One of the things I really like to do on this blog is to take Michigan made products and bring them to the forefront for everyone to see. Actually, the same goes for the favorite mom and pop tackle shops, good people, good service and fair prices deserve patronage. In the case of Kodiak Lures, it works out into a combination. Michigan products, and with a slight twist, mom and son website.
I had the opportunity to speak with Jeff Gerstler this past week, who along with his mother Janet, own and operate Kodiak Lures out of Tecumseh, Michigan. At one time, his father who has passed away, owned the small sports shop just east of town in Clinton, on US-12. Over 25 years ago, I can remember running into the shop from across the street where Ida was participating in the Clinton Invitation Track Meet. I don’t the coaches ever caught on!
The Gerstler’s have been operating their website for two years now, and although they have a few retail ventures, they plan on keeping the majority of their business on the Internet. Its more of a cost thing Jeff explained, to keep the costs down for the anglers and deliver at a fair price. Although their lures range from open water to ice fishing, it is the season with ice almost upon us, so lets stay with that theme. There are several ice lures available for only 69 cents each on the website.
I placed an order for a BUNCH of jigs late Tuesday night after getting my computer back from having the hard drive replaced. This morning I knew that the order has already been shipped by simply signing back into the website, typing in my order confirmation code and seeing the latest update on the shipment. I like that, because as I gear up for the tournament season on the NAIFC circuit, I don’t like little hic-ups to pop up as I check things off my lists of things to do.
The website offers several unique paint jobs in its winter lineup. Some of the lure bodies are similar to some old winter standbys, and then you have some truly unique styles. I loaded up with either three or four jigs from the “Chubby” series of jigs in sizes 10 and 12. Not to mention that there are some tungsten jigs available in size 12 with metallic copper, gold and silver. I love Tungsten jigs for the way they fish heavy but keep a small profile in the water, so I picked up more of those.
There are several spoons in the ice lineup that look promising as well. One unique one of a type I had never seen before is the Pegasus. At only .8th of an inch this spoon should be a perch and crappie magnet dressed with a small willow blade on each side of the body. Its one of the top sellers on the website so I am thinking other people have come to the same conclusion.
The Gerstler’s are also involved in helping to promote the sport of ice fishing. While on the phone I was told about them being involved in helping out with a one of, if not the biggest kid’s ice fishing clinic held in the states. I thought that’s a good thing, its always wise in helping promote a sport to get the kids involved. You get the kids inspired and the next thing you know, the parents are walking out onto the ice and drilling holes too. Then I saw that same day on the phone exactly how involved Kodiak was with the clinic. These were pics were taken from one of the ice fishing forums that I visit, under the headline of “Have you ever seen $1,400 worth of Jigs?”
From the website, they have sold jigs to the New England area to literally the other side of the world by shipping orders all the way to Australia. Orders are increasing in states as the ice sets in on the lakes, and it won’t be long now before their numbers increase here in Michigan after getting calls from friends up north that they are walking out and getting their lines wet.
To wrap this up, the jigs I ordered arrived yesterday in the mail. It took me two days to finalize this piece. Granted they were only being shipped from Tecumseh to Ida, but that is still only two days after placing the order on the website. They were ordered Tuesday night, shipped Wednesday morning, and arrived Thursday afternoon…that is pretty good service!