Today we’d like to introduce you to Ethan Stoops.
Hi Ethan, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
We both grew up trolling for big game fish in Northern Michigan, thinking that was the only productive way to fish. After years of trolling over massive schools of uninterested fish, we began to rethink our methods. One summer, It occurred to us that we could target those big schools of fish by vertical jigging. It only took 1 trip before we got completely hooked! Jigging was by far the most engaging type of fishing we had ever experienced. To visually see a school of fish on the graph, drop down, hook up instantly, and fight them on light tackle was tremendously addicting.
After weeks of using many different vertical jigging spoon types, we concluded that there was a huge insufficiency of high quality made in the U.S.A. Products. We made it our mission to make the best vertical jigging spoons ever created with unrivaled super glow colors.
Before starting production in 2021, we made several refinements to make the most effective Jigs possible. This included various hook configurations, lure colors and color combinations, total weight & body shape, and enhanced processes for increased durability and product life. We now offer Vertical jigging Spoons and Jig Heads in a variety of colors and sizes.
All Mission Lures products have been tested and proven to be very effective in the Great Lakes Region. All lures are currently handmade in our workshop on Old Mission Peninsula.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Initially, it seemed like a very smooth road for the startup of our business. We had a dream, and anything seemed possible, but we had encountered many obstacles like most businesses do. Some of those obstacles included
• painting processes
• packaging solutions
• sufficient marketing
• learning the accounting processes
We’ve been impressed with Mission Lures, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We have worked with many charter captains in our development process to discover what color combinations are the most effective. We were able to receive instant feedback on our lures which allowed us to shape our product offerings around that valuable information. We are most proud of the exceptional quality and durability of our products derived from countless hours of testing.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to us is customers satisfaction. We love to hear and see the success of our lures on the water from our customers. We really enjoy seeing photos people send us with fish they caught on our products. Customer satisfaction is important to us because we put 100% effort into making the best products we could make. To hear stories of people enjoying our lures makes it all worth it.
Contact Info:
- Website: Missionlures.com
