New Mustad and LIVETARGET products optimize catch rates
Mustad’s enduring legacy in the fishing industry is second to none. A universally recognized world leader in the production of premium tackle, the Mustad family of brands, including LIVETARGET and TUF-LINE, are backed by a foundation of design and manufacturing excellence that delivers the quality and performance that consumers demand. demanding anglers. Mustad’s innovation was on full display at the EFTTEX 2022 Best New Digital Showcase, gathering trophies and accolades from across the industry in the Soft Lure, Terminal Tackle and Hard Lure categories.
Best Soft Lure: LIVETARGET ULTIMATE FROG
The thrill of a surface attack from an apex predator is second to none. Causing surface bites from large bass, the smartest, most cautious and cunning in the school, requires unmatched realism in both form and function. Leveraging a battle-tested research and development process, LIVETARGET’s master lure artisans tap directly into the DNA of surface predators with ULTIMATE FROG – the first and only frog lures that look like Y act alive! When motionless, LIVETARGET ULTIMATE FROG sits like a live frog at rest, with eyes just above the surface, body tilted 45 degrees downward, and legs tucked under body. When moved or pulled, ULTIMATE FROG’s body dives below the surface as its legs articulate at the hips and knees, extending their full length in perfect unison, like a living frog swimming for dear life in shallow water. open. At the end of this stride, the lure’s legs fold back towards the body as its eyes rise to the surface, in an intricate sequence of biomimetic movements that bring LIVETARGET ULTIMATE FROG to life. With a body molded from ABS plastic and legs made from durable, highly elastic TPE, the ULTIMATE FROG is built to withstand the rigors of the surface battlefield. Its single, well-positioned hook offers unrivaled hook rates in the unforgiving environment of surface angling. The LIVETARGET ULTIMATE FROG Popper and Finesse models have an MSRP of $17.99 and are available in 2 and 2 ½-inch sizes with a choice of 8 attractive colors that turn even the most skeptical bass into ravenous eating machines, primed for shallow attack.
Best Terminal Rig: Mustad JAW LOK Inline Treble Hooks
Precision meets purpose in the new Mustad JAW LOK series: the first and only in-line treble hook manufactured using a fully automated process, which eliminates the hook-to-hook variability, and uncertainty, associated with individually manufactured treble hooks. The culmination of a 20-year quest to fully automate in-line treble production, Mustad’s JAW LOK stands as the most precise, most perfect treble hook ever made. Every quantifiable aspect of treble hook design and composition, from weights and spacing to tooth alignment and more, is identical from one JAW LOK to another. This new world of precision tolerances and complete reproducibility makes every JAW LOK treble hook, simply superior. JAW LOK features an in-line design with the eye of the hook perfectly aligned with a tooth. When mounted on lures, JAW LOK belly hooks fold against the body of the lure with one tooth pointing down, while tail hooks pull the lure precisely with one tooth pointing up. The lightest trebles in their class, JAW LOK hooks allow baits to track more accurately and offer improved hook-up ratios. The maximum consistency of the JawLok triples ensures that the baits exhibit an optimized strike activation action. Every JAW LOK features Mustad’s UltraPoint technology, which keeps hooks sharper for longer. JAW LOK trebles feature Titan Steel plating with a sleek bronze finish, giving each treble over 750 hours of saltwater corrosion resistance, more than 20 times longer than typical black nickel trebles. JAW LOK’s fully forged hybrid design maximizes clearance and hooking power, keeping fish immobilized after the hit. JAW LOK trebles are available as 3X, 4X and 5X strong hooks with sizes ranging from 8 to 5/0 and MSRP starting at $8.99.
Hard Lure Runner-up: LIVETARGET LIVE SHRIMP
Building on his victory as the ICAST 2022 Best Saltwater Hard Lurethe innovative LIVETARGET LIVE SHRIMP is the first imitation shrimp to be seen Y act alive. Perfectly mimicking a vulnerable and exposed shrimp falling to the bottom, then scurrying for safety once it gets there, LIVE SHRIMP features a unique oscillating weight system that ensures a horizontal profile as the shrimp falls. through the water column or creeps along the bottom. Insightful swing weight design ensures that the LIVE SHRIMP is slightly off balance, creating a realistic wobble as the lure descends or retrieves along the bottom or within the water column. Interchangeable rotating weights allow anglers to adjust the rate of descent of the LIVE SHRIMP through the water. An ABS plastic body stands up to abuse from rocks, shell beds, mangrove roots, and angry coastal predators, while high-action floating TPE legs deliver twitchy flapping action during all phases of the ride. Recovery. Equipped with a low-frequency caller to attract fish from afar, the LIVE SHRIMP is armed with a strong Mustad hook that turns bites into fish in the fridge. Named Best Saltwater Hard Lure at ICAST 2022, LIVETARGET LIVE SHRIMP is available in 3-inch and 3 ¾-inch sizes, each in eight biomimetic colors that will fool older, more cautious fish. The LIVETARGET LIVE SHRIMP has an MSRP of $14.99.
Discerning anglers demand quality, performance and innovation, and the Mustad family of brands delivers. Look for LIVETARGET LIVE SHRIMP, Triple Mustad JAW LOK, and LIVETARGET ULTIMATE FROG at your favorite store soon, and hanging from the mouths of trophy fish soon after!
About Mustad
Mustad has led the global hook market since 1877. Mustad’s mission is to create a comprehensive, multi-brand company that leads the fishing tackle industry, while focusing on innovation, employee and customer satisfaction, and sustainability. With the addition of TUF-LINE and LIVETARGET, Mustad continues to solidify its position as a complete family of sportfishing brands.