The ‘Ferrari of Frogs’ proves to be LIVETARGET’s ICAST crowd pleaser

LIVETARGET, known for its award-winning innovation in fishing lures, once again made a powerful statement at the world’s largest fishing trade show, ICAST 2024.

The brand launched its inventive Injection Core Technology (ICT) some years ago at the show, which made a lasting impact on the industry and challenged thoughts on lure manufacturing as a whole.

Andy Baumbach, Director of Marketing at Mustad Americas, told Angling International: “This proprietary tech utilises a patented approach to a multi-layered inner and outer core for an unparalleled approach to realism and action.

“Its inner core perfectly mimics the appearance of the baitfish, while a translucent exoskeleton offers astounding action. This two-factor approach entices the predatory fish to dial into the action of the bait and, as it draws closer to strike, hone in on the realism of the inner core.”

This year LIVETARGET has reinvigorated the brand in a significant way by leaning into its proprietary technology. The brand revealed over 100 SKUs across seven different newly designed bait profiles at ICAST in Orlando.

“This included several new swimbait bodies, a highly attractive crawfish, a brand new industry-leading frog design as well as multiple profiles of soft plastic worms, the latter of which we have not seen in the past from LIVETARGET,” added Baumbach.

Freestyle Frog 2.0

The stand-out crowd-pleaser of the show was most notably the brand’s Freestyle Frog 2.0 (main picture). Compounding on the massive success of the brand’s legacy frog designs, this soft plastic lure is said to be unlike any other seen by the industry to date. Affectionately referred to at the show as the new ‘Ferrari of Frogs’, this lure’s aesthetic and function live up to the nickname. Amid its lifelike profile, one of the stand-out features of the Freestyle Frog is its buoyancy.

Unlike hollow-body frog lures that can take on water and sink after repeated casting, the Freestyle Frog remains on the water’s surface. This natural buoyancy enhances the lure’s action at any retrieval speed, with legs that kick and stride with every twitch of the rod tip.

The Freestyle Frog 2.0 comes packaged unrigged, but product developers for the brand alluded to a future pre-rigged model boasting similar features. Equipped with a single hook in the belly, the frog lands upright and rests flat after each cast.

Upon a strike, the one-piece hollow body compresses easily, ensuring effective hook sets not typical of traditional frog lures. The combination of the inner core and exoskeleton creates a lure that is both supple and durable, capable of withstanding repeated catches without tearing or losing its vibrant colouration.

LT Craw

Arguably the most appealing for international markets, where it has garnered much attention already in the EMEA region, LIVETARGET unveiled its brand new craw. The new crawfish epitomises a harmonious blend of softness and durability, capable of withstanding repeated catches without tearing or compromising its vibrant colouration.

Once again leveraging state-of-the-art Injected Core Technology (ICT), the LIVETARGET Craw heralds a transformative departure from conventional soft plastic lure design. This technology seamlessly integrates lifelike anatomical features – such as a segmented body replete with intricate textures and ridges, augmented by meticulously rendered claws, legs, and even the discernibly sharp eyestalk – within a dynamic inner core.

The unique injection laminating process further enhances the inner core with intricately layered metallic hues encapsulated within a robust, transparent exoskeleton.

Worms

How does one improve upon something as simple as a traditional soft plastic worm? Well… LIVETARGET figured it out and it is already paying dividends with North American big box retailers, said its sales team.

Three new, highly functional soft plastic worm designs were introduced at the show: a Stick Worm, a Straight Tail model and a Finesse Worm profile. These expertly crafted worms provide the perfect shape, balance and adaptable hook placement modern fishermen need to entice and deceive wary bass.

While their shapes may seem familiar, these worms stand out due to a groundbreaking blend of softness, durability, buoyancy, and action, achieved through meticulous engineering and cutting-edge materials science. Once again, employing ICT technology, the new family of worms heralds a paradigm shift in traditional soft plastic lure design.

Sunfish Shad

But LIVETARGET didn’t stop there. Understanding the interest and ever-growing enthusiasm for large swimbait fishing, the brand pushed forward with making two all-new swimbait designs this year: a new Shad profile and a smaller, more petite Sunfish.

Both bluster through the water column with a kind of action and wobble that no angler (or predatory fish) can deny. Highly detailed ICT multi-coloured lamination makes the baits not only extremely attractive but also aid in longevity.

Featuring their realistic inner core and their translucent exoskeleton (versus traditional painting methods) the product team noted that these baits won’t fade strike after strike as opposed to competitive products in the market. Rough pads of bass and predatory teeth will not affect these lures as those with standard painting and masking techniques in manufacturing.

Baumbach said: “The LIVETARGET team was clearly proud to launch these products at ICAST, and rightfully so indicating the brand is on an upward trajectory. The team even eluded to greater growth on the product roadmap in 2025, noting there are many other innovative designs in the works and that “ICAST 2025 is going to be an even larger release than this year.”

The new LIVETARGET products released last month will begin shipping to retailers beginning in October. Consult your local retailer or sales representative regarding these new products.

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www.mustad-fishing.com