Anglers Need New Products and Lures by Brad Wiegmann

Lure companies are always coming out with new products. It is a never-ending flow, but really do most anglers need more lures and fishing related products? The answer is yes, however, it may not be for the reasons you think and why Arkie Jigs continue to produce more and new products every year.



Every year, crappie seem to get a little wiser. What caught them the preceding year doesn't get as much as a sniff from a crappie now.

Over the years, crappie seem to have been conditioned about the danger of biting lures with hooks. It's not just one lure either as double crappie rig hook setups allow anglers to put multiple lures along with several poles. Unless it's new lures on these multiple rigs, the crappie have probably seen them before.

There are more anglers out there crappie fishing than ever before. It's true. Just go out on most Southern reservoirs you will see boat after boat lined up to launch. The growing number will only continue to expand putting more fishing pressure on crappie.

In the past, anglers had only one source of creditable information such as a father or relative. Now with the internet and cell phones, anglers can communicate even talk with other anglers on the water about techniques or fishing conditions. The internet also offers a bazillion YouTube videos on every technique, lures and how to catch crappie videos.

Equipment crappie anglers are fishing with has also taken a great leap forward. It's almost unbelievable how sophisticated fishing lines, reels, rods, trolling motors and other fishing equipment has come over the past few years.
Even rod holders have evolved with new and improved models coming out all the time. The value of adjustable, durable rod holders cannot be overstated. Although a few techniques require crappie anglers to hold on to a rod, spider rigging and long poling involve multiple rods rigged up while placed in holders firmly at the right angle.
One of the biggest advancements is in marine electronics. Now anglers can get picture perfect, photographic images of below the boat and side-to-side views with affordable units. It's never been easier to view below the surface allowing anglers to find cover, structure, baitfish and crappie quickly even on unfamiliar bodies of water.

Crappie anglers do have the advantage over crappie with new lures and terminal tackle. Lures get all the press in magazines, but some products with less fanfare often help anglers catch more fish every day. Terminal tackle such as jig heads, Tied Minnow Teasers and crappie rigs by Arkie Lures maybe the last thing on any angler's mind, however, it's the one thing that should be for successful fishing trips.

"Demand for new lures and products by weekend and professional crappie anglers has driven the market, so in order to meet the request Arkie Lures has designed, manufactured and now selling several new lures and products," said Mitch Glenn, Marketing Manager at Arkie Lures.



Interestingly, crappie anglers wanted bigger sizes of original lures. "The larger size of traditional baits like our 1 1/2-inch Curl Tail Minnow and 2 1/2-inch XL Pro-Model Tube is driven by tournament crappie anglers targeting bigger crappie. They are willing to sacrifice bites to catch the bigger crappie. So we now have a 2 1/2-inch model," said Glenn.



Another Arkie Lures (www.arkiejigs.com) bait upsized was the Crappie Crankbait. Once only available in the smaller 220 series, the newer 350 series Crappie Crankbait is bigger and can dive deeper. "The 350 series Crappie Crankbait has an in-between wobbling action of a Wiggle Wart and tight wiggle of a Shad Rap, the action is irresistible to crappie," said Glenn.

Diving up to 11 feet deep, the 350 series Crappie Crankbait targets crappie in deeper offshore structure and cover without adding a weight. "Other features crappie anglers love about the new 350 series Crappie Crankbaits are the larger hook size on the lure, longer castability, it's high pitch rattling sound and it's super buoyant making the Crappie Crankbait ricochet off cover or structure erratically enticing strikes from crappie," said Glenn.

Due to demand, Arkie Lures has also come out with nine new colors in the Curl Tail Minnow and 12 new color patterns in the Crappie Crankbait series of lures. Although, the Crappie Crankbait series still comes in the original color patterns, Glenn feels the real excitement comes from working with renowned lure painter Scott Vance. "Vance's color patterns are all proven crappie catchers. These are also exclusive color patterns designed by Vance and only available on our series of 350 and 220 Crankbait Hots," said Glenn.

Arkie Lures has also redesigned the Crappie Tube line of lures. "Crappie Tubes have been redesigned and improved. The 1 1/2-inch and 2-inch Crappie Tubes are dipped and salt impregnated. This makes the tubes tougher. Crappie will also bite and hold on to our Crappie Tubes longer because of the nature favor salt gives the lure," said Glenn.

The process of dipping a tube increases, the cost of tube style lures. However, Glenn noted it's worth it because they don't tear up as quickly as other plastic tubes.



A growing number of crappie anglers have began using teasers to attract and entice crappie to bite. "Our Tied Minnow Teasers not only adds color, but flash to any minnow or artificial lure presentation. The hand tied teasers with rubber legs and Flashabo have a light wire hook so it won't impede the action of a lure or minnow; in addition to coming in new glow colors patterns," said Glenn.

One other product Glenn was extremely proud of was Arkie Lures Double Hook Crappie Rig. Designed to meet the demand by crappie anglers spider rigging. "It's all rigged and ready to fish. All you have to do is add our new Ball head Jigs with double end barbs, our new Tube Insert Jig Heads, teasers or hooks. The design allows it to be used with fishing line up to 20 pound test as a main line and still have a natural presentation without collapsing or having to re-rig.

It's not just the crappie being conditioned. "It's the nature of anglers to watch other anglers to see where and what they are fishing. Anglers know if they see a big, bright buoy, you are crappie fishing a brush pile. If you are catching them, they will see that too," said Glenn.



To keep from attracting attention to your secret spot, Arkie Lures designed the new Stealth Buoy. The miniature marker buoy easily fits in a pocket and the small size keeps other anglers from seeing them.

Successful crappie anglers fish with the latest products. New lures or different sizes can even trick crappie on lakes with lots of angling pressure into biting.

Anglers can also check out the Youtube video of new products: