Freaky Frank’s Custom Tackle is the lure that fish can’t resist.
The idea for a better lure came three years ago to Boone County native Franklin Smith while he was working at the pediatric ICU in Louisville, Kentucky. During his break, Smith thought about his passion for fishing. At 16, he got his first truck and all he did was go to the rivers and creeks to fish. But it took him a long time to become a successful fisherman. How could he improve this process for others?
Once the idea came, he reeled it in. Smith prefers bait with a lot of movement, which triggers aggression in the fish. He couldn’t find a worm that suited his preferences, so he decided to create one himself. “The idea was to design it to keep the tail sleek so it moves easy through the water but also add weight to it. And whenever you jig it, it really wiggles and has a lot of movement,” he says.
Smith sketched and sketched until he finally got the design he wanted. He found someone to cut the mold and learned how to pour plastic on YouTube, playing with different formulations of plastic and combinations of colors. A year later, Freaky Frank’s came to life.
The multispecies bait comes in Boom Boom Pink, Pond Fork Yellow, Puryear Orange, and Coal Crush Black, among other hues. “Trout are attracted to certain colors,” says Smith. “With my experience, I have been able to use the colors that I know work best.”
Freaky Frank’s most popular lures are the two-and-a-half-inch Freaky Worm, the Freaky Worm 2XL, and his “Slab Slammer” jigs. They can be found at Middle Mountain Sporting Goods in Elkins, Radio Shack in Petersburg, Main Street Trader in Mannington, and online at ffcustomtackle.com. @FreakyFranksCustomPlastics on Facebook
written by DEMI FUENTES RAMIREZ
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