The croaker is one of the most abundant fishes in the coastal waters of North America. Owing its name to the loud “croaking” sound it produces by contracting muscles attached to its air bladder, small croakers represent an incredibly important component of inshore food webs. In fact, it has been estimated that more than 90% of bait-sized croakers are consumed every year by hungry saltwater predators ranging from redfish and sea trout, to bluefish and striped bass, and many more.
Recognizing the centrality of the many predator-prey relationships involving the croaker, the artisans at LIVETARGET have crafted an incredibly lifelike, and equally effective, croaker-inspired lure that is engineered to dominate inshore fisheries.
Recently introduced at ICAST 2018, the LIVETARGET Croaker Swimbait synthesizes biologically precise anatomical features and color patterns with biomimetic action and robust saltwater components, to create a swimbait that will turn predator heads from Cape Cod, through the Gulf of Mexico, to the California coast and beyond. Unique three-dimensional anatomical features, including fins, tail, head and eyes, couple with a true-to-life baitfish profile to synthesize the perfect illusion of a living croaker.
The LIVETARGET Croaker’s intelligently-designed tail oscillator generates a biomimetic, species-specific swimming action and vibration that elicits hot pursuit and violent strikes from inshore predators. Precision factory rigging ensures that the bait is ready to use immediately, achieving better balance without the need for frequent adjustment or tuning.
Optimizing the effectiveness of each cast, the LIVETARGET Croaker’s unique dorsal fin array doubles as a shield to protect the robust, extra wide gap saltwater hook from collecting vegetation and other lure-fouling debris. Looking to accessorize? The LIVETARGET Croaker also features a ventral-side accessory pin for convenient on-the-water customization using willow leaf attractor blades or even a secondary hook – perfect for challenging fishing conditions when your LIVETARGET Croaker needs a little extra “bite!”
Look for the LIVETARGET Croaker swimbait in two lengths and weights (4” and 1 oz, or 5” and 1 3/4 oz) and two ultra-realistic color patterns that evoke the most common natural croaker patterns: Atlantic Croaker (908) and Yellowfin Croaker (909). LIVETARGET Croaker swimbaits will be available in late fall 2018, with an MSRP of $9.99-$10.99