Lucky Strike Bait Works in Peterborough is celebrating its 95th year in business this year.
One of North America’s oldest and largest tackle and landing net manufacturers, Lucky Strike was founded in Peterborough in June 1929 by Frank “Rusty” Edgar and Elsie Edgar.
With a love of fishing, Edgar turned his hobby into a booming business from his garage. He began to improve wooden plug baits that he had previously fashioned out of broom handles.
The plugs were quite heavy and ran deep in the Otonabee River where Edgar loved to fish. The interest of local anglers was quickly peaked, and Edgar began selling his lures from his tackle box.
In 1939, after expanding the business for a decade, Edgar established a new shop where he competed with major U.S. companies.
After World War II, during which time the Peterborough plant was switched to the war production of search light parts and machine work for armoured cars, an addition was added to the plant, expanding production once again.
Today, the Canadian-owned family business located at 2286 Whittington Drive has a catalogue of over 1,800 products, including metal spoons, spinners, landing nets, and more, with global distribution and a U.S. head office in Niagara Falls, New York.
“The company attributes our longevity to its loyal staff and my family elders before me,” says Dustin Rhodes, Lucky Strike president and fourth-generation owner, in a media release. “We are really grateful that we’ve been able to do this for 95 years, while keeping the business in Peterborough.”
To commemorate its 95th anniversary, Lucky Strike will be releasing a limited run of one of their legacy wooden baits, “The Little Scamp Minnow,” this summer. For more information, visit luckystrikebaitworks.com.
