V&M Baits joins LES group of brands

LES, the ownership group that recently acquired Luck-E-Strike Baits, has now added V&M Baits to its portfolio of brands.

Founded in Alabama, V&M moved to Louisiana where ownership changed hands several times before Kevin Jeane became President in 2016. The soft plastics and jigs brand, which will now join LES in Arkansas, has enjoyed significant success with the Pacemaker Jig Series, designed by Bassmaster Classic winner and longtime pro-staffer Cliff Pace.

It is also known for original favourites like the Lizard, the V&M Series and the Wild Thang Series, along with newer designs that include the J-Bug creature bait and the Lil’ Hammer line-through tailspin.

“When we took over, the company had just invested in new packaging and branding, but we have had the same logo for 30 years,” said Jeane, who will stay on as National Sales Manager. “That was important because we wanted to keep the history alive while introducing modern innovations that have allowed us to create a loyal customer base.

“We knew the company’s potential to be a top-notch bait manufacturer. We wanted to give it a modern look while remaining respectful to its founding principle of producing baits that anglers can depend on to catch big fish.

“When Cliff Pace won the Classic it rejuvenated V&M and made it a household name. We released the full line of Pacemaker premium jigs and that has been the core of our company.

“I want to stress to all our pro-staff, mom and pop stores and national retailers that we are the same V&M and we look forward to seeing how the new ownership will allow us to reach new heights.”

The brand will now relocate to Greenwood, Arkansas where it will be under the same roof as other LES brands, including Luck-E-Strike, Pro Built Jigs, Renosky, Nemire and the Jimmy Houston Inspired Spinnerbaits.

Zac Bandy, the majority partner in LES, is a longtime friend of Pace, part of the most recent V&M ownership group, and it was Pace who mooted the idea of the acquisition. “We knew we had the ability to take a solid company with great potential to the next level, so acquiring V&M just made sense,” said Bandy.