Two Memphis teens have big fishing lure business

Don’t let their ages fool you. Logan Simpson, 16, and Brandon Lonkar, 15, are serious about their business. The students at Bartlett High School began Bluff City Baits about a year ago in a back room in Brandon’s grandmother’s (Virginia Cunningham) house.

“It is kind of a silly story for two high school kids to be doing this,” Simpson said.

“I mean, we have caught fish using our baits, and that brings a bit more of satisfaction in what we are doing.”

Technically, Simpson and Lonkar are in the jig-making business. They may be the youngest owners of a fishing tackle business in the U.S.

The idea of the business came in May of 2017. Lonkar was looking at some jigs in a local store. He had just brought them, and thought, “For the money that we paid for these jigs we could be getting a heckuva better product. I looked into it and kind of figured, ‘Hey, why not do it (make jigs) myself.’” And, he did. Thus was born Bluff City Baits. Well, not really. The first name the boys considered as the company name was Bartlett Jigs, but then they thought that one day they’d have to change.

“We determined that at some point we’d probably have to expand to something a little bigger with a more generic name and not so restrictive, like Bartlett Jigs,” Lonkar said. “We gave it some good though and came up with Bluff City Baits.”

Simpson and Lonkar met through their love of trapshooting . . . and bass fishing.

They are members of Bartlett High School’s trapshooting team. The idea for the jig-making company came after a trapshooting practice. That’s when Simpson asked Logan to help him.

One other person has also been an invaluable member of the team.

“A lot of what we have been able to do we owe to David Best,” Lonkar said. “He owns Primary Tackle in Bartlett. When we first started we went into his store and told him what we were trying to do. He has really been guiding us.”

Best said Brandon came by his store (6765 Stage Road in Bartlett) not long after it opened in 2018.

“They wanted to see if we could sell some of their jigs,” Best said. “I sat down with him to discuss having a logo and knowing about costing of product and price points and sourcing materials. He had a great idea. He just needed to refine and get his cost better.”

Of course, Bluff City Baits are available in Best’s store -- jigs in 3/8, and

sizes in several hand-tied skirt colors. The jigs, which sell for $4.19 each, are available on-line at bluffcitybaits.com and via social media at Instagram.com/ bluffcitybaits.

“The guy we buy the jigs from powder-coats them for us,” Simpson said. “We assemble the skirts and make all the final touches. We’ve switched over to wire-tying them. That makes them a lot more durable.

“Before they go into the package we look them over again.”

Obviously, Simpson and Lonkar are bass anglers. Logan’s personal best for largemouth bass is about eight pounds. Brandon says he’s heaviest catch weight just under 10 pounds.

For now, every expense is coming out of their pockets. Hopefully, they say, better days are ahead with the help of people like Best and future investors.

“We are buying our parts and putting them together,” Lonkar said. “We originally weren’t doing it the most cost-effective way. We met some new people and made new contacts. We’ve gotten better at making our jigs.”

Both realize the fishing tackle industry is very, very competitive.

“We’d like to be able to expand,” Simpson said. “We want to make the business something special. It’s a good story.

“We’re two teenagers from a small town. We’d kind of like to break the chain of it not being a big franchise. We want to make a name for ourselves. What we are trying to let people know is that are making our jigs one jig at a time and that we touch each and every jig.”

It would help if they had more money, but they believe that will come.

“We wish we had a big financial backer,” Simpson said. “But we don’t; it’s just me and Brandon. “We are definitely out on our own. It is our money that we make and we put it right back into the business.” Best is a believer in Bluff City Baits. “It’s a really cool deal to help younger guys get started and oriented into the industry,” he said.

“Navigating all the details can be tough sometimes and just trying to help. Our customers love the idea they are helping a couple of local teens build a business.”

Got an item or note? E-mail Larry Rea at lroutdoors@att.net or go to his web site at lroutdoors.com; listen to Larry Rea on Outdoors with Larry Rea on Saturday mornings from 6-7:30 on ESPN 790-AM and 1520-AM and 95.3 in Brownsville, Tenn., and 6:30-8 on News/Talk 101.5 in Jackson, Tenn.