This is an exciting time for the year for anglers of all ages. Springtime means dogwood blossoms, warming waters and braggin' size bass. Fish are now beginning their spawning migration from their deep water winter homes to the shallows. Without a doubt, there is a certain magic in the air. Hopefully those windy and cold "blue northers" that have pestered us for the past few months are gone and beautiful days are ahead. Without a doubt, East Texas is a wonderful place to live if you are a sportsperson.
Boat and tackle shows are featuring some of the best products available and The Texas Guide would like to preview a few that are making a big splash in the fishing industry. The following are some of the best on the market so you better make some room in that tacklebox.
Nick Creme, Sr. invented the first soft plastic worm in 1949. That began the soft plastic fishing industry and Creme Lure Company has been a major player ever since. Creme Lure Company continues to manufacture the original Scoundrel worm as well as many more new and innovative products. Innovation has always been the key to success at Creme Lure Company. As they state, "We just got a 50 year head start on some".
Pond Favorites - These down-sized baits are just the right size and are proving themselves on East Texas lakes. When the fish get weary of most baits the Pond Favorite series really shines. The baits are available in four varieties: Topwater, Popper, Shallow Crank and Lipless Crank and come in four enticing colors. I recommend you use an open faced spinning reel spooled with line no larger than 12 lb. test to get the best lure action possible.
Devil's Tongue - Lure companies have been able to make plastic float for years but unfortunately the plastic could not support the weight of a hook. The only alternative was to create foam using chemicals to achieve buoyancy. A major drawback to this method was that it turned the lure opaque and tough to the feel. Thanks to a Louisiana inventor, the Devil's Tongue is the first lure to entrap pure air in the molding process. This creates a highly buoyant, true-colored, great feeling lure that can float most hooks, some as large as 3/0 widegap. This bait is especially good for those of you that like to use a drop-shot rig.
1 1/2" Lit'l Fishie Minnow - Not new, but still one of the most productive baits around. Most minnow baits use a head wobble to imitate a swimming action. The fact is only fake fish wobble their heads. The Lit'l Fishie is the only soft plastic lure with two patented rear fins that make it swim with its tail. Lit'l Fishie moves and sounds exactly like a scared little minnow because it swims exactly the way a minnow swims.
Wiggle Eyes - Creme Lure Company has introduced "Wiggle Eyes" just in time for Toledo Bend springtime crappie fishing. These pre-rigged painted jigheads, recently seen in Crappie Magazine, have a wobbling eye on each side of the head. The dominating eyes work as a target for hungry fish. The movement of the eyes adds to the natural appeal and causes soft sound waves. Great idea! Check the full line of products at creme.zoovy.com
Pro bass fishermen are always on the lookout for anything that will give an advantage over the competition. The right lure combined with the proper presentation is certainly a key to winning tournaments. However, presentation is as much about your equipment working efficiently and consistently as it is about skill. For year's fisherman have relied on silicone based treatments in an effort to reduce line drag and line guide resistance during casting. Unfortunately these products rarely have any positive effect on today's more specialized lines and end up making hands and tackle oily and smelly. The Kevin Van Dam Professional Line and Lure Conditioner was designed with these new high-tech lines in mind. It will add yards to your casts, reduce casting effort, and virtually eliminate the frustrations of backlash and line twists. The product does all this without the oily mess associated with silicone treatments. This all adds up to casting more accurately, more often.
Line & Lure® also helps protect the outer and inner working parts of your fishing equipment as well as your fishing tackle. Spray the product on the inside of tackle boxes, including all items in the box. The product will lubricate the hinges and drawers of the box and its anti-corrosive protection will help fight rusting of hooks, pliers and all other metal items. It does all this and leaves no oily residue on the items. Treat rod boxes and other confined areas with Line & Lure® and it will keep those areas odor free for weeks. Try it on sunglasses, windshields, instrument panels and fish finder screens. Use of Line & Lure® adds a scratch resistant, dust repelling coating to all plastic surfaces that also helps reduce glare and minimizes water spotting. www.lineandlure.com
Rapala Strikes Again! When I visited with David James (Rapala Field Promotions Manager) he was excited about the new 2005 line of baits, and rightfully so.
X-Rap™ - Xtreme Action Slashbait™
The "X" stands for Xtreme. When I first used this bait I was absolutely amazed at the action. The X-Rap cuts, darts and slashes its way through the water like nothing you have seen before. This is one of those rare baits that can get any angler's adrenaline pumping! The bait is intended for multiple species in both fresh and saltwater versions, with an internal long-cast system built into both. If you like to fish jerkbaits you better check out the XRAP.
DT® (Dives-To) Series Size 04 This is a perfect addition to the hot new DT series. The bait was designed by Bass Pro David Fritts so you know it will catch fish. The DT04 dives to four feet and its pronounced action triggers the aggressive fish in shallow waters. The DT gets to the four-foot strike zone quickly and stays there. This bait is at its best in off-color and shallow water conditions.
Glass Fat Rap® Sizes 05 and 07 The classic Fat Rap gets a completely new look with a prismatic see-thru glass body that bounces light through the water. This square-lipped crankbait has improved rattles and is definitely a keeper. I recently fished one of those days when a passing front left nothing but the dreaded "blue-bird" skies, a high barometer and bass with a case of lockjaw. After fishing a number of baits with no success we hammered the fish on the Glass Fat Rap.
CountDown Size 01 The small, easy-casting CountDown 01 features a single tail-mounted treble hook and an excellent "fluttering" drop when cast. The bait utilizes the same CountDown method as with the other lures in the family to consistently fish with controlled slow sinking.
The Rapala group, based in Finland, manufactures and markets fishing lures, fishing line, fishing rods, hooks, terminal tackle, knives and other accessories under the Rapala, VMC, Blue Fox and Storm brand names. The company was officially founded in 1936 when Lauri Rapala invented the Rapala fishing lure. Rapala maintains its strict standards of quality and craftsmanship while delivering its fishing products to anglers in more than 130 countries. www.rapala.com
Gary Yamamoto first starting making soft plastic products some twenty years ago. His goal was to simply make a product that would help him catch more fish than his competition. Gary's customers now span the globe and his products are used by every skill level from first timers to first placers. The Yamamoto product line is definitely designed by fishermen, for fishermen.
The 5" 9-series Senko is one of the most productive bass lures ever invented, and the top producer in Yamamoto's Senko product line. It's not magic, but it's close. Not only does the Senko have incredible fish-catching action, but it casts like a bullet and gets into the strike zone quickly. Bass can hardly resist the Senko's unique horizontal fall when fished weightless or wacky style. Say Yamamoto Senko...and say no more! Try the Laminate and Core Shot colors: 900, 901, 904, 906, 908, 912, 913, 914 and the Senko Shiner 326.
The Yamamoto Kreature has finally arrived! The bait is 4" long, and slightly heavier than a 5" Senko. It can be cast weightless for a very slow descent or just raise your rod tip and buzz it back across the surface. Its performance when Texas rigged for flipping or Carolina rigged for that bottom hugging fish is outstanding. The forward arms swim during the fall and when it comes to rest on the bottom the slightest movement will cause the rear paddles to spring forward and back. The Kreature tail floats and seemingly comes alive, teasing any fish that has come to investigate into striking.
The Gary Yamamoto baby craw has molted. The new Fat Baby Craw has put on some muscle and toughened up, making it the perfect as a jig trailer or Texas rigged for flipping the grass. This new product is made with a harder plastic formula than the regular bait which allows it to break through dense grass and other thick cover to reach bass. This is one bait you East Texas grass fishermen will need to try. Bass in the grass won't stand a chance.
The creation of the 4" 7-series Cut Tail is an interesting story. While fishing in Japan on Lake Kawaguchi during the winter time, Gary Yamamoto found the cold bass to be lethargic and did not want a full tail that wiggled on the worm. Being the innovative angler that he is, Gary progressively cut back the wiggling curly tail on the 6" 6-series worm until the cut tail resembled what you see today. That summer, it was also discovered that the do-nothing nature of the Cut Tail worked on listless bass sweltering in the high temperatures of summer as well. It essentially became what is called a do-nothing lure, and a unique product line that is always catching something whenever bass are "doing nothing".
If you are in the Toledo Bend area be sure to stop by Gary Yamamoto's Custom Bait Toledo Bend Pro Shop located at Hwy 21 E at the Pendleton Bridge (409-625-0495) or go online to check out all of the product line at www.baits.com.
It was the late 1950s and Harry Ehlers, an avid fisherman and advertising executive at Solo Marx (better known as Totes, makers of rubber rain boots) observed a boot mold being dipped into plastic. He had the idea to create a fishing lure using the same method. As with many fishing lure businesses, Snag Proof started over the kitchen stove. Mr. Ehlers combined his knowledge gleaned from working at Totes Rubber Company with his love for fishing and created a soft, hollow-bodied frog lure for catching big bass from weedy farm ponds.
The basic concept; a soft hollow body with a double hook hugging the sides allows the lure to slide through weeds, moss, over lilypads and other structure without snagging. This lets the fisherman access areas on a body of water where most gamefish hide and feed and where ordinary lures can't go. The soft, hollow body also feels more natural to the fish and the fish will actually turn the lure in his mouth and begin chewing it, giving the fisherman more time to set the hook.
Snag Proof now produces 23 different styles of fish-catching weedless lures. The excitement of a big bass blowing up through the weeds or lilypads to get at the frog is terrific! Tournament pros in the world of bass fishing use them to consistently up the weight in their live wells during tournaments such as the B.A.S.S. Classic. This type of lure is also good for beginners since they won't be hanging up in the weeds and cleaning weeds from the lure--more time to fish!
Pro Series Tournament Frog - All of the style and fish catching ability of the original Tournament Frog plus premium Owner™ double hooks, internal glass rattle and special colors hand-picked by the pros. This Frog increases your hook set percentage by 30% and is your ticket to a winning catch!
Tips from Tournament Pro Bobby Barrack -
"Walk the frog" like the pros. Here's how: Point your rod tip down straight to your feet aimed at the frog. Twitch from 8:00 to 6:00 with enough slack at the end of your rod to make a "C" -not a straight line. If the line is straight, the frog will move straight. Repeat this process and the frog will move left and right, left and right. Anglers will now be able to "walk the frog" like the pros. The big difference is in the elimination of the "thighs" of the frog. This allows the nose of the frog to move more freely. For open water frog fishing, it's very important that you use 30 to 50 lb. braided line. The smaller the diameter of the line the easier it is to walk the frog. Heavier braided line won't work in open water. For heavy, matted vegetation, use 50 to 80 lb. braided line. Thinning and feathering the legs gives the frog, at rest, a bird or dragonfly silhouette. To thin the legs, clip the skirt where it leaves the rubber band inside the frog. To "feather" the legs, hold the frog upright, cut straight up the outside of the skirt. Evaluate the intensity of the strike before you set the hook. If the strike is a subtle slurp, allow the fish to load the rod a bit before you swing. If the strike looks as though someone threw a large boulder in the water, then swing immediately. Grab a stout rod 6'6" to 8'. Get some 30lb.+ braided line and a new "Perfect Frog" in your favorite color. You are now ready to tangle with the biggest bass in the pond.
Good fishin'! -- Bobby Barrack - Tournament Pro
For more information on Snag Proof products call 1-800-SNAGPRF (800-762-4773), or go to www.greatlures.com/snag.
Well there you are .. a brief look at some of the hottest baits and fishing products on the market today. Next month we will feature another selection that will get your adrenaline going even more. Until then … Good Fishing - JB
Crème Lure Company 
The History of Strike King Lure Company
Lets begin in 1966 when Mr. Charles Spence
purchased a small garage and began making a few baits. This operation
basically established the "Strike King Lure Company". It was about this
time that Mr. Ray Murski also made his first sales call on a small six
store retail chain located in Northwest Arkansas… The "Ben Franklin
Five and Dime Stores" and "Walton Variety Stores", were owned by a
fellow by the name of Sam Walton. Those Five and Dime stores were the
place to go when shopping for virtually anything, and they also made
some great shakes and hamburgers. But back to the fishing story. 
