Luck-E-Strike rumor

[kjackson]

Has anyone heard that Luck-E-Strike is moving to Greenwood, AR?  I was talking to a tackle rep today, and he had heard a bit about LES either moving into the Norman facility there or at least moving to Greenwood. His informants said when Norman sold its business to PRADCO, it was for the blue sky, lures and molds but the machinery and facility wasn't part of the deal.

Just curious...

[Quillback]

Don't know what is going on with Luck-E, but it has suddenly gotten tough to get some of the Norman crank bait colors, lots of the retailers are out of stock.  I will not be happy with Pradco if they quit producing some of the colors I like for Deep Little N's and DD22's.

[kjackson]

Quill-- Knowing what I do of PRADCO (long association with some of the upper-level folks there), you might hit eBay for your faves.  From what I've seen with past acquisitions, the Norman baits will be cherrypicked for those that sell best, and the rest will be dropped.  It's possible that the company will run with nearly the entire line for a year before it chops the line.

The issue is that PRADCO has a product line that is so extensive (the 2015 catalog is 3/4-inch thick) that lures will compete with one another for sales. When that happens, the one that sells the least gets dropped.  My guess is that the DD22 and maybe the Deep Little N will continue, but after that...

[Quillback]

Looks like my favorite colors, anything green pumpkin, and a few other colors are gone.  I suppose some will show up on Ebay in the colors I like, but I haven't seen them there.  Lots of crank bait manufacturers make baits in shad and chartreuse colors, but not too many make green pumpkin and some of the other unique but effective colors Norman made.  I have a stash that will last me for a few years thankfully, and there is always the Rock Crawler.

[kjackson]

Send me an image of the GP you like. I will be going to ICAST this year, and there are a lot of new exhibitors lining up. You never can tell what I might find.

On the PRADCO side, I meant to add (before I got siphoned off to do a bit or yard work) that it was three years ago or so that PRADCO was Walmart's Number One Vendor---and that was for all WM's vendors. That might give you an idea of what the company's main focus is now.   

[Quillback]

Here's my favorite "Ouchita Special".  Green Pumpkin with an orange belly.  Orange belly doesn't show up to well in this image.

 

[dtrs5kprs]

33 minutes ago, Quillback said:

Here's my favorite "Ouchita Special".  Green Pumpkin with an orange belly.  Orange belly doesn't show up to well in this image.

 

That's a great color. Used to order it from Norman's website. Liked it in the DD14, which is no doubt gone.

PRADCO is working its way toward Rapala territory, in terms of screwing up bait lines. I get the MBA angle of it, but some baits are simply better.

The new Luck E Strike can pound sand waiting for me to buy anymore of their baits. New ownership completely ruined their classic soft plastic line. May actually have to start hand pouring spinnerbait tails since they stopped making the snake tail trailer.

[kjackson]

I see why you like that...I'll put it on my ICAST shopping list.

[rps]

This thread got me to thinking. I just checked and no one has my favorite top water for sale anymore, the Norman Top Dollar.

I have seven of my original dozen I had Hughes paint. I may have to be more careful with them.

[Ketchup]

Hey quill, if and when you find a "load" of those, I wouldn't mind having a handful for myself. The best, and by best I mean numbers, size, and confidence has come from mine which didn't have the Orange. I have had a lot of guys fish out of my boat over the years who got pounded when I was throwing that bait. When asked what color that was, none of them had ever heard of a GP in a hard bait.  So yes, if you find more than you can store, keep me in mind.  Lost my last one on a biggie' on Grand a few months back.  Made me sick. I almost jumped into the water after that fish to get my bait.