ICAST 2014 Coverage - Lucky Craft new baits

ICAST 2014 Coverage

Lucky Craft's Class of 2015

Date:	7/22/14
Location:	Orlando, FL
Admission:	Buyers & Press Only
Manufacturer:	Lucky Craft
Reviewer:	Cal

Introduction: In recent years, Lucky Craft has been relatively quiet during ICAST. Yes, they've had some small introductions, but for the most part these baits seemed to fill niches while they refined and expanded colors in their standard lineups. This year at ICAST, Lucky Craft is taking a page out of TackleTour's theme from 2009 and are Cranking It Up with a slew of new hardbaits!

LC 2.0 D-10: The LC 2.0 D-10 measures just over two and a half inches, weighs five eighthsof an ounce (5/8ths oz) and is built to dive down quickly and help you target those primary ledges used by bass as they stage to enter their spawning grounds. Available in nine initial colors, the LC 2.0 D-10's MSRP is from $11.99 to $12.99 depending on the color.

Brett Ehrler shows us the new LC2.0 D-10 and 3.5 X14.

LC 3.5 X-14: From grass to rocky areas, the new LC 3.4 X-14 features a long bill on a three inch (3") body but carries with it a three quarter (3/4) ounce total weight for super long casts. Rated with a running depth of fourteen feet, this bait is designed to be fished in and around rocky areas where the long bill will take the bait down but at the same time, bounce it off rocks and boulders as you hunt for that next big strike. Available in four initial colors, the LC 3.5 X-14 carries with it an MSRP of $13.99 to $14.99 depending on the color.

Color chart for the SKT 105MagMR.

SKT 105 MagMR: When Lucky Craft introduced their SKT Magnum cranks two years ago, they offered two versions each rated at either 15 feet (110MR) or 25 feet (120DR). But how many of you, like us wanted a shallow running, square bill version of this same bait profile? Well, they've answered the call with the new SKT 105 MagMR - a bait of the same size and profile but built to run at a depth of only four feet. IT will be available in approxmately 16 different colors and carries with it an MSRP of $19.99 - $20.99 depending on the color.

LC Spin: Are you a square bill fanatic? Always searching for that stump, dock piling, boulder, tree, or any kind of obstuction to deflect your bait against and trigger a strike? What if you had a bait, that for no apparent reason other than itself, deflected randomly during your retrieve? That's the feature Lucky Craft is introducing with their new LC Spin. Equipped with a single willow leaf blade between the bait's hooks, this blade will rotate and flutter during retrieve and by design, strike the back hook throwing the bait out of balance and causing that random deflection fish seem to trigger on. Weighing half an ounce (1/2 oz) the LC Spin is rated to four feet in depth and will be available in about nine different colors to beggin with and sell at an MSRP of $13.99 to $14.99 depending on the color.

Introducing the LC 3.5 & 4.5 DRS.

LC 3.5 & 4.5 DRS: A trend in recent years - especially on Lake Biwa, Japan - has been to crank weedbeds. The secret is to tick the top of the weeds, hang up, pause, then shake your bait to attract a strike. Lucky Craft's 3.5 DRS (3" length) and the larger 4.5 DRS (3.25") feature internal rattles and were built with this purpose in mind. Available in only 5 initial colors, these baits carry an MSRP of $13.99 - $14.99.

SKT Jig & Spinner: The new SKT Jigs and Spinnerbaits will feature lead weighted heads and lower price points. The original SKT Spinner was made of tungsten and carried with it a $14.99 price tag. Now made of lead, Lucky Craft was able to bring the price point down to $9.99. The jigs will also feature lead heads and a banded skirt and will retail for $4.99.

The new SKT Spinners feature lead instead of tungsten heads.

Keroll Max: Lucky Craft's new Keroll Max is an intrighing little popper. Featuring a full resin mouth, this bait is built to splash and bloop across the surface, but what makes it somewhat unique is a little channel on the back of the bait. The Keroll Max is built to accommodate a small little glow stick so you can see this bait out on the water in the middle of the night. Hear a splash out near your bait? Did the glow disappear? Set hook! Quite intriguing! The Keroll Max measures two and three quarters inches (2.75") in length, is rated at five eights of an ounce (5/8oz), features two dressed treble hooks and will be available in six initial colors for an MSRP of $15.99.

Popper or walker? The hard bodied Keroll Max is an intriguing bait with a little glow stick attachment!

Real California 178 Supreme: The Real California Supreme receives a revival this coming year only in a smaller size. The original version of this bait reviewed on TackleTour in 2008 and again in 2011 (with redesigned hardware) measured 200 millimeters (just shy of 8 inches), but this new version, dubbed "Female Trout" is almost an inch shorter at about seven inches (178 millimeters). It has the same, stealthy three piece bait design and will be available in four different colors. MSRP on this bait is a surprisingly affordable $19.99.

The Real California Supreme 200 gets a new, smaller sibling.

Just a couple of the irridescent colors.

Thanks to Brett Ehrler and Tak Omori for showing us what's up with Lucky Craft this year!

Conclusion: It appears as if the quiet, almost dormant period for Lucky Craft USA is done. We only highlighted about eight new bait introductions above. There were still a couple of other products we missed because we ran out of time before our next appointment! As if we needed any real excuses to buy more baits from this manufacturer, now our already long list has grown more lengthy!