Welcome to Gartner Baits

Two men standing on a stone patio holding a large fish each, outdoors in winter with snow and trees in the background.

A man smiling and holding two fish, one in each hand, with a kitchen or indoor background.

I Grew up Fishing the Local streams and rivers with my dad where I fell in love with being on the river banks. Then one day my dad took me fishing on a local lake for Bass and Pike where I was introduced to top water fishing. Wow, who ever thought fishing could be so much fun!! If watching the top water lure wasn’t exciting enough, then came the explosion at the lure, O boy! I was hooked on top water fishing!

A man with gray hair wearing a white T-shirt and green pants in a cluttered workshop, holding a measuring tape and looking at it thoughtfully.

Display case with fishing lures, various colors and sizes, on a workbench in a workshop setting with stacks of wood and tools in the background.

It didn’t take me long to start whittling out some lures on bass wood, no better feeling then catching fish on your own hand made lures.

Then I got the nerve up to try and sell my lures. In 1998 a small production began, at first I sold them to friends and co-workers then I managed to land a few local stores.

A man and a boy standing outdoors near a riverbank, holding a large catch of a striped fish, with lush green trees in the background and a clear blue sky.

Stacks of wooden blocks on a workbench in a woodworking shop.

Testing of the Lures took place on local lakes, in the Muskoka’s and Haliburton regions.

A young man standing on a wooden deck outdoors, holding a large fish in his right hand and a small blue and black bag in his left hand, with trees and a swing set in the background.

An elderly man wearing glasses, a face mask, and a black face shield working on a woodworking project in a craft workshop. He appears to be shaping wood on a lathe with wood shavings around.

As I was making my lures I was also collecting Old Antique lures from the past, mainly focusing on Ontario Makers. I really enjoyed seeing the other unique designs.

String of colorful peppers hanging from a string in a workshop or garage, with tools and supplies on a wall with pegboard and a workbench underneath.

Unfortunately, my full time job became too busy and with my new born son, time fell too short to keep making lures.

A garage or workshop with various tools and items organized on shelves and in bins, a steamer, a ladder, artwork of dogs on the wall, and a string of colorful plastic fishing lures or decorations hanging across the room.

But here I am again! Back at it! With the passion to make lures again! The best part about making lures now, is that I get to enjoy them with my son who also enjoys fly fishing and making his own flies.

It brings me pleasure to introduce to you my hand crafted wooden lures made from Kiln dried Basswood, painted with Createx wicked paint and top coated with a two part epoxy.

Person using a wood lathe to shape a piece of wood in a workshop with decorations and posters on the wall, including a shark with the text 'Wouldn't it be nice to have a Shark on your side?'.

A display stand holding multiple colorful fishing lures organized by color in horizontal rows.

A display of various fishing lures arranged on wooden and metal stands in a workshop or store setting with tools and supplies in the background.

A young man outdoors in a wooded area holding two large fish, one in each hand.

Our goal at Gartner Baits is to bring back that old time topwater fishing feel with a modern flair. And go back in time, while fishing your favorite topwater lures uninterrupted by too many modern conveniences and soaking up natures beauty

An older man with white hair and glasses wearing a plaid shirt over a gray t-shirt, standing in a workshop with various fishing lures and tools, looking at a small object in his hands.

Best of Luck on the water From all of us at Gartner Baits

Two men fishing in a small boat on a body of water, accompanied by a black Labrador retriever dog. One man is giving a thumbs up, wearing a baseball cap, life jacket, and casual clothing. The other man is sitting with the dog, wearing a red vest and plaid shirt.