The Origins of Water Wood’s Durability

Coming from South America, where I most often chased peacock bass, the only hard lures I used were topwaters – such as prop baits, walking baits and some poppers – and fast floating jerkbaits. Traditional, American style crankbaits were not on the menu. But then I came to the United States and met Bassmaster Elite Series pro Todd Auten, who was then and is still now affiliated with Zoom Bait Company. He would receive WEC crankbaits from the late, great and irreplaceable Ed Chambers, not just production baits but prototypes, too. I immediately became fascinated by this specialized technique and vowed to learn all that I could about wood baits and their history.

A few years ago Mr. Chambers passed away. Today his baits are super-expensive, if you can get them at all. They’re not being made anymore. That was part of the impetus that got me to start building my own. Along the way, I’ve run into challenges of trying to figure out lip design and how to attach hooks in the most durable, natural manner, among other things. Finally, though, I think that I’ve carved out my niche, by making Water Wood Custom Baits some of the most durable in their class.

I owe that distinction to my Brazilian heritage. Where Water Wood is born, at the southern end of the Amazonas Rainforest, I can go north to fish for peacock bass, and south to fish for golden dorado. By way of explanation, there are two varieties of golden dorado. One lives in the Rocky rapids and the other relates to downed wood, somewhat similar to a bass. It was on this latter group that I tested my lures until I had them right. If they can hold up to a golden dorado without cracking or coming apart, then they’ll handle any bass that swims. I’m proud to say that I believe we have reached that point. You can cast your Water Wood lure onto rocks, run it into stumps, catch dozens of bass with it and it should still look nearly new. More importantly, it’ll keep catching bass.