SHADY GROVE – A pair of longtime friends and fishing buddies from Shady Grove have been reeling in customers since 2017 with made-from-scratch lures, including the fan-favorite “Punisher.”
“We make small, plastic fishing bait for bass and crappie,” said Dylan Ellis, co-founder of Spooled Up Fishing Co. “We always fished store-bought stuff and wanted something a little bit different. I couldn’t buy it, so I had to build it.”
Using for the most part custom equipment, Ellis and Tanner Christie, both Cherokee Nation citizens, make their unique products from start to finish with liquid plastic, specially made molds and packaging. They attract customers from a company website and social media but also have products in local gas stations and tackle shops.
“We do really good with word of mouth around here,” said Ellis, an electrician by trade.
The anglers were initially inspired to create their own lures after a fishing trip.
“We stopped at a restaurant, and I drew the Punisher up on a napkin when we were waiting on our food,” Ellis said. “I asked him, ‘Hey, do you think we can make baits?’ He said, “I don’t know. What would we make?’ So, I sat there and drew it up.”
As it turns out, that first design is also their biggest seller for bass fishermen. Like many of their lures, it’s thicker than most comparable commercial products to better hold a hook, Ellis said…