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Rebel Lures began with an angler identifying a problem that he and others continually faced and using innovation and technology to solve that problem. More than six decades later, a desire to solve angler problems through innovation remains at core of this iconic brand of fishing lures, which is based in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

George Perrin, who was owner of the Plastics Research and Development Company in Fort Smith in the early 1960s, had grown frustrated with the inconsistency of balsa lures and the common issue of the baits taking water, which would deaden the action. Perrin set out to develop a plastic minnow-imitating lure to avert those issues. His successful creation, which came from multiple prototypes tested in Lake Ouachita and the pool at Mountain Harbor Resort, drew major interest from the local angling community. In 1962 Perrin launched Rebel Lure Company with the Rebel Minnow, which remains in production today as the F10 Rebel Minnow.

The durable and true-running plastic minnows changed fishing for many anglers, and the Rebel brand, which was named for the mascot of Perrin’s daughter’s high school, surged in popularity. Success of the Rebel Minnow also prompted demand for other lure styles created from plastic, and it wasn’t long before Rebel Lures became the bulk of what was produced at the Fort Smith plant.
Passing the Test of Time

Like the Rebel Minnow, several lures created by Rebel over the years have more than passed the test of time and have in fact become icons in the fishing world and remain extremely popular. Three of the brand’s most best lures, the Pop-R, Wee-Crawfish and Crickhopper, are now central to entire families of popular Rebel Lures because of the needs they meet for anglers.

The Pop-R, which is one of five fishing lures to be featured on postage stamps in a series that will be released this month, is considered the forerunner to many modern poppers. Interestingly, its initial release in 1978 was unceremonious, and light early sales led to the Pop-R’s discontinuation only two years later. However, that was enough time for the right professional bass fishermen and guides to find the Pop-R. It was one of those “secret lures” producing tournament wins, and it was only a matter of time before word got out. When word leaked, demand surged, leading to a re-release. The Pop-R has been one of the world’s most popular fishing lures since that time, and Rebel currently offers six different Pop-R models.

The Wee-Crawfish and Crickhopper were both landmark lures, as crankbaits molded to match the real shaping of non-baitfish forage species. Both exhibit key characteristics of the Rebel Lures brand with their natural appearance and multi-species appeal. Both are also easy to fish effectively by anglers of all ages and experience levels, another stand-out trait of the Rebel brand.

The original Wee-Crawfish, introduced in 1980, is 2 inches long and shaped to match a crawfish in a defenseless, craw-tucked position. It was an immediate hit and soon spawned a series of Wee-Craws that currently includes seven models ranging from 1 1/4 to 2 5/8 inches. The Teeny Wee-Craw and Deep Teeny Wee-Craw, especially, are exceptionally popular for fishing in creeks and ponds.

The Crickhopper, which was introduced In 1989, complemented the Wee-Craw Series to help build the Rebel brand’s niche with “Critter Baits” like the Bumble Bug, Wee-Frog and Hellgrammite. The Crickhopper also set a precedent, as a dual-action crankbait that could be fished as a topwater lure to match a cricket or a grasshopper displaced from land and struggling on the surface. The extreme popularity of the Crickhopper prompted Rebel to follow with the slightly larger Bighopper and the Crickhopper Popper, which has a cup on the face, so it pops on the surface.
Brand Traditions Continues

Through its 60-plus-year history, the Rebel brand has delved in multiple areas, including many styles of lures, once-popular double-tray tackle boxes, and even bass boats. During the early years of national bass tournaments, the Pop-R and the Wee-R crankbait series made Rebel a key brand with dedicated bass anglers.

Unchanged in the Rebel’s tradition is a dedication to solving angler problems through innovation and producing quality fishing products that make it easy for anglers to enjoy a day’s adventure in a creek or beside a pond or lake. That continues with the brand’s most recent releases: Matte Series colors for five Wee-Crawfish models and three Crickhopper models, and an entirely new series of LIVEflex soft-plastic lures.

The Matte Series finishes eliminate glare, adding an extra measure of natural appeal to new colors in the forage-imitating Wee-Crawfish and Crickhoppers. The Matte Series Crickhopper colors use a unique photo printing process to match specific cricket and grasshopper species.

Although Rebel has offered soft-plastic lures in the past, it has been many years. The new LIVEflex Series baits match the Rebel brand’s legacy, with highly natural imitations of popular menu items for fish. Small, at 1 3/4 to 2 inches, these baits offer major multi-species appeal. Two baits in each package come pre-rigged on matching KEG Head Jigs, adding the ease-of-use aspect that characterizes Rebel Lures.

The LIVEflex material offers tremendous toughness to make baits last and stay properly rigged, and buoyancy, which aids natural presentations. It also contains a strong scent attractant. Initial baits in the series – the Creek Craw, Hopper, Shore Shiner, Creek Creature and Cata Crawler – all imitate popular forage for multiple fish species.
Matte Series Rebel Wee-Crawfish Models.

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By Jeff Samsel