Thats so amazing that you actually had zero lure making skills and by never quitting you have become one of the best custom lure makers I've ever seen.
low self-esteem, I often taught my former students that the "stars" that we emulate aren't necessarily the best that there are at their "craft". But they are the ones who didn't quit.
I'm absolutely inspired by your story. I'll be showing this video to my English class (College English in Northern Minnesota) as an example of artistry through determination. We may not all be Master Baiters, (they're gonna get a kick outta that one, @alex mich) but we're all capable of putting in the time and effort to master something we love. I'll do my part to spread the message. Also, you're going to be a great father with that patience, passion, and drive of yours. Thanks for sharing your story and success. I can't wait to see where it takes you next!
There was a bait shop in Wakefield New Hampshire called "The Master Baiter" I had one of their shirts. It had some funny saying on it but I can't remember it. Lol
Ever think about taking the first lures you made and trying to recreate them with the skills and techniques you have developed? I think a video like that would be cool. There is a channel on here where a dad takes his sons drawings and redraws them in a more life-like/ realistic way and shows his son. It made me think about this video of your old lures. Just a thought! Love your videos man! And congrats on the news of being a father!
You inspired me so much I started right after I watched one of your videos and just started with a razor blade and some sandpaper. I watch your videos so much and thank you!!
Erick respect that you showed us how you started. As a little boy my mother used to say this good better best never let it rest so your good is better and your better is best and you are the best
I think you will be doing this in like five years with your little fishing partner. Congratulations on the pregnancy btw! Keep up the good work and just think in 10 years what you will be able to accomplish in that shop. To the Bob Ross of the Lure cheers friend
Paint job on the first lures is art, very decorative, a bit naive, they are perfect. The shape and technique have a very handmade/artsy vibe. Love them!
your video was not only enjoyable.... it was inspirational I am from South Africa and once started a soft lure factory. Made millions of lures and sold them all into the market but never really worked out. Had to let my passion go and the day job had to take over. Very sad about that and I still tinker in my garage with all my lure making tools. Watching your videos have been truly inspirational and I have dreams of posting at some stage as well. Wishing you all the best for you and your soon new additions to your family thanks for your videos.
For what its worth congratulations on how far you have come. You blow my mind with everything you do and congrats on starting a family I'm sure you will be an awesome father and I'm excited to see where you go from here you have already come so far. Thank you for sharing this
Thank you. I've been painting blanks for about 6 months and I've been thinking about trying to make a few stick baits on my friends lathe. After watching this video I'm feeling really inspired. It's nice to see how your skills have progressed from beginner to artisan, and that perseverence is they key to success. Great video.
I think the most important thing a creator can do is inspire others to be creative. You’ve helped do that for me. Your simple style of videos, your sense of humor and your talent has inspired me to get back into the creativity that I’ve fallen away from as I’ve gotten wrapped up in life. It’s a long shot, but I hope I can meet you someday so that I can thank you in person for doing that for me and so many others.
Aj Btz yes! My first lure was a wine cork with a balloon stretched over and then cut to mimic a frog... I was only 10, my dad fished with it but I don’t think he caught anything 🥴
Thank you for showing your learning curve, we all have to start somewhere and its good to look back to see how far you came... I enjoyed seeing them...
First Marling Baits !! Awesome video Marling Baits Keep up the amazing work Marling Baits !! Cheers William !! I love your RU-vid channel and your videos as well !! Thanks for the awesome video Marling Baits the lures that you make look incredible and spectacular !!
I don't know if you will see this, I'm an American living in Germany.... I'm 54 years old and made baits as a kid !!! I would go to the library and get a book on lures and try to copy what I saw !!! I haven't been Fishing since 1984 and want to start again !!! (That Why I started to Watch Your Channel ) Your Old Lures remind me how many I made (They were uglier than yours, I never coated them (didn't have the money (Family with 10 kids))) I learn my wood working skills and keep me out of trouble !!! I want to thank you for bring back memories of much simpler time !!! Keep up the good work, and I will keep watching !!!
You have been a tremendous help and inspiration to me in my fledgling bait production. I have learned SOOOOO much watching your RU-vid videos and just wanted to say Thank-You for your efforts. You are a true craftsman and artist par excel-lance.
I think the greatest takeaway from this fabulous episode is how truly genuine & nice you are. And l believe you can attribute your succeeding to that....the talent progressed from experience. The rest was in you from the start. The process let it out.
A couple years ago I start tying flys and jigs, but I was planning to do wood baits and this video inspire me to start doing it, thanks and keep doing that art of craftsmanship!
Glad to see you didn't giving up no matter what , it takes courage to not take no for an answer . Push forward ,learn from your missteps , and don't let those people who say you aren't good enough hold you back. Look how far you came !!!
You and The Handmade Fisherman are the two people that made me want to start making my own lures. I've been making basswood and cast resin poppers and walking baits because they seem the least complicated.
What I appreciate is your obvious passion for what you do. I would hope everyone find a passion like that and stick with it. One of mine is fishing. That is another reason why I enjoy watching you make such awesome baits. It's been really cool seeing your You Tube channel grow. Thanks for sharing.
Very nice story on how you started and where you are. That is true you have to keep on trucking and most of all you have humor on your side makes things lots easier I guess, good job get to the next bait
I have watched a few of your videos over the past years. I enjoy every one of them. You have a talent for making entertaining original content like no other I have come across. Thank you for sharing your story and how it came to be what it is now. Reminds me of my self and hopefully one day I can make baits as nice. Looking forward to what’s next.
Thanks for sticking with it, and not being afraid of being a little weird. As an amateur woodworker, and someone who enjoys fishing, your channel is like a small helping of cookies and cream Ice cream. Chill, and a little fun. Keep making baits. Keep following your weird ideas. Stay safe, be healthy.
This video easily earned my like in short order. Your honesty, humility, knowledge, and passion are far more valuable to me than the typical drama and BS that passes for entertainment these days.
Super cool seeing your progression. You are a hard working determined individual. And that drive and determination will make you an excellent father who raises an excellent child. Let me rephrase. You and Chelsea will raise an excellent child together and 10 years from now they will see these videos and be like, “Wow Dad you looked so young!” Lol.
I forget just how amazing your baits look when I watch you make them all the time, but when you show the finished products in picture form there's no question those are high quality lures.
Im a subscriber for over 2.5 years now and i finallyImade my first bait crankbait and it works extremely well and i caugth a pike that was 1.03 meters long!! And you have been my inspiration so thanks for all the content over the years
This may be my favorite video of yours I’ve seen. Reminds me A LOT of myself as a kid. I was always making my own fishing jigs and lures and never stopped challenging my creativity. I don’t think any of my stuff worked or even caught a fish but it was so much fun trying. So glad you made this video... takes me back to my childhood!
Funny, my 12 year old son has been watching your videos for months and took over my shop a few months ago in attempt to start making his own baits. I have encouraged him the best I could but had to start watching your videos to see what he is watching since he is constantly talking about "Marling Baits". I am glad you came out with this video and showed examples of your earlier work as he was starting to get frustrated since his lures were no where close to yours, and it reaffirmed what I was trying to explain to him to keep him from giving up. Practice makes perfect, keep it up..
I enjoy making lures 2 now bc watching these videos and it's so calming and it's so rewarding catching a fish with the lure I make or just seeing them swim.
Watched your video 5 times so the add would keep running. I love the raw unguarded truth and humility throughout the whole video. But when you said that that one bait looked like a turd with hooks; I friggin lost it! Yeah, my wife was looking at me like I lost my mind. Easily in the top 5 all time best Marlin Bait lure videos
I’ve been binge watching your videos on my off day today since it’s raining. This is my all time favorite fishing channel on RU-vid. You seem like such a genuine guy with an amazing skill. Thank you for documenting your work and sharing it!
Making repeatable baits is imo the most important thing. It build skill in a way making one off lures will never do. Making them identical and swimming the same. I've now got about fifteen models that I can produce entirely by hand and they're near on identical every time. It's our five year anniversary this year and we're going extremely well! I watched the early videos of yours waaaay back when. Inspirational stuff
6:34 I was going through some boxes today and found one of the lures you speak of for the wedding. I thought I had lost it in the move years ago. Glad to see you are doing well bud. Keep up the good work!
“Nothing like the wolves nipping at your heels to encourage you to get good at something” Much respect to you man! I’ve been watching your videos for a couple years now and it’s pretty inspiring to see you have fun making these quality baits. I’ve attempted a few carvings but waiting to buy a house to really start playing around with what I can do with what I learned from your content. Keep up the great work, always exciting to see what you’re going to challenge yourself with next!
It's really cool to see how you started. Not many people are humble enough to recognize where they began after becoming successful. I liked this channel before along with your work, but I definitely appreciate it more knowing and seeing this video. Keep up the great work and if you're ever in the Madison Wisconsin area, I'd certainly go fish with you. Take care, and be free.
I make my wooden lures since i was 9 now im 33 and i still love to do it. Looking at Your progress reminds a lot od my younger years and excitement that comes with it like it's very rewarding in fishing and in making a lure best to You regards from Poland.
Thank you for your past creation! I'm in my 50s and so far some of mine look like some of your early models. lol Truely its about pushing forward! thanks again.
So, I've always wanted to make my own lures. I started searching around for some answers to my questions, but the biggest was if paint would stick well enough after sealing the wood. Your videos answered that well, not only does it, but you should lol. Thanks for showing every step along the way of every bait!
I just want to tell you that I don't know anything about lures but have gotten to know your work from my husband watching your videos. We now watch them together all the time. This video is the reason I just clicked subscribe from my own account. I never really watch RU-vid but as a creative person who has also turned her skill into a means to help support the family, I could relate to you on every level about how the early works were so pale in comparison to current works after years of doing it; the struggles of selling online and things growing and being where you are NOW and never expecting it...I get all of that. 100% You are awesome, your artistry is amazing, and congratulations on parenthood!
I just started to get into fishing and had the idea of making my own. so I came across one of your videos and been watching your videos randomly. This video started playing and made me subscribe to your channel. Sharing how you started and showing examples of that was an awesome thing to do.
Love the fact you make lures for the love of challenging your creativity! Also love how you reflect on what you've learned over the years..thanks for sharing your passion for newbies like myself!
Gave me enough encouragement to get through the day. I had hoped you would fish those earlier lures now knowing you only have to have a chunk of wood to catch fish. What you had to say was much better. Thank you.
Hey Bro. You make my favorite videos on RU-vid. Yeah, I'm a fisherman and was looking to figure out how to make baits, but that's not at all what has drawn me to your channel. You're hilarious and genuine. You're living the quintessential free-American chase-your-dream-do-what-you-love life. I'm an entrepreneur too, and I know the struggle. I'm rooting for you and your family like woah.
Might encourage you to go to your local tackle shop and see if they would place an order. I’m in the process of doing this now with a friend (pouring plastics for saltwater) and we are now in 4tackle shops and just had a booth at Fred Hall...you have amazing talent anglers respect that and want to see good guys do good.
Marling, I’d love to see you go back and finish one or two of your first prototypes! I think it would be awesome to see what you come up with based off of your old clunkier designs! :)
This is cool, I randomly started lures 4yrs ago. Made 2 and stopped. Now I’m getting back into it. It’s funny that even not making any for that time I can see mistakes that I didn’t see back then. So good to see where you came from to the beautiful creations you make now 👍🏼👍🏼
Thanks I have to say that is very encouraging and funny too. Out of my first eight tries not one will swim right and I have been a carpenter for thirty years.
Man after my own heart! I also stash my first baits ive made along with my dad's and grandfather's carvings in Secret locations in old tackle boxes such as this that's really awesome to see
