Take the Bait

Hoosier Bait Company Lures Customers With Quality Products

Writer / Amy Lant-Wenger
Photography Provided

Not quite so long ago, when a unique business opportunity arose for the Jerry Miller family, they took the bait, in more ways than one.

And now, some years after that first spark of inspiration was ignited, the Miller farmstead blends rather seamlessly into the rural Millersburg countryside, very near to the invisible boundary line that separates Elkhart and LaGrange counties. Traversing the narrow county roads, travelers will notice an abundance of roadside stands, where folks can find a veritable variety of homegrown wares, ranging from flowers to produce to maple syrup, along with a few treasures in between.

But then, another sign springs into view to capture a wanderer’s attention. It announces that one has reached the place known as Hoosier Bait Company, which proclaims itself as the “Home of the Stutzie Bass Killer.”

Of course, curiosity becomes awakened. And a subsequent visit with the Millers soon reveals the secret of how they’ve been able to lure their customers, very literally speaking.

The origins of what has become the present day Hoosier Bait can actually be traced to Nappanee. A community farmer by the name of Harvey Stutzman was also building a reputation as a successful entrepreneur, creating fishing bait by meticulously crafting various styles of artificial lures in the 1970s. Stutzman’s work was so distinctive, and so often requested, that he was able to obtain patents on his work by 1980, with his “ornamental designs” branded as wholly unique Stutzman inventions. Hence the name, the “Stutzie,” a branding that is christened upon several different varieties of colorful bait.

The Stutzman family maintained ownership of Hoosier Bait for a large share of the 40-plus years of its existence. The Millers became the new operators and creators of the small yet mighty family enterprise back in 2014. Over the course of the past eight years, Hoosier Bait has become diversified in providing both wholesale and retail sales, also including mail order and delivery options for those within a particular radius.

The tiny shop through which each series of lures are created is not easily discernible on the Miller farm, but it is definitely where the manufacturing hub and heart of the company is located. One of the things that Jerry Miller is most lauded for is that he can work to replicate various types of worms and other tantalizing creatures that have been proven enticing to fish. “Sometimes people want a certain color or a certain type of lure, and we can try to match it,” Miller. “Other times, we have customers with questions about the best lure to use, and I tell them that most of it depends on what you want to fish for.”  He also works diligently to stay on top of trends, whether that includes new types of lures and products, or creating top sellers in color and style.

While Miller notes that a greater share of the customer base is local, he does mention that he has received orders from as far away as New York, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. What makes this revelation nothing short of remarkable is the fact that Hoosier Bait has never embarked on any type of large-scale advertising campaign, nor have they needed.

“A lot of folks just hear about us,” Miller says simply. That word-of-mouth reputation, along with endorsements from tournament-level anglers, keeps the Millers busy. It has been only within the past couple of years, Miller adds, that they have opted to keep Hoosier Bait open on a year-round cycle, rather than keep typical seasonal hours. As there has been an uptick in the hobby of ice fishing, customers are likely to come by whenever the mood strikes.

To pay a visit to Hoosier Bait, take a jaunt to the Miller residence, which is located at 5340 S. 1125 W., Millersburg, Indiana. The business is closed on Sundays, and orders can be placed by calling ahead at 574-642-3789.