Arkie Lures Inc. Information

What started out with $30, a lard bucket full of tire weight and an idea in the early '60's transformed into the company today known as Arkie Lures Inc.. Founded by Bob Carnes, Arkie Lures soon revolutionized the Bass Jig market into what it is today. At the time, a "Bass Jig" consisted of no more than a banana head jig head, with deer or squirrel hair tied on, and a pork trailer. Jig fishing was a "local" thing, everyone made their own home made lures and they stayed in the local area. As an above average fisherman himself, Bob was on a quest to make a better Bass Jig. After several tries a "balanced" jig head was born. Virtually every bass jig on the market today comes from some variation of Bob's first production jig. To get the balance better, the hook eye was moved to the front of the jig, helping to "balance" the jig even more. Then came the modern day "fiber" weed guards, which replaced the wire and rope guards of the day. Add to this, a new skirt material for a jig... Rubber! Originally from strands of a women's girdle, the rubber jig skirts soon won local and regional tournaments, and as word spread, national tournaments, including the Bass Masters Classic, and Red Man All American. Many lake and state record bass have fallen for the Arkie Jig through the years as well. While the rubber skirts have evolved into the popular silicone skirts of today, Arkie Lures still hand ties Bucktail Bass jigs to this day. The silicone skirted, eye forward, "arkie" style bass jig has become the industry standard for what is called a "bass jig". Today, Arkie Lures continues on with its fish catching designs, with lures such as the Crawlin' Grub, and Crawlin' Fry, the ever popular Shinee Hinee crappie jig, and a huge assortment of Walleye, Crappie and Panfish jig heads and plastic lures. For nearly 50 years now, the Arkie Jig has found it's way into the hearts, and tackle boxes of millions of fishermen.