Little Lures, Big Impact

There’s not really a debate over how Todd and Sharon May became the fifth Midwest family to take ownership of Tom’s Tackle.

“I guess I could say I’m kind of responsible,” Todd said with a hint of mischief.

Todd, a Valley City native, has always loved to fish. When he brought his wife Sharon home to North Dakota from their time living on the East Coast, the two continued to bond by boat. Fishing trips from their home in Horace to Minnesota’s Lake of the Woods became standard. “I always go for that elusive 30-inch walleye,” Todd said. “Everybody's still trying to find ‘em.”

But back in 2020, instead of spotting that monster walleye, something else caught the Mays’ eyes – a “business for sale” sign. Tom’s Tackle was up for grabs, and the couple was ready to bite. Sharon always had an inkling to own a small business, and Todd knew the handcrafted jigs and lures were the best on the market.

“It’s a standing tradition at Lake of the Woods. If you're buying jigs, all the jigs are Tom's Tackle. It was so well known up there that we thought there's no reason why we can't sell these great jigs in North Dakota,” Sharon said, elaborating on their plans to bring Tom’s Tackle to Devils Lake, Lake Sakakawea, Lake Ashtabula and beyond. “We were like, well, we could do this.”

Tom’s Tackle got its start back in 1959, the brainchild of Tom Nichol of Baudette, Minnesota. Although the business has changed hands five times over 66 years, the quality of the product hasn’t wavered. The tackle is known for its razor-sharp hooks and jig paint that’s nearly indestructible – important for fishing over the rocky lakes and rivers of the region. Most alluring of all, Tom’s Tackle uses real 24-carat gold plating that never rubs off and forever maintains its luster.

“We had to do a lot of testing and research, and Lake of the Woods, like the Red River and other lakes, is very muddy water. And when you put that gold jig in there, it grabs the light. You can actually see it in this briny water,” Todd explained.

“There’s a scientific side to that, too,” Sharon added. “Fish see only a few colors. They see contrast, shades of black and white, chartreuse and pink. And in that color spectrum, gold is the closest color to black, so fish will see that … no matter what the light conditions are.”

The Mays had a strong, well-respected product that was flourishing locally on word of mouth. To expand the reach farther, they decided to bring their main production headquarters to Horace, taking advantage of Fargo-Moorhead’s mail distribution opportunities and the closer proximity of family helpers. Along with their shop in Lake of the Woods and the local businesses that sell their product, Tom’s Tackle also ships out around the country, with heavier out-of-state sales in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa and Montana.

The nationwide appeal of Tom’s Tackle hasn’t shaken the Mays’ strong focus on the needs of their neighbors. The duo is proud to make custom jigs and tackle kits for those who are searching for the perfect gift or giveaway. In fact, both Cass County Electric Cooperative and its wholesale power supplier, Minnkota Power Cooperative, commissioned co-op-branded kits for special events. And now, as a member of the Pride of Dakota cohort of North Dakota small businesses, Tom’s Tackle has even more in-person opportunities to hear the ideas and requests of local anglers.

Todd and Sharon thrive when they’re connecting with the community. Tom’s Tackle has become a strong philanthropic partner in several initiatives to make fishing more accessible, including early involvement in Minnesota’s Keep It Clean campaign to keep garbage and waste out of the state’s lakes. The Mays are also proud to donate to the state’s Take a Kid Fishing program, as well as the Walleye Master Pay It Forward charity event for veterans.

“To get them to fish is phenomenal, because you just see their openness to talk to other veterans that are in the same situation that they're in,” Todd said. “We do a spinner blade every year that's red, white and blue. It says, ‘Fishing with Vets,’ it has the year on it, and we donate the tackle – whoever’s involved gets one, including the vets and the guides, just as a keepsake.”

In the end, it truly doesn’t matter what led Todd and Sharon to buying a little tackle business in northern Minnesota. What matters is what they’ve done with it – and what they will continue to do.

“We just want to make sure we’re top notch in what we do, and we do rank amongst the best when it comes to our jigs and our spinners,” Todd said. “We’re dipping our toes in the water yet to find the next niche that we can get into and make better.”

Find them at tomstackleinc.com