Custom Lead (Guest Review)
From Chesapeake Fly & Bait Company
by Duane Richards

I’ve always been kind of hard to please when it comes to jig heads of all types. There are so many different styles and makes out there on the market today it's enough to make your head spin. Finding what you really want can be agonizing and expensive - not to mention the time it takes to find someone that does custom work to make you exactly what you really want, rather than some over-the-counter fix that ends up rusting away in your box due to its lack in performance.

Ed Marcol, a great friend of mine, had a fellow in Colorado that was making us custom jig heads of several different sizes and styles. As time went on, these were getting harder to come by, and harder to get created the way we wanted them. So began the search for a complete perfectionist in hooks and lead pouring.

I called a sponsor of Riversmallies.com to see what he could do for us. Jim Hester is the owner of Chesapeake Fly and Bait Company located in Arnold, MD. I didn’t really know he did a lot with lead. I thought he was mostly into fly tying. But after speaking to him a bit, I knew he was dead serious about his hooks, lead, and the way he wanted things to be done, so I sent him a sample of what I was looking for.

After Jim took a look at what I had sent him, he explained what he would like to do with my jig, and I liked what he had to say. It was an upgraded model that sounded much better than what I already had. So I placed an order with him and it came to my door in no time flat. This was no small order, either, which told me he cares about his customers greatly. To my surprise and delight, his work was beautiful! He sent me 100+ custom jig heads that he poured especially for me. These are not run of the mill jig heads either. These carry some of the highest quality fine wire, sharpest hooks from major manufacturers out there today. Jim buys these hooks straight from the makers in huge quantities, so he can pass along the savings of buying in bulk to his customers like you and I. Not a bad deal, eh?

Jim’s work is surely the top of the business world. He uses premium hooks and every head looks like he took special care with it. And, at a cost that beats the over the counter goods hands down! I called Jim and spoke with him in length for over an hour each time about his work and the way he likes to make and create his wonderful custom baits. I surely found my perfectionist at Chesapeake Fly and Bait Company, no doubt about it. Jim has the passion for creating everything he makes. This passion drives him to do the best work possible in the industry, and believe me, it shows in all of his work.

Chesapeake Fly and Bait Company can make you anything you like, at any size you wish, and at a cost that is surprisingly low. Give Jim Hester a call for your next custom-made lead heads. I know you’ll like what you see. I sure did!

Chesapeake Fly and Bait Company
Custom Fishing Products
92 Jones Station Road
Arnold, MD 21012
(410) 647-0445

For more information visit:
Chesapeake Fly & Bait Co. Web Site