What's Up With Pradco?

[HomersTomaco]

Anyone have any idea what's going on with Pradco??? They have basically no new products this year other than some variations of the yumbrella rig... But that seems like a pretty stale category these days. The regular yumbrella is on clearance everywhere. There's no new hard baits. Xcaliber seems to be dying off since Edwin Evers went to Megabass. The older brands like bomber, Smithwick, heddon etc have nothing new to compete with modern lures. F2 soft baits were a big flop and are constantly on sale everywhere yet don't sell... Do you think this company is dying? Big new things at the classic or Icast? Anyone know?

[Bluebasser86]

Anyone have any idea what's going on with Pradco??? They have basically no new products this year other than some variations of the yumbrella rig... But that seems like a pretty stale category these days. The regular yumbrella is on clearance everywhere. There's no new hard baits. Xcaliber seems to be dying off since Edwin Evers went to Megabass. The older brands like bomber, Smithwick, heddon etc have nothing new to compete with modern lures. F2 soft baits were a big flop and are constantly on sale everywhere yet don't sell... Do you think this company is dying? Big new things at the classic or Icast? Anyone know?

Where are the YUM soft plastics on sale?? They're almost $6 a bag everywhere around here and rarely on sale for more than $.50 a bag off. I love the Wolly Bug, Mightee worm, craw papi, and craw chunks but I can't hardly afford to fish them anymore. They came out with the Chug N' Spook, One Knocker Spook, Buzz Plug, Perfect 10 Rogue, Pad Crasher, and Mighty Craw all pretty recently. They own the companies that produce some of the most popular baits of all time (Spooks, Spots, Rogues, Pop R, and Fat Free Shad), along with some of the popular newer baits (Xcaliber rattle baits, Booyah spinnerbaits/buzzbaits/jigs, Erratic shad, Yumbrella rigs). Maybe they're just content with what they have already and aren't real worried about trying to produce the next hot bait. 

[Sam]

Product research and marketing.

 

Not heard about Pradco and its family of companies cutting back on their product research. Has anyone out there heard or read anything?

 

I would think their product research teams are working on and studying new baits, colors and sizes, etc.

 

Once a pro wins a tournament using any of their baits that one bait will take off for a few months until something else comes along.

 

When watching the Classic let's pay attention to what the pros say they are throwing. Ike will hawk his Havoc and Rapala lines as usual but let's listen for what the other pros say.

 

And remember, even though VanDam will admit to "throwing" his square bill crankbaits he will not say if he caught anything on them or how he modifies them. Same goes for the other pros so pay careful attention to what they say.

 

 

[smalljaw67]

If you like the EEratic shad, Cabelas has them for $4.88 in Deadly shad, black back shiner, and blue back shiner, I just grabbed 8 of them.

[J Francho]

Nothing new at Pradco, huh? One of the best lipless baits out there "dying" because some pro changed sponsors? Here are some recent stories that suggest the complete opposite. Things are always happening at a big lure maker like Pradco.

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_123/booyah-boo-series.html

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_123/elite-8-21214.html

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_123/booyah-swindle-11314.html

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_123/booyah-truck-giveaway-2714.html

[Comfortably Numb]

I think alot of their stuff is lower end and does not get alot of attention from the pros pinping it.

[J Francho]

Gerald Swindle isn't a big enough name for you? Tough crowd.

[Raul]

Lower end ?

 

Thousands of fish caught on Bomber lures for decades, thousands of fish caught on Dingers every year and anglers caught too, Dingers last a lot more and cost a lot less than Senkos, tons of fish caught on Booyah spinnerbaits ........Megabass would wish to own 10% of the market share PRADCO has.

[MCS]

And the OP forgot to acknowledge rebel pop-r

That thing is a staple probably one of the first baits anyone buys, everyone has at least one in their tackle box/bag. Dude why change spooks, one knockers, pop-rs if they work just as good or better than the new stuff like mega bass.

You want the new big thing then you must have missed bombers press release of the chug-a-lug... Is that big enough? Lol

[smalljaw67]

I think alot of their stuff is lower end and does not get alot of attention from the pros pinping it.

 

I use to get roasted by guys because I like my suspending super rogues over the Luck Craft Pointers, and I still think they will out fish a lot of baits. Zara Spooks are incredible and the One knocker lipless baits are superior to most others. When I think about it I may have just as many Pradco baits as I do Rapalas and that is a lot. One of the most under rated topwater baits was the Dying Flutter, I'm glad I still have a bunch and on the Susquehanna river I will bet my house you will find more Baby Torpedoes than you will LC Sammys or Gunfish. The Xt3 Twitch bait, the XS4 and the EEratic shad are all high end jerkbaits, and speaking of river guys, I'll bet most if not all will have one form or another of the Rebel craw, there are an awful lot of great baits made by them and I don't consider any low end. Are they affordable? Yes, but they aren't cheap baits and with all the new tackle we have coming out it still amazes me that the zara spook, Smithwick Rogue and Devils Horse are not only still being made but have had no real change unless you count the super spook, the same can be said of the Pop-R, all iconic and still being purchased and still producing. Sorry for the rant but I happen to like the brands that make up pradco, the Smithwick Rogue is responsible for my PB largemouth and the Zara Spook is what nabbed my PB smallmouth, so to me they are as far from low end as you can get.

[Jrob78]

This thread is silly.

[ww2farmer]

I like Pradco just fine. But I miss the LPT Yum dingers...........they WERE BETTER than the F2.....IMHO.

[00 mod]

My PB was caught on a Bomber BD8F

 

 

Jeff

[Jrob78]

My PB was caught on a Bomber BD8F

 

 

Jeff

I thought you could only catch bass like that on "modern" lures.

[00 mod]

I thought you could only catch bass like that on "modern" lures.

 

 

Not only that but it was citrus shad.  You know, one of the "ultra real life" paint schemes!

 

Jeff

[FD.]

This thread is silly.

 

Yes it is.  

 

Have you seen Pradco's new line of self defense ladles?

[RandySBreth]

I love the Bomber 4A - it's pretty new- about 5 or 6 years old. Absolute staple for Smallmouth when they are shallow. I miss the old XS4 (before the EEratic Shad - the XS4 suspended dead level like a Rogue or Husky Jerk, not the nose down of the EEratic Shad like a Megabass). Maybe they'll switch it back now? And the Zell Pop, that's a good one. Oh yeah - there's the Spit 'N' Image - one of the best walk the dog baits no one seems to talk about...

[Raul]

My PB was caught on a Bomber BD8F

 

 

Jeff

 

Tell us how you felt when you caught that very nice fish with a "low end" lure.

[00 mod]

Tell us how you felt when you caught that very nice fish with a "low end" lure.

Like I was king of the world for that afternoon. Then the next morning I went back to grinding. Just knowing there arew bigger ones to catch!!

Jeff

[0119]

Wow. Excaliber, Heddon are low end??? Tackletour just had a thread about what is a mid price point reel and it was said that the Daiwa Certate was mid quality! Are bass fishermen becoming the new.......... Fly fishing Snob ?

[Maxximus Redneckus]

Just leave the pradcos alone ...more for me