For more than 15 years, Mike has had a growing side business as a lure maker. He specializes in jigs, spinnerbaits and chatterbaits, selling them to bait shops all around the area under the name of Big Mike’s Jigs.
One of those shops was Spillway Bait on the western edge of Lake Loramie.
Campbell, 53, had heard the shop was for sale, so he decided to look into it.
“This (owning and operating a bait store) is something we always talked about doing when we retired. So I guess you could say we retired early,” Campbell said.
While he spends just about every day at his bait store, he hasn’t slowed down manufacturing his fishing lures. In fact, he now seems to have more time, assembling his jigs and bass baits, filling orders from other shops in the area.
“It’s something I love doing,” he said. “And I’ve become faster and more efficient over the years. I know the shortcuts, what works and what doesn’t work.
“I’ve been making baits about 15 years,” he said. “I’ve tried this and I’ve tried that. And I have a drawer full of prototypes – stuff the free world will never see.”
He said many of the baits he makes are custom orders, styles people have used or seen before that he has the ability to reproduce.
“People will come in and say the guy died who made their favorite jig and they have only one left. And they show it to me and say, ‘Can you make this jig?’ I say, ‘Sure I can make that.’ So I make an order for them.”
To have specific jigs made, you can call him at Spillway Bait at (419) 628-3981. Or you can go to his web page at bigmikesjigs.com.
He also buys and sells new and used rods and reels. He will take a used rod and reel, clean it up and sell it at a reasonable price.
The Campbells moved from their home in Hamilton and took over the bait shop on March 1, normally a good time to open a bait store “when the weather cooperates,” he said. “We love it here (at Lake Loramie). I used to drive up here a lot and we have spent many weekends fishing here.”
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