft bait needs it most. It's a feature you might not immediately notice when you pull the bait out of the package, but it can make a big difference after you've caught multiple fish on the same Vermin. Rigged Weedless and Ready for Cover The other major piece of the Vermin's design is how it's rigged. A hook slot along the belly allows the bait to be paired with a weighted swimbait hook and rigged weedless. With the hook point protected, you can work the Vermin through areas where exposed treble hooks can become a problem. That opens up a lot of water. Fish it around: Lily pads Thick grass Mats Laydowns Boat docks Overhanging trees Shallow cover Open water Instead of stopping your retrieve when you reach vegetation or cover, the Vermin is designed so you can keep fishing through it. Bring it across a mat and into an opening. Swim it alongside a dock. Throw it underneath an overhanging tree. Work it parallel to a grass line. Those are exactly the types of places the Vermin was made to explore. How to Fish the Vermin Weedless Rat There's no single "correct" retrieve for the Vermin. The segmented body gives you room to experiment with speed, pauses, and cadence until you figure out what the fish want. Slow and Steady A steady retrieve is the easiest place to start. Cast the Vermin out and bring it back at a consistent speed, allowing the segmented body to create its natural swimming action across the surface. Add Pauses Mix short pauses into your retrieve. Swim the bait several feet, stop it, and then start moving again. That change in movement can make the Vermin look vulnerable and give a following bass an opportunity to strike. Burn It Don't be afraid to speed things up. Burn the Vermin across the surface to create a faster, fleeing presentation. This can be especially effective when bass are actively feeding and willing to chase. Experiment With It Change speeds. Add twitches. Pause it beside cover. Bring it across vegetation and let it work through openings. The Vermin is capable of multiple retrieves, so don't get stuck fishing it one way. Let the fish tell you how they want it. Where to Fish a Rat Lure One of the best things about fishing the Vermin is how many different places you can put it. Start by looking at areas where a mouse, rat, or other small animal could naturally enter the water. Overhanging trees, grassy banks, docks, laydowns, lily pads, and shoreline vegetation are all obvious targets. But don't limit yourself to the bank. The Vermin can also be worked over submerged grass, across openings in vegetation, around offshore cover, or through open water when bass are feeding near the surface. Its weedless design gives you the ability to experiment with casts and areas that may be difficult to fish with a traditional treble-hooked topwater. Five Vermin Color Patterns The Vermin launches in five color patterns inspired by the small animals bass could encounter around the water: Chipmunk Black and Brown Lab Rat Field Mouse Squirrel Each pattern maintains the rodent profile at the center of the Vermin's design while giving anglers different looks to experiment with on the water. What's Included? Each pack includes: 2 Vermin Weedless Rats 1 weighted weedless swimbait hook The Vermin features a roughly 5-inch body with a 3-inch tail, creating a substantial surface profile while maintaining the swimming action the bait was designed around. Rig one up with the included hook and it's ready to fish straight out of the pack. A Different Kind of Topwater Bite Topwater fishing is already one of the most exciting ways to catch a bass. Throw a swimming rat into the equation and things get even more interesting. More than a year of development went into making sure the Vermin wasn't just a bait that looked cool sitting in the package. LakeForkGuy, Jon B, Phillip, and the Googan Squad team worked to create a rat bait with realistic swimming action, added durability, and a weedless design that allows anglers to put it around serious cover. The result is the Googan Squad Vermin Weedless Rat. Rig it up, put it somewhere a rat probably doesn't want to be, and see what happens.
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Fishing, The Googan Way.
At Googan Squad, we take fishing seriously, without taking the fun out of it. Our products are made through real-world testing and shaped by years on the water. Whether you’re chasing your first bass or your personal best, we’re here to make sure you’re equipped with gear you can trust.
