Welcome to the IMA Emailer — August 2010 Issue

The IMA EMAILER brings you news from IMA pro staff members across the USA and worldwide.

It’s a month after the annual ICAST show in Las Vegas and we’re finally starting to see things settle down. Between the big trade show, the end of the Bassmaster Elite Series season, the Forrest Wood Cup and the US Open, it’s been an unbelievably hectic time for our sport. Add into that mix the big changes at both BASS and FLW and shakeups in the boating world and our sport is ready to expand.

Recession? If the mood at ICAST is any indicator, everyone is past that mode of depressed thinking and expecting big things in the coming months. Here at IMA we’ve been fortunate that rather than cutting back we’ve been able to expand our bait lineup and our pro-staff while other companies have either been treading water or in some cases they’ve even gone under. We’ve continued to innovate — constantly. You’ll see new baits from us in the coming months but the big news right now is that we’ve added new colors to our existing products, at the request of our pro staff as well as from you, the loyal customer.

The new color patterns are as follows:
Rattlin’ Roumba: Bone
Shaker : Chartreuse Shad, Double Cheeseburger, Hot Crawfish
Rock N Vibe : Ayu, Water Bug, Power Blue
Skimmer : Blue Back Herring, Bone

And all of the lures will be available in completely clear plastic.

No guts, no glory! Check out our clear baits lineup!

Elite Series pro Fred Roumbanis is exceptionally excited about the emergence of the completely clear lures. He’s used them on gin-clear, high-pressured waters in the past with great success, but he also sees another purpose for them.

“What’s nice is that you can keep a set in your boat,” he said. “Then if you go to a lake and see a baitfish and you might not have a bait that color, you can just take out a permanent marker and add some highlights that match the hatch. That’s so much better than just taking something out of your box that’s kind of similar.”

In the past, he had to spend valuable time scraping the paint off of lures to get this effect, a process that could upset their delicate balance, but now they’re good to go and ready for “customization” straight out of the package.

The other development that has him amped is the creation of a bone version of his signature lure, the Roumba.

“I’ve already caught a bunch of fish on them,” he said, noting that the different plastic used in this version makes a different noise than the standard Roumba. “It’s almost like a one-knocker. It’s louder because the plastic amplifies it a bit more so you can fish it in windier conditions.”

He especially likes bone and clear lures when fishing for spotted bass, which he believes then to “key on smaller profile baits.”

Tidewater expert Captain Karl Bunch was the driving force behind the original addition of our “Double Cheeseburger” hue to the Roumba lineup, and now we’ve added it to the Shaker as well. Like all good names, there’s a story behind this one:

“My old team partner and I used to fish lures in this color, a color that we could no longer get,” he recalled. “We knew a teenage kid with an airbrush. We’d strip down lures to get him to paint them and in exchange we taught him to fish. While he painted he ate McDonald’s double cheeseburgers, so that became our code name for the color around other people. We’d either cut them off or put on lure wraps before we came in so no one could see them.”

The bright green, orange and chartreuse that make up this pattern replicate a yellow perch, he believes, and “that’s a delicacy to bass on east coast tidal rivers and lakes.” While it may be gaudy, even around clear water grassbeds it’s deadly. “Perch don’t change colors and it’s not so bright that it’s unnatural in clear water.” It’s an absolute killer in muddy water, where the Shaker’s vibrations draw fish in and the color pattern finishes the job.”

Elite Series pro Mark Tyler hails from the west coast, fishes most of his tournaments in the east and lives in between in Oklahoma — so it’s imperative that he have colors that work from coast to coast, as well as regionally-specific favorites.

He’s a big fan of the Skimmer , which he believes to be a must-have for anyone who fishes for bass on lakes populated by blueback herring.

“That slim profile is a lot more natural that other lures in its class,” he said. “We fished Clarks Hill this year and (Lake) Murray is on next year’s Elite Series schedule. The fish on those lakes live and die for the blueback herring and now we have that actual color. It’s a perfect match and I’m really excited.”

He’ll carry other colors of Skimmers with him to adjust to water clarity and sky conditions. One of his favorites is another new addition to the lineup: bone. “When it’s overcast or heavily turbulent I go to a more solid hue to help fish get a bead on the bait. This really rounds at the arsenal.”

Tyler’s also stoked by the addition of the hot crawfish pattern to the Shaker lineup . It’s been a west coast staple on waters like the Delta and Clear Lake for years. In fact, one of his two BASS wins, at Clear Lake, came on a hot craw colored shallow crank, so he’s begged the company to produce it. Now his wish has been granted. And while red cranks are “a trigger in the pre-spawn” he said it’s a mistake to put it away at any time of year on any shallow natural lakes or river systems. “The water just has to be slightly turbid,” he explained.

On the strength of a 20th place finish in the ultra-competitive Elite Series Angler of the Year race, Ohio’s Bill Lowen will be heading to his third Bassmaster Classic in February when bass fishing’s bigest event travels to New Orleans for the first time since 2003.

“Missing the Classic last year was like a punch in the stomach,” he said. “Now we’re back on track and that means a lot to me and my sponsors.”

The Louisiana Delta is a shallow water fishery and that should play directly into Lowen’s hands. He’ll have some new products available that we’ll tell you about in coming months, but one of the items he’s most excited about (for New Orleans and numerous other events) is the addition of the chartreuse shad pattern to the Shaker team. Similar paint jobs have taken the pro tours by storm in recent years and with good reason, he said.

“So many colors are season-specific,” he said. “This one is so versatile, you can use it from the early spring all the way through the fall. Any place you have shad, bluebacks or crappies it’s going to excel. You can use it in all water clarities from clear to stained, even in dirty water. When the water is dirty, 90 percent of the fish are shallow so light penetration is still good.”

The comparatively small profile of the Rock N Vibe has taken lipless baits to new heights — you can cast it a country mile, burn it, slow roll it or yo-yo it, and it’ll always run true and relatively snag-free, even through thick grass. IMA initially brought the lure to market in a handful of proven colors, but now we’ve decided to expand the palette.

For help with that task, we enlisted Jun Shoji, one of Japan’s top bass pros. Shoji could compete well on any US bass tour, and has substantial experience on American waters, so we asked him to use his imagination and make his lipless dreams come true. We’ll have more insight and input from him in upcoming emailers, but for now we’ll focus on the result of the collaboration, which three new patterns. The first is Ayu, based on a prolfiic Japanese baitfish of the same name. It should fare well wherever a highly natural baitfish finish is appropriate — whether those prey be shiners, shad or herring

Rock N Vibe Ghost Ayu-JPN SP

Rock N Vibe Power Blue-JPN SP

Rock N Vibe Water Bug-JPN SP

The second and third options are a little more off-the-wall. There’s “Power Blue,” which as the name indicates transitions from a royal blue near the belly to a darker shade of blue on top. There’s also “Water Bug,” which is even darker, virtually black at first glance but when holding it up it’s a transparent dark purple with green flake. You may not currently have lipless cranks in these colors, but surely you have dozens of soft plastics and jigs that match these, so why not hard baits?

“I’m a big fan of solid brown or black as a base color for hard baits,” Bill Lowen said. “It’s a great dirty water color, especially in heavily pressured conditions.”

Mark Tyler agreed: “I throw a black lipless bait a lot. I was always intrigued that people would throw a black jig or chatterbait, but few people throw it in a crankbait, either billed or lipless. Sometimes the primary purpose of a color change is just to be different. There’s a reason that hot baits are hot, so always try to keep an open mind.”

Congratulations to IMA pro staffer Sean Stafford for his 10th place finish at the recent US Open on Lake Mead, an event often referred to as “the Iditarod of fishing.”

A key component in his three days of quality catches was the his use of the IMA Skimmer , which he credited for outfishing other walking baits by a substantial margin. It provided a slimmer profile but he was still able to cast it a mile on tackle capable of hauling in big fish.

(Photo courtesy of WON BASS)

As if to prove the point of this emailer, no single color got the job done. Sean used ghost minnow, chartreuse shad and a clear skimmer to react and respond to changing conditions and jaded fish.

Remember, in addition to lures we also sell apparel that allows you to show the world that you proudly use the finest hard baits on the market. We have short and long sleeve shirts available in both white and navy blue, boat towels and beanies, along with baseball hats . They’re high quality and will make a splash at your next bass tournament or out on the town.

As always, we’d love to hear about the bass that IMA lures produce for you, whether on your home body of water or on the trip of a lifetime. Please send pictures of your fish, preferably with an IMA bait in its mouth, and a short description of what made the catch memorable.

Each month we’ll pick one winner who will get to choose the apparel item of his or her choice as a thank you for supporting and using IMA products.

This month’s winner is Darren Brooks (pictured) with the nice Striper he caught on the ima Big Stik in the Delaware River. By the looks of the photo it looks like he can use a shirt!

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Welcome to the IMA Emailer — Spring 2010 Issue

The IMA EMAILER brings you news from IMA pro staff members across the USA and worldwide.

Ima spent their winter promoting at various shows around the country!!

For most of us, it couldn’t end soon enough. Much of the country was blanketed by unreasonable amounts of snow and even where the white stuff didn’t fall waves of cold fronts and nasty weather persisted week after week after week.

But if you blinked the last time you put on your foul weather gear, you may have missed the start of the BASS Elite Series season, the traditional signal that spring is on the way. With the two-event California jaunt completed, the regular season is now one-fourth over.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who follows the bass scene that IMA’s Bill Lowen shot out of the gate smoking hot, with a 27th place finish at the California Delta followed by a runner-up finish at Clear Lake. Combined, those two results have him in 4th in the Angler of the Year race, in great position to make a run at the title.

“It’s pretty awesome to start off so high,” said the understated Lowen. “I’m going to keep my head down and fish my strengths.” The self-described “river rat” is looking forward to June’s shallow water slugfest on the Arkansas River in Muskogee, Oklahoma, but before then he’ll have five opportunities to maintain or improve his standing on some of the best bass waters in the country. He’s excited about the opportunities that will bring. At Smith Mountain Lake, which the Elites are hitting a bit earlier this year than they did in 2009, the fish should be pre-spawn, which calls out for an IMA Flit jerkbait. When the tour moves south and the spawn is done, he’s counting on the IMA Skimmer to entice the big sows to bite.

Before we get into the meat of the tour season, it’s necessary to talk about what went on during the long winter. It may have been dreary for some of you at home, but we here at IMA took great pride in the excitement that’s hovering around our company.

This winter was spent building the brands image and baits at various trade shows.

“Our goal for the show season was to expand brand awareness,” said IMA USA’s Matt Paino. In order to achieve that goal, he undertook a coast-to-coast and intercontinental tour of consumer shows to explain and demonstrate what these lures can do. The IMA pro staff came along, too.

“Going to the shows is the best way to get feedback about what anglers think of our baits,” Paino added.

Paino and Randy Pringle showed off the new Big Stik and the Flit 100 at the Northern California ISE shows to great acclaim. Then Paino took off on a tour of the country, including more West Coast ISE Shows, the Fred Hall Shows, the Claremont Shows, the Richmond, Virginia extravaganza, and of course the Bassmaster Classic. In between, IMA Japan was represented at annual trade shows in Osaka and Yokohama, where pro Jun Shoji, one of Japan’s most feared anglers, showed adoring fans how to use these baits in freshwater for the first time.

Fred Roumbanis, whose IMA-wrapped Triton is the company’s rolling billboard, was excited that the economy seems to have picked up.

“I feel like it’s starting to move,” Roumbanis said. “Now instead of guys buying one bait we’re seeing them buy multiples. But what’ll really break it open for IMA is when somebody wins a big tournament on one. Then guys won’t just want to buy them…they’ll have to buy them!”

Like Lowen , Roumbanis believes that the Flit jerkbaits and the IMA Shaker should be deadly as the water remains colder than it’s been in recent springs. But he, like Pringle, can’t wait until it gets to Big Stik season.

“It should happen at Clarks Hill,” he said. “The pencil popper is huge in the Carolinas and Georgia, but I don’t think the fish have seen or heard anything like this. I’ve always had good success there and now it should be even better.”

IMA is proud to announce that our Elite Series pro staff has been bolstered by the addition of Mark Tyler. Mark, you may remember, holds the record for the largest bass ever caught in BASS competition, a 14-pound plus brute from the California Delta, but he’s experienced success all over the country.

“I was introduced to IMA through my relationship with Optimum Baits,” he explained. “I’m a west coast guy. Gradually, Matt (Paino) introduced me to the IMA lineup. He’d give me one here and there and as I began to use them and develop confidence in them, it seemed like a natural fit.”

“The first bait he gave me was the IMA Skimmer,” Tyler continued. “I was going to Oneida to fish for those schooling smallmouths and I was looking for a topwater walking bait with a slimmer profile. That’s typical of several of the IMA baits, not just the Skimmer but the Flit, too. They’re slimmer and more natural, which makes them appealing in clear water situations, at places like Clarks Hill and other topwater venues. I was absolutely blown away by the Flit. It’s different than anything else on the market. It’s so easy to use.”

While he’s a native of the west, Tyler now calls Vian, Oklahoma home, and that means he, like Lowen, is chomping at the bit to get to the Oklahoma River, which sits only 10 minutes from his house. Accordingly, he’s putting in tons of river hours prior to the water going off limits.

“I’m diligently working to try to make the Arkansas River event an advantage,” he said. “There’s no doubt I’m excited about it. I love fishing rivers and it’ll be the first Elite Series event where I’ll be able to sleep in my own bed at night.”

Even three months prior to the tournament, one lure that Tyler is certain he’ll have on his deck at Muskogee is the IMA Shaker. “That river is a square-bill throwing machine,” he said. “I’m really impressed with the action of that lure and the way it deflects off cover. Also, it’s easy to cast. A lot of other flat-sided crankbaits are tough to throw but with the weight transfer system this one is easy.”

While Tyler is looking down the line a bit, he’s also focused on the next event, at Virginia’s Smith Mountain Lake. He’s had two of his best Elite Series finishes there, 13th in 2007 and 17th last year. In the meantime, he was coy about whether he and the IMA engineers are working on any signature series lures for the future, but stay tuned — you’ll hear about any developments here first.

In the meantime, if you’re having success with IMA products, tell a friend about them. Our dealer network is expanding rapidly, but if your local shop doesn’t carry them, ask for them by name. And be sure to look out for our stylish IMA apparel, also available wherever high-end tackle is sold.

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