Maple Grove Fishing Lure Business Hooks Customers

A Maple Grove business is proving to be quite the catch.

What started as a one-man operation in a garage has grown into world-class brand of custom fishing lures.

Workers at Throwback Swimbaits create highly realistic lures that attract big-game fish like musky.

Kyle Buchholz, a father of six, started the company after his wedding videography business stalled out during the pandemic.

“I kind of love the grind a little bit,” Buchholz said. “I love facing adversity.” 

He’s also loved fishing since he was 2 years old, and after casting some swimbaits, he thought he could make them himself.

“I bought a block of wood off of Amazon, and then like a $10 wood carving set and just whittled,” he said.

After lots of trial and error, testing prototypes, and growing his Instagram followers, Buchholz thought he had a product that would sell.

“I had no clue what I was doing. No clue,” he said. “I started selling them and we would do 10 or 15 at a time. It took me two weeks to make 10 baits then. We would drop them online and they would sell in a minute.”

Throwback Swimbaits founder Kyle Buchholz gives CCX News a tour of the manufacturing site.

Casting a Large Net of Customers

Since then, demand for his product has only grown.

These days, Throwback Swimbaits sells 1,500 lures a month, both direct to consumers and in major retailers like Tackle Warehouse and Scheels.

“We have the best customers in the world,” said Buchholz. “We call it a family, because they are wonderful. They support us.”

Buchholz and his two business partners employ about 10 people.

“Probably hire one to two people every six months — it’s just been growing, and growing,” he said. 

He credits the success to perfect timing, hard work and focus on quality.

“For merch, if I wouldn’t wear it, we aren’t going to put it out. If we’re making baits, if I’m not going to fish it, we aren’t going to
make it. Everything we do is intentional and everything we do is us,” Buchholz said.

He dreams of the day when Throwback Swimbaits becomes a household name, but won’t ever forget those lessons he learned in the early days.

“Be patient. It takes a long time, everyone’s success takes a long time. Nothing comes easy. The more hard stuff you go through the better you will be on the back end,” Buchholz said.

Throwback Swimbaits is very much a family operation.

Buchholz’s wife Nicholette handles payroll, his mom his keeps the books, and his brother is the accountant.

To keep up with production, Buchholz plans to expand soon, moving from their current 2,700-square-foot location to an 8,000-square-foot facility in Otsego.

See also: Brooklyn Park Police Reel in the Fun at Kids Fishing Event

Maple Grove