Smallmouth Bass: Koppers continues to impress TT and the angling community with their detailed reproductions on fishing lures, and this is one bait that you can honestly say "match the hatch" with. The new LiveTarget Smallmouth Bass crankbait features a finish, pattern, and detail that are downright unreal.

The impressive Smallmouth Bass comes in two sizes and two different bill configurations

Similar to the LiveTarget Yellow Perch, the Smallmouth Bass also incorporates an internal weight transfer system, enabling the angler to place the LiveTarget in the intended position even on windy days. This new Koppers lure has a tight wobble, audible rattle system, and convincing flash that will surely attract big and aggressive fish to strike.

These lures are truly realistic and extremely detailed

The Koppers LiveTarget Smallmouth Bass lure will come in two sizes, 2 3/4 inches and 3 1/4 inches, two realistic patterns of Natural Matte or Metallic, and the lures will come in two diving depths, shallow and deep.

Detailed look at the new Crawfish lipless trap

 
Crawfish (trap): Koppers currently offers a crawfish crankbait but now you can get it in a lipless crank as well. The LiveTarget Crawfish trap makes for a better fish searching tool as it can be retrieved at all depths. The anatomical 3-D texture generates multiple shadows and flash point effects, and the lure has an internal rattle chamber that mimics a fleeing crawfish.

Here are the crawdad color tones available in the Crawfish trap lure

The Crawfish trap will be available in two different sizes, 2 1/2 inches which weighs 1/4 ounces and 3 inches weighing 1/2 ounces. Four realistic patterns are available: Mustard/Brown, Orange/Brown, Natural/Transparent, and Red/Black, all patterns to match the hatch during the season changes.

Crawfish (crankbait): The current LiveTarget Crawfish already exists in a 2 1/8 inch size and Koppers will now be introducing a larger version of this crankbait. The new Crawfish will be 2 1/2 inches and can be had in all the crawfish patterns and color tones currently available in the existing smaller bait lineup with the three lip configurations providing diving depths of sub-surface, medium, and shallow. Patterns available include Mustard/Brown, Orange/Brown, Natural/Transparent, and Red/Black.

A new larger size has been added to the Crawfish crankbait

Rainbow Smelt: The LiveTarget Rainbow Smelt will soon provide hardcore Bass and Walleye anglers with a new weapon. Designed to be the ultimate realistic stick bait, this tool has it all featuring a weight transfer system, rattle chamber, suspension capabilities, and speed versatility. The precise lip design and intricately positioned stabilizers are strategically aligned to offer a deadly rolling and tail kicking action. The bait can be worked in many ways such as a steady retrieve, jerk, or ripping for those aggressive fish ready to take chase.

New for 2009 is a stick bait that resembles a Rainbow Smelt

The Rainbow Smelt comes in shallow and deep diving models, where both types suspend when you stop your retrieve. Both are 4 1/4 inches in length and 5/8 ounce heavy. The shallow diving model will run three to five feet down while the deep diver will go all the way down seven to nine feet, depending on the type of line used. For the Rainbow Smelt only two patterns are available: Gold/Black and Silver/Blue.

Yellow Perch: The Yellow Perch receives a new color and new size. New for 2009 will be a Florescent/Matte finish. This color scheme is intended to be used in slightly moderately stained water conditions where the brighter tone is more easily seen in those environments.

A Florescent color is added for those times when the water is more stained

Conclusion: When we first heard of Koppers Fishing and learned about their offerings we knew they were ready to offer something different to a market saturated with "me-too" offerings. The "match the hatch" idea will limit the amount of color patterns the company can introduce but that doesn't mean they cannot produce an increasing number of larger sizes and color tones for different seasons to match the current baitfish inhabiting the water. We continue to be very impressed with the company's current lures, especially after seeing the new products to come. The quality finish, the detailed patterns, and the amazingly realistic presentations all add up to an exciting product that is sure to draw strikes from both fish and fishermen. The new LiveTarget lures will be available February 2009. Stay tuned as we will be bringing you in-depth reviews on a few of the Koppers LiveTarget Lures in 2008 and 2009.

If you cannot wait for our in-depth review, you can purchase these lures through TackleWarehouse.com and provide your own User Review on our TTForum.