Mr. B Spinnerbaits was founded in 1974 by “Mr. B”, Bob Peters. At that time Bob was a pretty regular angler, but probably not yet obsessed. Like many anglers, he thought he could improve upon the existing bait designs of the time. He started to tinker with making his own spinnerbaits, and soon was sharing those creations with friends and co-workers. Those friends and co-workers started introducing their friends, and soon Mr. B had a pretty loyal following.
By the start of the ‘80s, Bob had joined a couple of local BASS clubs and was regularly fishing their local tournaments and doing quite well. Bob started winning some events and finishing near the top at many others. He took the opportunity to market his spinnerbaits, and folks were starting to take notice. It was not long before he was supplying spinnerbaits to BASS clubs throughout Ohio. As popularity was growing, Mr. B started setting up booths at every local Sport show/Fishing expo throughout the state and small tackle shops started carrying Mr. B Spinnerbaits. Always ready to put on a show of his own, Bob would often draw crowds to his booth as folks gathered to watch him build his spinnerbaits on the spot while interacting with the crowds, and likely telling tales of the ones that got away. Growth was happening fast and working a full-time 3rd shift job made it challenging to keep up. But, with the help of family and friends he was able to sustain the growth.
In the early 80’s, Bob had become somewhat of a mentor to a young angler he met through the local BASS club. Just a teenager at the time, it was clear that this kid had the skills and determination to be an excellent angler. He and Bob fished a few tournaments together, and Bob realized quickly that this kid was going somewhere. He eventually became Mr. B’s first sponsored angler. It was a simple agreement. Bob would provide him with lures, and he would keep winning tournaments and telling everyone that he was using Mr. B Spinnerbaits. It turned out to be very beneficial for both. The kid grew into a young man that was very quickly rising through the ranks as a professional fisherman. Bob’s guidance was always the same. He would tell him “At some point, companies are going to start offering you money to use their products. Take the money.” The young pro would stop by after tournaments, and he and Bob would talk about the sponsorship opportunities. He struggled with the decision for quite some time, but eventually Bob’s advice helped him to make the decision to take the money and continue rising to the top of the pro circuit. That young kid, turned pro, is still fishing professionally today and you probably see him hosting Hunting and Fishing TV shows of his own.
By the mid ‘80s Mr. B Spinnerbaits were being stocked, sold, and used throughout Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. Bob was still a one man show, but always had family, friends, and even customers willing to help. Bob’s wife, Nora, would pick up supplies, deliver orders, and go to every show Mr. B was at. Friends would come to paint while Bob was supposed to be getting some rest after his night shift. Everyone knew when a show was coming up because the house would be full of people helping prepare. Some weekends Mr. B would have booths setup at multiple shows. Unfortunately, trying to keep up with that pace takes a toll on your health, and that is exactly what happened to Bob. In 1987, a heart attack forced Bob to decide between his full-time job and continuing to grow Mr. B Spinnerbaits. As always, Bob made the decision that was best for his family and put Mr. B Spinnerbaits on hold. After years of pestering from his three sons Bob finally decided it was time to get back into the business. In late 2019 Bob, along with his sons, started making plans to bring Mr. B Spinnerbaits back to life. By February 2020 Mr. B Spinnerbaits was officially back in business. We are extremely excited to continue to build the best lures around and continue to add to our product portfolio. Please check out our website or Facebook or email us at MrB@mrbspinnerbaits.com.
Tight Lines,
Mr. B Spinnerbaits