ABT Lures Introduces Swimbaits and Crankbaits

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AHWAHNEE, Calif., May 5, 2011 – Allen Borden isn’t satisfied with designing baits that simply look the part. He knows the importance of natural swimming motion when it comes to putting fish on the boat. His ABT Lures, which will be unveiled at ICAST in July, offer serious bass anglers the best of both worlds – life-like appearance, plus action so realistic, "you’d swear it’s the real thing", says Borden.

In creating his latest ABT offerings, Borden – the man who developed the “King Shad” and other popular baits for Strike King – has made dramatic improvements upon his original lure designs. “We devoted tremendous time and effort, including extensive on-the-water research and testing – to perfect the unique actions and 'natural image transfer' finishes of these new swimbaits and crankbaits, he said. “And while the craftsmanship and performance of our lures surpasses anything else out there, anglers will be surprised at how affordable they are compared to other premium baits."

ABT’s “Next Generation” family includes the new Banshee Swimbait – a narrow-profile, four-section jointed bait. It undulates through the water like a fleeing baitfish, triggering aggressive strikes. ABT offers a 4 ½-inch long Banshee Swimbait, as well as a 6-inch model. Like all of ABT’s new lures, the Banshee is available in a variety of colors/patterns that mirror blueback herring, threadfin shad, golden shiner, perch, rainbow trout, and other prey species. Additional aesthetics, including 3-D eyes and detailed scale patterns, further enhance the Banshee’s baits.

Because it can be fished at varying speeds and depths while maintaining the same action, the Banshee can be worked as a topwater lure or jerkbait. It’s also durable, says Borden. Other hard swimbait manufacturers use plastic to attach the jointed sections of their lures, but Borden employs steel connectors. This key upgrade extends the “lifespan” of ABT swimbaits. The Banshee, and all of the “Next Generation” lures, also feature strong, laser-sharp hooks for solid, positive hook-sets.

Along with the Banshee Swimbait, ABT’s "Next Generation" series includes an improved version of the original King Shad jointed swimbait, which Borden created (and Strike King popularized) about five years ago. The 3 ½-inch ABT Diving Shad is slightly smaller than the King Shad, dives down to eight feet, and produces an enticing swimming action. While the King Shad’s sections are joined by plastic, the new ABT Diving Shad boasts steel hinges. Like the Banshee Swimbait, the ABT Diving Shad comes in six different Natural Image Transfer finishes – each identical to the patterns/colors of favorite forage fish.

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Anglers will also be quick to grab ABT’s “Next Generation” X-2 crankbait off tackle dealer shelves. Available in a range of patterns and colors, including a hot stamped foil finish, the deep-diving X-2 looks like prey to predators. But, what separates this new crankbait from the rest of the pack is its trademark action. “The X-2 gets down to about 12 feet, and its tight wobble will elicit a violent response from any bass in the general vicinity,” said Borden. “The proprietary design also allows this lure to flow through the water with much less resistance than a traditional crankbait. That means you can fish it all day long – even on lighter-action tackle – without fatigue,” he explained.     According to Borden, ABT has plans to introduce additional baits to its Next Generation series – including a shallow-running version of the ABT Shad, topwater lures, square-billed crankbaits, lipless crankbaits, and even soft plastics. “We’ll be expanding our selection to include a wide array of innovative, highly productive lures priced to fit any angler’s budget", he said. “We think this winning combination of quality and affordability will resonate with fishermen looking for premium baits that don’t cost a small fortune.”

ABT’s new Banshee Swimbaits will have a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $12.99, while the new ABT Diving Shad Swimbaits will sell for $13.95 to $14.95 (MSRP). The new ABT X-2 Crankbaits will have an MSRP of $8.99. For more information on the complete lineup of ABT lures, including the “Next Generation” models, visit the new ABT Lures website: www.abtlures.com.