My love for the outdoors started early—hunting and fishing alongside my dad. I caught my first fish at age three, and by seven I was whittling small wooden lures from cedar blocks he handed me at horse shows. I painted them, fished them, and to my surprise—they worked.

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    I grew up on a farm on the outskirts of Chattanooga, TN, surrounded by creeks, ponds, and a wide swamp that shaped who I am. By eighteen I had my first bass boat, pulled by a Jeep CJ-7, my brother Mark and I spent many days on Chickamauga Lake and the Big Tennessee River. Still, that swamp held my heart. It’s where I had a small cabin, ran a trapline, fished, hunted, and landed my biggest bass—13 lbs. 2 oz.—while wading through lily pads, sawgrass, and a few unfriendly snakes.

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    These days, you’ll find me on my home pond or the Big Tennessee River, with my son chasing smallmouth—our beautiful state fish we never get tired of catching. I’ve always admired legends like Tom Mann, and I’ve been fortunate to learn from friends like Bill Phillips, who worked with Tom back in the day. He even joined me for a fishing seminar at my kids’ school.

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     I’ve hand-loaded my own ammunition and crafted my own lures for years. Now, I’m sharing the crankbaits and natural color patterns that consistently produce for me. I focus on creating realistic lures that resemble the fish’s natural prey—not flashy designs made simply to catch the fisherman’s attention.  —aiming for the fish’s eye, not the fisherman’s.

      Enjoy the cranks, and may they bring you plenty of fish. And remember: no matter how long you’ve been on the water, there’s always time for one more cast. That’s usually when the big one hits.

     —Michael Martin