For most anglers, fishing is about patience, passion, and that fleeting moment when the line tightens and the water comes alive. For Joe Pawlak, it’s also been a lifelong pursuit of innovation one that began in the quiet streams of Upstate New York and led to the creation of Q8 Super Baits, one of the most advanced fishing lures on the market today.

From Carp to Chemistry

Growing up in Corning, New York, Joe spent his early days chasing carp, bass, trout, and salmon in local creeks and rivers. By 14, he was already designing his own lures and sending them off to Bass Pro Shops, receiving his first rejection letter. A moment that didn’t discourage him, but instead fueled a decades long obsession with what makes fish bite.

Joe later earned a degree in Aquaculture, where he met his wife, Cheryl, and began a journey that would blend science and sport in unexpected ways. He went on to work at a commercial largemouth and striped bass facility in California, where he developed an innovative feeding protocol to teach largemouth bass to eat stationary food pellets. Which was groundbreaking and a first in the industry at the time.

After moving to Florida, Joe joined Aquatic Eco-Systems, then the world’s largest supplier of aquaculture equipment, working as a design and build technician. There, he deepened his expertise in fish nutrition, water chemistry, and aquatic systems. That foundation led to his next entrepreneurial leap. Starting a koi and goldfish farm with just $300. Through dedication and scientific precision, it grew into a 65-acre facility with over $15 million in sales, setting the stage for his next major venture: Aquatic Nutrition, a company producing premium fish feeds and fishing attractants, including the popular Snapper Up Chum.

The Birth of Q8 Super Baits

About six years ago, Joe noticed that while soft plastic lures offered versatility and value, they had seen little innovation over the years. Most relied solely on shape, color, and action, but lacked scent, taste, and environmental responsibility. “Soft plastics do little to mimic real bait other than appearance,” Joe explains. “They’re terrible for the environment and degrade very slowly.” Inspired by how real prey behaves when injured shedding fluids, scent, and flavor that fish instinctively detect, Joe set out to replicate that biological signature in an artificial bait. He began experimenting in the Aquatic Nutrition lab, testing formula after formula by his count, more than 700 failed attempts until he struck a breakthrough. The result was Q8 Super Bait, a lure made from a water based material that mimics the texture and composition of real aquatic prey. The bait slowly releases natural scent and flavor, creating a continuous trail that attracts fish and convinces them to bite  and hold.

A Breakthrough Material: HHP

At the core of every Q8 Super Bait is a proprietary compound called HHP (HybrAlive Hydrophilic Polymer), developed and produced by Aquatic Nutrition. This unique material is 80–90% liquid, allowing it to slowly shed its scent into the water like a living creature. The baits are biodegradable, water based, and rechargeable, setting them apart from traditional plastics that persist in the environment for decades. Unlike surface sprayed attractants that wash off after a few casts, the scent in Q8 baits comes from within, continuously dispersing to draw fish directly to the lure instead of leaving a trail behind it.

Built for Every Angler, Every Species

Today, Q8 Super Baits offers around 75 different shapes and colors, each designed to mimic natural prey and appeal to specific species. Whether it’s freshwater panfish, largemouth bass, or inshore saltwater favorites like redfish and flounder, each formula is tuned to what that fish actually eats, from shiners to shrimp. For Charleston anglers, Q8’s inshore saltwater series is especially effective. Local redfish and speckled trout respond aggressively to the shrimp and minnow patterns, while the bait’s lifelike texture keeps fish holding on longer, in turn giving you more time to set the hook.

The advantage is simple but significant: Q8 Super Baits smell, taste, and feel real. Fish recognize them as food, not plastic. Add in their durability and environmental safety, and it’s easy to see why these lures are gaining traction with serious anglers across the country. Retail tackle shops throughout the U.S. now carry Q8 Super Baits, with limited availability on Amazon and exclusive shapes and colors available at Q8SuperBait.com. Prices are competitive with traditional soft plastics, but the performance speaks for itself. More bites, fewer missed strikes, and a cleaner conscience.

Our Recomendations for Charleston Waters

For anglers fishing the Lowcountry’s inshore and nearshore waters, several Q8 Super Baits stood out as top performers. The Q8 Paddle Tails in mullet run and “White Pearl” colors were a proven producer for redfish and speckled trout around the marsh edges and oyster beds, while the Q8 Curly Tail shined in slightly deeper channels where the baitfish school. Flounder fanatics will find success bouncing the Q8 Bullet Shad Jerkbait along sandy drop offs and creek mouths, where its slow shedding scent trail entices aggressive strikes. For anglers targeting sheepshead or black drum near structure, the Q8 Super Shrimp in "lucky penny" pattern mimics natural forage perfectly. Each of these baits is infused with species specific scent formulas that match the local menu giving Charleston anglers an authentic edge every time they cast.

The Future of Fishing Innovation

From a young angler in Upstate New York to a pioneering aquaculture expert and lure designer, Joe Pawlak’s journey represents the perfect blend of science and passion. With Q8 Super Baits, he’s not just creating another lure he’s reshaping the way we think about bait altogether.

As Charleston’s anglers head into another productive season, Q8 stands as a new standard for what fishing innovation can be: sustainable, effective, and inspired by nature itself.

Click here to check out more awesome products from Q8 Super Baits!!

Written by Nick Levine
Outdoor Enthusiast | Gear Reviewer | Fishing & Inshore Specialist