Koppers Blueback Herring, Pumpkinseed, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass

Event Article: 2009 ICAST Coverage

Koppers Introduces New Realistic Patterns and Their Very First Swimbait

Date:	8/04/09
Location:	Orlando, Florida
Admission:	Buyers & Press only
Manufacturer:	Koppers
Reviewer:	Team TackleTour

Introduction: When it comes to the most realistic looking crankbaits on the show floor Koppers had everyone beat. The company’s Live Target lures continue to impress both in terms of profile and quality of finish. This year the company expands the line with a number of new lures including their highly anticipated bass patterns.

Koppers brings even more realism to their Live Target line of hardbaits

We met up with Grant Koppers on the last day of the show and he plenty to show us. The company’s offerings have gone from basically three lures to a complete smorgasbord of offerings. What ties all of these lures together? It is the fact that these are among the most realistic looking hardbaits that both anglers and fish have ever seen.

Live Target lures use a combination of strike triggering elements to draw fish, and are made ultra realistic to help anglers “match the hatch.” This design philosophy is based on studying the behavioral patterns of predatory fish very closely. For example the company explores why some gamefish strike baits with ferocity while others simply trail it with curiosity. They state “It’s all about feeding patterns and behaviors. When gamefish are not aggressively feeding, triggering strikes can be more challenging. Since the predator is approaching the target slowly, it has the opportunity to study the subject and can become wary of man-made characteristics.” The Live Target lures feature a lifelike appearance and motion that matches the gamefish forage base.

Introducing the LiveTarget Largemouth Bass

Largemouth Bass: Largemouth bass inhabit lakes, rivers, and reservoirs ranging from Central to South Central North America. Young bass prefer moderate to heavy cover; primarily vegetation and timber. When exposed from the security of their protective screen they fall victim to adult Bass, Walleye, and Northern Pike. Newly released are Koppers new Bass lures which will be available in October. The LiveTarget Largemouth Bass is just as detailed as the previous Koppers baits we've seen. The Largemouth Bass lure models a baby bass with it's greenish tone and patterns only seen in young bass. These lures are designed with an advanced weight transfer system enabling anglers to make further casts. The swimming action is engineered to deliver a realistic wobble combined with a gentle rolling action resembling a genuine baby largemouth.

The finish and details are truly realistic

The Koppers LiveTarget Largemouth Bass comes in Natural Matte and Metallic Gloss finishes. There will be four different models - Large Medium Dive, Large Deep Dive, Small Medium Dive, and Small Deep Dive. The large size is 3 1/4 inches and 1/2 ounces and the small is 2 3/4 inches in length and either 5/16 or 3/8 ounce. All are designed as a floating crankbaits and will be available in October and will retail for only $12.99.

Koppers' first swimbait, the Blueback Herring

Blueback Herring: Meet Koppers' first foray into the swimbait market, the new LiveTarget Blueback Herring is as realistic as it gets, and features a triple segmented body. The Blueback Herring comes in Silver/Blue or Silver/Green in sinking and fast sinking models. Two sizes, 4 1/2 inch and 5 1/2 inch long, and weights vary depending on models ranging from less than 1 ounce to 1 3/4 ounce for the larger and fast sinking lure. The standard sinking models will sink at a rate of 0.5 feet per second while the fast sinking will go down at 1 foot per second.

Two life-like patterns for this sinking or fast sinking lure

These new stunning Blueback Herring swimbaits are designed to target multiple species of fish when they become available in October. The price will range from 17.99 to 18.99 depending on model.

You can't get any more realistic than this amazing sunfish pattern found on the upcoming Koppers Pumpkinseed crankbait

Pumpkinseed: We kind of expected Koppers to introduce the next two items as these are fish species that are frequently preyed upon by bass. First is the Pumpkinseed sunfish, a flat-sided crankbait that has an authentic profile and precise swimming action that's true to live sunfish. The lure is designed to produce a soft roll and tight wiggle action.

Different sizes and diving depths are available

The pattern is incredibly detailed and the color schemes are extremely realistic. The Pumpkinseed comes in Natural Matte and Metallic Gloss finishes, and will be available with different lip configurations; Large Shallow Dive, Large Medium Dive, Small Shallow Dive, and Small Medium Dive. Again they will be available in October and will retail for $12.99.

... and how about a Bluegill pattern in the same crankbait

Bluegill: The Bluegill features the same profile and design as the Pumpkinseed sunfish crankbait but with a bluegill pattern. The lure is so detailed it will likely attract other bluegills to school with it. Like the Pumpkinseed it comes in Natural Matte and Metallic Gloss finishes, and comes designed with different lip configurations; Large Shallow Dive, Large Medium Dive, Small Shallow Dive, and Small Medium Dive.

Grant Koppers shows us all the new and exciting LiveTarget lures

Conclusion: With the latest releases Koppers lures achieve an even higher plateau of realism when it comes to mimicking the true look and action of popular prey. The assortment of lures that will soon become available will arm anglers with a wide arsenal of baits for fishing at every depth. At the end of the show Grant asked us if we were heading back and we told him that we would be fishing Lake Toho prior to flying back to the West Coast. He grabbed a few baits and told us to give them a try. Fishing Toho is a story for another day, but we can tell you the fish sure keyed in on the Live Target lures!