US lure brand is resurrected after being defunct for a decade

US brand Delong Lures has being resurrected after being defunct for more than ten years.

Brothers, Brandon and Aaron Futrell, and their cousin, Stephen Ziegler, have resurrected the brand and brought it back to its birthplace.

Founded in Akron, Ohio, in 1946 by David Delong, the company is thought to be the first to pour the soft plastic worm baits that would revolutionise fishing. Delong Lures became a staple in bait and tackle stores across the US. In 1950 Delong moved the company to Centerville, Ohio, where it stayed for several decades before being sold to a tire manufacturer near Detroit, Michigan.

Delong Lures continued to produce many of the same baits, but the company’s focus began to shift with changing consumer demand and by the mid-Nineties it was a shadow of its former self. The business was sold again in 1998 and moved to Valparaiso, Indiana, where it enjoyed a resurgence. Many of the old lures were reintroduced, along with new ones that included the now famous Muskie line. However, the tide would turn again with the economic crash of 2008 and Delong ceased production in 2010.

Now Ziegler and the Futrell brother have brought the business back to life back where it started in Ohio. The trio had fished with Delong lures since high school and jumped at the chance to own their favourite lure brand.

“We are bringing the company full circle,” said Aaron. “Delong started in north-east Ohio so it is like we are bringing it home. We are excited for this next chapter and cannot wait to add to its iconic history.”

The new company has started production in Canal Fulton and plans to supply retailers right across the country. Favourites, including the Giant Witch, The Flying Witch (pictured), Twin Tails and the Kilr Eel are being produced using the original moulds and scented with David DeLong’s original formula.