Elite pros back new company

HydroWave

Bassmaster Elite Series pros Kevin VanDam and Jeff Kriet are principal partners in HydroWave, a new company with a product of the same name scheduled to debut at this week’s ICAST trade show in Las Vegas.

HydroWave is a small, simple-to-use device that triggers feeding behaviors in all types of fish by emitting waves that sound like shad or other baitfish, according to the new company’s website. The unit offers six sound tracks, such as “schooling” or “panic.”

Kriet said he and VanDam have two other partners. One is engineer Robert Palmer, and the other is Gene Eisenmann, a longtime friend of Kriet’s he met years ago while fishing.

“We talked about this for years, and the possibilities, then started working on it with the engineer,” Kriet said. “I knew Kevin VanDam was very knowledgeable in this area, and I talked to him and he became instrumental in the design. The four of us working together ended up with a really good product.”

Both Kriet and VanDam have been testing the HydroWave product during the 2011 Elite season.