About East Texas Big Bass Lures!

Ask any fisherman which strike from a fish excites them most. Hands down, it's the topwater strike. Many a fish story has been spun from a topwater-induced explosion! Those strikes alone, bring us back time and time again.

At East Texas Big Bass Lures, we create premium topwater hard baits. Baits that excite both fish and fisherman! We've been building them since 1963, and now, nearly 47 years later, owner Jim Shafer has heard more than a few fish stories!

Shafer, a retired machinist and life long Texan, grew up near the shores of Caddo Lake. As a youngster, well known Smithwick Lures was "just around the corner" from his home and with their baits being tops at the time, Jim and family found themselves throwing them, all the while looking at ways to improve their offerings. He and an uncle eventually started East Texas Big Bass Lures in 1963, making only topwater hard baits.

The use of Brazilian Hardwoods by East Texas Big Bass Lures has since given way to a Western Red Cedar variety of wood, which is higher floating and more cost effective. Recent additions, such as CNC Lathes, has allowed for the small company to produce up to four hundred lures per day in 37 different color combinations! The CNC unit utilized will turn 3 baits at a time and from start to finish, all in a span of 7 seconds.

Jim's still pretty good at whittling them down to shape by hand, but he's not that quick!

So, how do you want your next fish story to end? Tie on an East Texas Big Bass Lures topwater bait and start it off right!