Our Story

How it started

I had my first big game fishing experience in 1985.

Not a single strike for two days but my wallet was much lighter. In 1995 I had another chance pulling 5 naked baits including a rigged Spanish mackerel I rigged myself with some help. We hooked up two Mahi from the fly bridge that both through the hook by smashing into the side of the boat at the gaff.

My turn as angler, I sat in the chair and watched what I know now was an 800 lb. Blue Marlin munching on the Spanish. We waited and waited but it would not eat and turn to hook him up.

After 15 minutes he simply swam away and as we brought the other four naked ballyhoo in we found that all four had been crushed but not taken by that same fish!


Then in 1997 I was introduced to my best friends lone fisherman friend who fished a 24’ Aquasport.

We met and headed out at midnight to the fishing grounds. Myself with great expectations as I had never heard or seen a reel go off screaming. Well 12 hours later headed toward home I still hadn’t.

I saw what he was using to attract fish that he called teasers and explained how they help attract fish to the other lures. One was a dock fender with a chase skirt and the other a 6” flat head squid skirt.

I said to myself after all of that money and work that there had to be a better way so my brain started working and that week I went over all of the fisheries I have fished and what there commonality of lures might be.

FLASH AND MORE FLASH!!!

That was the key.

So between me, some metal, a vice and my partners swimming pool and a Penn 80 at the other end of the pool, I finally found a working combination and the first prototype was born with no name.


The next week we were invited on a 30’ Bertram. Once at the fishing grounds I sat in the corner and tied off a stringer of 3 of these new (blades) with a chase skirt to the corner cleat. 10 minutes later I felt a slight tug on the corner and then the reel went to screaming on the opposite side as we were hooked up!

50+ lb. wahoo of which I had never seen.

I pulled my new teaser in only to find the first blade was crumpled with large teeth marks across it! I said,” Damn! We got a winner!”

From that trip on there was a lot of refinement, mistakes and finally today’s RIPPIN HOO TEASERS.

We’ve just begun.

2019

tournament proven

At Rippin Hoo we build the best teasers money can buy.

Our Core Values

At Rippin Hoo we build the best teasers money can buy.  No Compromises!