I never intended to create this company, it just happened and it's the greatest thing that ever happened to me...
In 2013, my business partner and I started a brand called Lucky Tackle Box. When we created the company, our goal was to introduce anglers to the best new baits to hit the market and to teach them how to use each one. We launched with the bass box and then quickly added multiple sizes and multiple species. We had a box for virtually every angler that wanted one. It was easy. Just pack a box full of random baits and send them to anglers across the country. Things were good.
Fast forward to 2018. Competition is heating up and my business partner and the lead investor in Lucky Tackle Box asked me to create the 2019 growth plan for the company. I thought that we need to make a big move - focus our offering, be different and more importantly, be better. Better as in, make the quality of the baits we put into our boxes more relevant and create a tighter bond with our subscribers.
So I started to write the plan and while doing so, I watched as our main competitor, Mystery Tackle Box, began to introduce their own brand of baits into their monthly subscription boxes. I kept seeing their own new brands being released. I began to wonder if that was really what consumers wanted. Do people really want a bunch of house brands, or do they want brands that they know and trust - brands that have thousands of hours of product research and development behind them? My gut told me that real anglers wanted tournament winning baits from brands they know and trust.
So why go create a bunch of new brands in China and put them in the boxes?
One reason. Money.
So I finished the plan for 2019 but before I could present it, the owner and CEO, Richard Marks decides It's time to part ways. No big deal. This stuff happens all the time in business and my sincere hope is that Lucky Tackle Box continues to thrive.
Over the course of the next 6 months I sat back and thought about all the good things we did at Lucky Tackle Box. More importantly, I had the opportunity to think about everything I would do differently.
I watched as Lucky Tackle Box followed suit and completed their lineup of house brands. Approximately 10 brands in total were created, with seemingly no product development effort. They're just off the rack baits that you can get for 70 cents from any factory in China. In doing so it seemed that LTB was shifting their business from introducing anglers to the newest baits to hit the market, to introducing anglers to their brands of baits. They were competing with the established brands that they once relied upon to fill their boxes. In my opinion you don't bite the hand that feeds.
I realized that the Lucky Tackle Box I had created was being transformed into something very different than what I had envisioned. I knew what I needed to to do.
I HAD TO CREATE MONSTERBASS.
Step 1: Get money and lots of it.
So I wrote a plan and raised a lot of money. Raising money is an interesting process, and if you’re thinking about doing it and want some advice, hit me up. I’m happy to share my experience with you.
Step 2: Surround myself with people smarter than me.
I wanted the smartest people I could find to guide me and give me advice. So I hand picked the CEO’s and the smartest minds from some of the most well known brands in the fishing industry, the biggest retailers, tv networks, and big marketing agencies in the country. I literally covered my bases so that I could bounce ideas off someone way more experienced than me.
Step 3: Build a team.
I went out and found a team of like-minded people that not only love bass fishing, but would wake up every day excited to give our subscribers the best possible experience. I got really, really lucky. The team we've hired is amazing and am I'm grateful for each person on our team.
Having done these 3 things, and launched the company, here's why I believe that
MONSTERBASS is... #thebetterbox
Reason 1: 100% Bass.
We are the only fishing subscription box company that is 100% focused on bass fishing. That's all we care about and so we're going to do it better than our competitors.
Reason 2: Regional Boxes.
We’re the only fishing subscription box that has split the United States into regions. This is important because it allows us to send our subscribers baits, based on where they live and fish. The guy in Michigan is throwing different baits, than what the guy in Florida is throwing. They're both dealing with different stages of the season, so the baits we send will be specific to the conditions that they're facing right now.
Reason 3: The baits are better.
We assembled a team of experienced tournament anglers to help suggest shapes, colors and sizes based on the region and the season of where you live and fish. We literally have a Bassmaster Classic Champion & an FLW Forrest Wood Cup Champion recommending the baits we send you each month.
Reason 4: The brands are better.
99% of the baits we send you will be trusted & well-known tournament-tested brands. And we’re going to partner with those brands to bring you the newest baits, many times before you can even find them at your local tackle shop. We will create one line of our own baits, MONSTERBASS, and we're working with one of the most well-known and respected bait designers to do so.
Here's a list of some of the brands that you'll see in the first 3-4 months... Strike King, LIVETARGET, Duo, SPRO, Booyah, Savage Gear, War Eagle Customs, Z-Man, Rat-L-Trap, Daiichi, Smartbaits, Bagley Baits, V&M, Norman Lures, Keitech, Westin, YUM and more...
Reason 5: Your feedback makes your next box even better.
Approximately 2 weeks after you receive your box, we'll send you a survey to complete. You'll tell us what you liked, what you didn't like, where we nailed it and where we might have missed the mark. We will analyze that data and use it to make your next box even better.
I honestly believe that MONSTERBASS is going to change the way that bass fisherman learn about the newest baits to hit the market. I'm thankful I never got to present my plan because I know that region, season and color matter, and so I promise you that our approach to helping you catch more fish will be to send you what we believe to be the highest producing baits for where you live and fish. Not a random box of baits.
I invite you to give MONSTERBASS a try. Use code SAVE10 at checkout to save $10 when you sign up. Put our box side by side with our competitors and judge for yourself. I really think you'll agree with me when I tell you that it's the #thebetterbox
Thank you for letting me share this story.
Rick Patri
Grew up fishing on Oneida Lake in Syracuse, NY
Let's get started
← Older Post Newer Post →
14 comments
I have been reported receiving monster, lucky and mystery for about 3 months. Put each box next to each other and compare. I have since cancelled lucky and mystery cause love baits n plastics in MONSTER. I’m very happy with my boxes. Even ordered ice box want more of them also. KEEP UP GOOD WORK THANKS
Rick,
Thank you for your story. I am a huge Obsessed Bass Fisherman from Omaha, NE. When I first began to Bass fish I became a long time subscriber to both Lucky Tackle Box and Mystery Tackle Box. Thank You for Lucky Tackle Box’s Early Days. I became disillusioned with both after receiving duplicates and it appeared they were steering me away from the New Regional/National Baits I had come to love. I loved learning about them and how to use them in different situations. I wanted to know everything about baits and lures and Bass Fish. So, I checked out books on bait fish around the country, their colors, the seasons…I learned a lot. And even began making my own lures. I could tell Lucky Tackle Box and I had to part ways. At some point they lost me as an experienced Angler. Too Basic and the brands became hokie from China as you stated. MTB arrival was weird and brands became hokie too.
So thank you for sharing my story. I loved LTB the most and watched unboxings every week. Love Old Lady Angler and Flair’s descriptions. I couldn’t believe that LTB was willing to walk away from my business. I even talked other Anglers into it. I shouldn’t have. I feel So much better that I heard your story and that you are on the team I admired. Your philosophy is right on point. Except, I would argue with you that NE baits should be closer to IA than Washington…but I haven’t looked at your boxes yet from different regions. LTB really taught me about lures and baits. I really liked to watch Travis Moran too, please tell me he wasn’t apart of that fiasco. He seemed cool. Hmmm Just liked his fishing style and teaching temperament. I am so obsessed to learn and get the best equipment that I can afford that I drove from Omaha to the St. Croix Factory just learn more, test and purchase 5 rods. I learned a bunch about Rods. More than they wanted me too. Lol. I chose Daiwa for my reels, Caddis for my Float Tube and Hobie for my Kayak. Couldn’t be happier.
My overall feeling is that Bass Boxes are more for beginners than the Experienced Angler that has (15) Plano 3700 series filled with square bills, wake baits, flukes, tubes, frogs, ploppers…
However I am going to view your different monthly boxes to see if there is anything new to me consistently. I would have to see 2 new interesting items for it to be worthwhile to me.
But thanks for the info, I thought you were another Money Grubbing Hog in the fishing market. I don’t like Money Grubbing Hogs! I have never bought a Googans Squad Bait. I may never and I am sure they are good. I don’t folllow them anymore because for me its about the LOVE of Bass Fishing, the Journey not Cashing In on every little opportunity. Use to love their videos…haven’t seen one in years. I loved Rob showing me how to use the baits in his pool and the action that each bait had. That IS LOVING BASS FISHING! Learning together for me was a kind of Cool.
Good Luck and Thank You…headed to check out your box reveals by month. Thanks If you ever want feedback, I will be happy to help you. I have an MBA, I didin’t fall off the apple truck going thru town. Lol
I was with MTB in the beginning. I got tired of the promotional packages with 2 or 3 measly worms in it. I switched to LTB. LTB started strong and then something changed. They started sending crappy baits, just like “The Other KVD.” Well, if you got any baits, in the box, at all. The last box I received, I was on their Premium Tournament box and when it showed up, it was missing 3 lures. When I called the support line, the crabby old cow told me, “Sorry, no lures for you, come back next Tuesday.” She was rude and really treated me like I was the red headed step child. While I may not be red headed, I still have feelings. Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, feelings. Seriously though I kicked them to the curb fast. Let me pay off some of these bills, my children’s ex wives have racked up on my credit cards and I’ll give you a try soon.
Rick Patri,
Thank you for sharing your story, I am a subscriber to MTB, and have been since December of 2018. I new I was going to get back in to fishing with my newly interested 13 year old Daughter. I did tons of research and hours and hours and more hours of Youtube comparison of LTB and MTB. I fount that quality and number of quality products were higher in MTB, and that their home product CatchCo was getting good reviews of quality.
So now I have a full tackle box and some good products, it’s a great way to start fresh and new from nothing, it is also great for people with very little to invest in tackle. So MTB over LTB has its place in the market.
But flash forward to today. I fish a minimum of 2 days a week and all three of my kids love to fish with dad, I’m blessed! But I have also out grown MTB and find I use less of their soft bait and still love their Catchco lures but I want to expand on that. Their premium boxes are just more of the same. So Ill keep the kids on MTB because they like the Trout and Pan Fish options and I like the price, but I am looking forward to changing my subscription from the kiddie box to the big boy version. I am very glad you have raised the bar for the subscription box industry, and I look forward to becoming a member, LTB fired you because you out grew then.Im a 52 year old Retired guy, Former 82d Airborne Paratrooper who plans on spending the rest of my days Loving my wife and kids and fishing with my children. I’m sure my now 14 year old daughter will out grow MTB soon and she will be added with me.
Tight Lines
Frank Estrada – AATW
I’ve tried a couple of of box services and Monsterbass is by far the best. Higher quality products.