Pouring soft plastic baits can be one of the most satisfying things a bass fisherman will do, and catching bass on lures you create can give an angler a feeling of independence. Former University of Louisiana Lafayette angler Zachary Dubois is all-too familiar with that feeling.
The former Ragin’ Cajun angler tinkered with baits and altered them long before he could have imagined his endeavor would become a business. Fishing had been a figure in his life since he was little, but tournament fishing was relatively new to Dubois when he arrived at school and joined the fishing team.
“I had always fished with my dad growing up, but I never got into tournament fishing until I competed in college,” Dubois said. “I did tons of research and I began to think about baits and how they move and what alterations specifically do to the action.”
Product design is Dubois’ forte, and at ULL, he designed products ranging from boats to handheld products that people use on a daily basis. No matter what product he was challenged with, he used his industrial design background to forge a new way to create a given product.
Shortly after graduating from ULL, Dubois created Cajun Lures and continues to work a day job while pouring his baits in the evenings.
“I was in a competition like ‘Shark Tank,’ which I pitched a product similar to popular ice chests on the market,” said Dubois. “From there, I gained a spot in a program called a Business Accelerator. I learned the fast track of how to operate a business. I really liked lures and wanted to get into that. I work at a boat design firm and was able to save some money to start my own business.”
So far, Dubois has created and altered molds for 10 bass baits while also creating a lure for crappie — or sacalait, as they call them in Louisiana. The Poodoo Craw was the first lure he began to pour.
Neil Arnaud, on of Dubois’ former college teammates, is also an entrepreneur. He isn’t as young as most college anglers, but he said it gives him a different outlook on the opportunities associated with college fishing. Arnaud works with a Cajun seasoning company in Louisiana and knows the stress that comes with creating and sustaining a business. He said he believes that Dubois understands the business aspect as well. That says a lot about Dubois, who is only one year removed from college.
“One of the things I really enjoyed about college fishing was the relationship forged between people and companies,” Arnaud said. “Not everyone will graduate college and fish the Elites, but building these relationships means everything in this business.
“Seeing the competition, possible scholarships and a spot in the Bassmaster Classic is making college fishing a big deal.”
Dubois’ inspiration didn’t come from a company’s design or his favorite bait; it came from an assignment in the college classroom.
“I created a crawfish bait in my 3D model program and gave it the action and characteristics I wanted,” Dubois said. “Then my teacher made a 3D print for me, and I made my first cast out of silicone. From there, I melted down some old baits and made new baits in my silicone cast. It was then I knew I could possibly do this.”
Creating fishing lures can be considered a hobby for most, but for this Cajun angler, it is now a way of life. Growing a company from the ground up takes work and dedication, but through life lessons on the college fishing circuit, it’s just another step in the process for Dubois.
