Strike King Deuce

What's new for the 2006 lure market? There's a little bit of everything, from buzzbaits to spoons. Saltwater anglers will notice the biggest batch of new lures in years, but there's plenty for freshwater fishermen, as well, as manufacturers bring out entirely new lines of baits and dress up classic favorites with new colors and sizes.

Here are some of the new lures you'll find at your tackle retailer this year.

BUZZBAITS
Strike King Deuce -- The Deuce is double trouble for bass. Twin counter-rotating blades create extra lift, enable a slow retrieve, and make a lot of bass-attracting commotion. And this new lure is available in 1/4-, 3/8- and 1/2-ounce sizes and comes in four colors.

CRANKBAITS
Bomber Lures Model 4A -- Bomber introduces a new number to the Model A series. The Model 4A, which covers the 3- to 6-foot-depth range, is buoyant and features a highly deflective lip.

The result is a crankbait that can be run near any kind of obstruction, which causes the lure to deflect and trigger strikes.

Cotton Cordell Jointed Grappler Shad -- Following up on the popularity of the Grappler Shad, Cordell has released the Jointed Grappler Shad. The jointed body gives the lure a wounded-baitfish action.

This lure features 3-D eyes and gill plates, heavy-duty split rings, and bronze hooks. It is available in 14 colors.

D.A.M. Effzett Super Natural Series -- With the recent alliance between Okuma Fishing Tackle and D.A.M. International, products with decades of proven success are now being offered in the U.S. The company's newest offering is the Effzett Super Natural series, featuring lifelike finishes, shapes and action.

The Perch and Pike models are ideal for catching muskies or pike. Every lure is rigged with VMC hooks, stainless-steel split rings, and a durable plastic lip. Sizes range from 2 1/2- to 6 1/4-inch lures.

Luhr Jensen K-11X X-treme Kwikfish -- The K-11X Kwikfish, available in 26 finishes, features fixed eyes and side-to-side body construction. Other features include stainless-steel split rings and extra-strong round-bend hooks.

The lure dives to 12 feet with no tuning and is ideal for anglers trolling or back-trolling for medium to large game fish.

Mann's Stretch Imitator Junior -- Mann's Stretch Imitator Junior is a smaller version of its big brother, the Stretch + Imitator, which is a scale model of an 8-inch menhaden.

The famous patented lip provides the deepest diving depth possible. This lure is available in eight baitfish color patterns.

Rapala X-Rap Series -- Last year, Rapala introduced the X-Rap 10.

This year, they've added four new bodies to the X-Rap line of minnow baits: the compact, suspending X-Rap 8; the X-Rap 14, sized to handle lunker game fish; the X-Rap Jointed Shad, made for slow, enticing retrieves; and the deep-diving (down to 30 feet) X-Rap Magnum 30.

Rebel Tracdown Minnow -- Rebel's Tracdown Minnow sinks at a rate of 1 foot per second, allowing anglers to count their lure down to the exact depth where fish are suspended.

This minnow lure is available in four colors.

Spro Aruku Shad -- With its nose down on the bottom, Spro's Roland Martin Signature Aruku Shad resembles a feeding baitfish, which will entice bass, redfish, trout and other game fish.

Almost entirely weedless, the lure features super-loud rattles and Gamakatsu hooks.