Koppers Fishing and Tackle Corp.

The journey begins...
Koppers caught his very first gamefish when he was 8-years-old. He had joined his dad and a friend for a morning of casting spoons from a Lake Ontario beachfront. The quarry were Brown Trout cruising the shoreline, foraging on Emerald Shiners. Being only eight and the only angler to catch a fish that day, one would say that Koppers was officially ‘bitten by the bug’. Fueled with a new passion and exploding with energy, he crafted his own lure using an old kitchen spoon that same day.

In 1977 Grant Koppers built his first lure, shaping a kitchen spoon. He used a folded piece of coat hanger to fasten the hook to the body, while a painted piece of frayed rope acted as the tail feather.

The journey continues...
Fast forward to 1996 when Koppers starts a full-time guide business, Sport Fishing Niagara. For 11 years he chartered four-man trips on Lake Ontario for Salmon and Trout and three-man trips on the Niagara River for Muskie and Walleye and Lake Erie for Smallmouth Bass. “Guiding for me was about growing as an angler”, says Koppers, who has earned over 20,000 hours of on-the-water experience. “I went from fishing part time to fishing full time”. Koppers utilized that time to learn and grow. “You learn a lot when you’re on the water everyday”, says Koppers who closely studied the biology of baitfish, their cycles and patterns. “Ultimately, I was able to take my fishing to a whole new level”.

The need for a change...
As Koppers continued to hone his skills, he found himself challenged by Niagara’s clearing water conditions. “The introduction of zebra mussels into our waterways created a need for change”, explains Koppers. “20 years ago we fished in 3-4’ visibility and now it is common to see bottom in 20’+ of water. At the time, our water conditions were changing, but hard bait companies were not reacting.”

The birth of a new venture...
In 2005 a changing environment and Koppers’ passion to take his fishing to yet another level, created a first for the market; the World’s most anatomically accurate line of fishing lures. LIVETARGET was born.

Since the product launch, Koppers has landed Livetarget into most major chain/pro shops in the U.S. and Canada and has demand from all four corners of the world. “The market has fallen in love with our Livetarget”, says Koppers. “They have passionately embraced our products…. that is very exciting!”

The Koppers team continues to grow and surrounds itself with partners that share the same passion for fishing and a love for the great outdoors.