When the pandemic kicked in last year, kids everywhere were getting bored; they played video games, talked on the phone, drove their parents crazy. But in the town of Youngsville, one young man embraced the world of:
Making his own fishing lures.
The summer of 2020, and 11-year old Heath Hernandez and his older brother Hayden challenged each other to make simple lures. But soon after, Heath wanted to take things up a notch.
He ordered aluminum molds and started making first-class fishing lures; plastic worms, fish and such; and when he tested an early creation in a neighbor’s pond and actually caught a fish. “I felt accomplished; it was fun and I felt accomplished,” recalls Hernandez, “and ever since, we’ve been catching fish on all my baits.”
Then he reached to an older cousin, who actually bought a couple bags, and there was more success. “He caught fish with ‘em, and said, ‘They worked,’ and after that I started selling getting new molds.”
It became a business, and the action picked up around Christmas time for his company “2 Deep Lures”. But in late January, things really start to take off. You see, Heath caught a five-pound bass—on one of his lures, of course. “After I caught that five-pound bass, I had like 20 people buying bait, and I had to make like 500 packs to sell that week. That month was crazy.”
Heath’s company is called “2 Deep Lures” because of something a three-year old Heath said while fishing with his great-grandfather. “I was always catching all of the sacalait with a little kiddie rod—a Cars rod-- and my grandfather asked me how deep was I was fishing, and I’d say, ‘Too deep’.”
Most weeks, this homeschooler is now filling orders almost every day. Via Facebook or Instagram, you can purchase a single pack of eight lures for five bucks, and Heath makes a variety of styles and shapes and colors. “Just natural colors that blend in with the color of water; if water’s dirty, I use black or brown it it’s clear, white or chartreuse or any of that.”
Brim, bass, saltwater and freshwater, there are 2 Deep Lures for nearly everything. And this budding entrepreneur IS aware that maybe, just maybe he’s accomplishing something a bit atypical for a pre-teen. “I don’t know if there are any other 11-year olds doing this,” he laughs.
It’s rare that you find such passion for anything in anyone, let alone an 11-year old. And in Heath’s case, it’s a passion for fishing. “(‘How often do you go fishing?’, I ask). There’s no hesitation in his answer.
“If I could,” he begins, “I’d fish, like…every hour.”
For more information on Heath Hernandez and his 2 Deep Lures company, via the 2 Deep Lures Facebook page.
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