Fishing Buddies Turn Eco-Friendly Idea Into Booming Business
LITTLETON, Colo. (CBS4) - Three friends from Littleton are finding success in the sportsman's world with a sustainable fishing business model. Erik Peiker, along with friends Tyler and Jared Roley, saw the world underwater deteriorating from pollution.
"You know we really saw a problem with all the plastics in the waterways. They're lasting 200 plus years underwater," said Peiker, Co-Founder of Colorado-based Bio Bait.
They couldn't keep fishing and ignore the problem.
"We've known each other since we were 13 years old. We've been fishing buddies forever, and we wanted to make sure that year after year, that [fishing] stays good," said Peiker.
The trio discovered a plant-based formula they believed would make a positive change. They applied it to fishing lures and Bio Bait was born.
"I can't tell you the total formula, but it's over 90% plant-based formula, and it's infused with a fish oil so it never dries out."
It's been only two years, and the team is still just the three friends, but business is booming.
"We're literally working all day from 6 to 8 o' clock at night we're like, we got to go out and fish for an hour, just cause we're addicted," Peiker laughed.
The three manufacture the lures with their own molds and are careful to incorporate the smallest detail, making the lures as life-like as possible. Peiker points out that Colorado fish are over-fished and therefore harder to fool than most.
"We just had to tweak it and tweak it until it was perfect, til anglers told us, 'hey we want more' and that's literally how we spread."
Peiker didn't hesitate when CBS4 asked to see how well the lures worked. On Tuesday, Bio Bait hit the water with reporter Jamie Leary.
"With our leech stuff here, you just kind of cast it out, let it hit the bottom and just kind of slowly move it. It's for when they're a little more finicky."
Despite the boat traffic and the heat of the afternoon, the Chatfield Reservoir Walleye were biting and with sustainable bait, Peiker believes it makes the experience even better.
"We love it. We're passionate about it, we show up we're doing something we believe in that's making a positive impact for the fishing community and if we can make a living at it, even better."
Bio Bait has also been working with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, which frequently uses the bait for casting clinics. It hopes to push sustainability even further into the fishing world, down the road.
Right now, if you buy a fishing permit for a friend, you can turn your receipt into CPW for a chance to win two, $300 fishing prize packs from bio bait.
