While growing up in northern West Virginia, my dad took us fishing at numerous strip pits in the area. We'd catch tons of blue gills and I'd see these HUGE fish dad called big mouth bass cruising the shore line.

I think it's instilled in us as humans to be hunters/fisherman, to live off the land. Any way, I wanted to catch one a those monster big mouth bass. I began by asking questions, being I was all of 6 years old seems I was always asking questions...but how’s a feller to learn otherwise?

My first question was; dad, howz come they won't eat my worm? Dad said they like forage fish. Oh ok, what’s a forage fish? Answer; bluegill, shad, chubs, etc. So the idea was born. If I catch a bluegill, that bluegill could catch me one a those big mouth bass and I set out to do just that.

With my trusty cane pole in hand and a can of red worms, I headed to a corner to try and catch a bluegill that would catch me a big mouth bass. Put my worm on the hook and flung it out. My float went under and I lifted a wee little bluegill out of the water. I wasn't at all sure what to do so I asked my dad how to hook a bait fish. He came over and put the hook right under the back fin, smiled and told me to have fun.

I think he was humoring me but at the same time new it would keep me busy for a while. Well I flung it out there and watched that little bluegill swim and swim. Then I saw those two big fish coming, I pulled my bluegill in and flung it right on top of them two big mouth bass. I saw a mouth open and shut like in an instant and didn’t realize it ate my bluegill till my pole almost flew out of my hands.

I tightened my grip and the fight was on. Dad came running over to help, but by that time I had run towards the road with an 18” bass in tow. I was the hero in the family for quite some time and I was named “the fisherman of the family”.  I was forever hooked on fishing and nothing satisfied me but fishing for what we called back then Big Mouth Bass. That was in 1957 and I’ve caught hundreds of bass using bluegill or chubs for bait.

In 2003 I had health issues that forced me to retire at age 55. I was bored out of my mind with nothing to do and nowhere to do it. I‘m a member of a bass fishing forum on the internet and saw people making and selling bass lures. I’ve had extensive experience in art all through school and painted in oils and pastels, mostly still life. I thought heck I could learn to do that with my painting experience.

Not being able to deer hunt anymore, I sold my Rugar 270 with stainless barrel and laminated stock to buy equipment to start my new lure making venture. If nothing else it would give me something to do and pass the time.

Then on one of the forums I belonged to were having a get together at Lake Murray SC. And  oh how I wanted to go to that. That’s when I started TClarkCustomLures.com and started out refurbishing old lures for people to hopefully earn enough to be able to go.

Slowly but surly I started making lures but they were similar or like other peoples lures. I wanted to make something unique that would catch fish anywhere in the country. I just tapped into my roots and fishing then remembered all the bass I‘ve caught on bluegill over the years and set out to make a bluegill lure. Through trial and error, this wood and that wood etc. I came up with “Life Like Lures”. I was also a huge fan of the old Cordell “one knocker” that was responsible for so many tournament wins and incorporated it into the Life Like Lure collection. My thinking has always been to fish with what they eat on a daily basis without hesitation or fear.

Tie one on next time out and see for yourself how effective these lures really are.TClarkCustomLures.com