WAYNE COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) — When it comes to casting and reeling a fishing lure, sure, technique is crucial. But sometimes, it's what you're casting that can make all the difference.
"I really like a spinner bait, about midday, hottest part of the day, reaction bite," said Wyatt James, a 13-year-old avid fisherman from Wayne County.
Wyatt is a big believer in effective bait and tackle. He's been fishing for about as long as he could walk. "It's just something I’ve always took a liking to. I’ve done it since I was two, and I’ll probably never stop," said James.
But an "angling addiction" isn't the only family tradition that Wyatt is carrying on — when it comes to making his own lures, he's hooked! "Take where my hook’s at, second slot, push it right there, let it sit for just a second," said James, as he stands over a pot full of molten lead.
His grandparents' basement serves as his workshop, where he pours melted lead into molds to create, really, any kind of bait he wants. "Now that is probably one of the best ones I’ve made right here," James tells us as he pulls out a fresh mold for a spinner bait.
The next step in his process is where things go from more of a science to an art form. "I got pink, I got more pearl. I got like a dark green. I got a lime green," James says as he picks out his lure's paint color. "I just take this hook and jig head, heat it on both sides for a bout 10 seconds."
James showed us how he paints a jig — lime green on one side and a pearly silver on the other. "And then just heat it back up until it’s got like a thick gloss to it," he said.
When he decorates much more intricate spinner baits, he also starts with a layer of paint, but then bends wire and clasps on spinning metal pieces to attract the eyes of hungry largemouth bass. "I’ve got to take the end of the smaller pliers and make a circle, it’s gotta be just perfect or the whole thing’s ruined," James told us.
What started as a hobby has reeled Wyatt into quite the side hustle. "I started praying. I’d pray every night before bed, thinking about what I needed to do. I wanted to start selling them," said the 13-year-old.
So with a little help from his parents, he was able to negotiate a little storefront, called Wyatt's Bait and Tackle, inside The Bridge's General Store in Waynesboro. The Bridges is a newly reopened resort that invites guests to fish in their creek and nearby Rainbow Lake. There's also a geological marvel called the natural bridges and an Ice Cave on site, along with cabins, lodge rooms, a restaurant, and a general store.
We're told by management at the Bridges that Wyatt's bait and tackle is a huge hit with the outdoors-men and women who stay with them. "Six-inch trick worms, I’ve got senkos, I’ve got paddle tails, I’ve got spinner baits, I’ve got jigs," said Wyatt, as he was describing his store's offerings. "I think the last three months I’ve made $120-150, I think."
If you'd like to call The Bridges General Store to inquire about some of Wyatt's creations, their phone number is (931) 722-5589.
James says that on special occasions in Wayne County, he'll set up a table at community events and sell his baits there, too.
So what does a 13-year-old do with all of his newfound riches? Parts for his boat (that he shares with his Dad), of course. "I’m actually fixing to buy a trolling motor right now," he told us excitedly.
But what he loves the most is helping others take part in the sport he loves so much. "Hey, I’ve got people coming from all over Tennessee looking at my baits, and it’s cool," said James.
He hopes it means many more Tennesseans will get to experience the joy of casting and reeling.
Have you caught any "keepers" using one of Wyatt's lures? Send your pictures to me at Chris.Davis@NewsChannel5.com
One of the best things about Tennessee is its beauty. Reporter, Chris Davis, certainly makes the most of it as an avid hunter and fisherman. When he turned the spotlight on the potential funding shortfall the TWRA is facing - it hit a nerve with many of our viewers. To find out more, make sure to watch this story.
- Carrie Sharp
