TESTING BAIT: Tess Maune and Reagan Ledbetter Try Out Bobby Garland's Newest Fishing Lure

Oklahoma is home to some of the most diverse fishing in the country from paddlefish to bass and Tulsa is home to one of the country's most popular fishing lure manufacturers. 

News On 6's Tess Maune and Reagen Ledbetter went out on the water to test out Gene Larew's newest baits. The trip took the two News On 6 anglers to a pond near Bixby to fish with George Toalson. He’s the lure designer for Gene Larew and Bobby Garland baits. 

Tulsa Fishing Lure Manufacturer Expands To Keep Up With Demand 

“I've been making my own lures since I was 8. My dad bought me my own jig vice when I was 8,” he said.

Folks who fish know his lures, especially the baby shad.

“For a while, I had the number one bass lure and I had the number crappie lure in the United States,” Toalson said.           

On this day, the crew tested out his newest creation, the Slab Hunt’r in Smoke Purple and the fish were biting.

“It has a perfect tail action that imitates the bait that they're eating every day,” said Toalson.

Since Tess does more noodling than bass and crappie fishing, George showed her some of his tricks and helped her catch her biggest bass to date and while we were mainly catching bass, every now and then some big surprises came along, like a giant crappie that Reagan reeled in.

Reagan has fished all his life, so heading out on this day to work, didn't feel like work at all – for any of us.

And to think, fishing is Toalson’s job every day.

“It's just fun to go out and do,” he said. “That's why I keep doing it.”