SteelShad™ Fishing Company Receives U.S. Trademark Protection

SteelShad^™ Fishing Company Receives U.S. Trademark Protection

The SteelShad™ draws vicious strikes in both freshwater and saltwater. Now, there’s no duplicating it’s unique shape and aggressive action.

East Dorset, Vermont (November 4, 2020) – Most fans of SteelShad Fishing Company’s highly acclaimed lure, The Original SteelShad™, realize this aggressively reverberating lure just drives fish crazy. What they may not know, however, is that infuriating action is derived from a shape that is functional, exclusive and perfected.

Just how original is that shape, you ask? “To be sure, it’s one of a kind,” says Stephen Price, President and CFO of SteelShad. “In fact, it’s so vital to the lure’s tremendous productivity that we recently received trademark protection for the shape itself. Now no other lure in the USA can exactly copy our shape and design – testament that points to the uniqueness of our product while protecting the SteelShad’s exclusive fish-attracting ability from duplication going forward.”

Indeed, the Vermont company’s motto: “Any Depth, Any Fish, Any Season,” highlights the SteelShad’s amazing ability to light up a wide variety of predatory fish species ranging from freshwater bass, muskie, walleye, trout, perch and panfish to saltwater favorites including redfish, snook, jacks, striped bass, bluefish, false albacore and more. The SteelShad catches fish on the flats, along channels, in back bays and ocean waters, as well as in rivers, lakes and streams. It’s productive year-round, even through the ice for hardwater action. Simply put, “Fish Bite It!”

“I really do find it amazing how this lure can score in so many environments and under such varied conditions,” says Kevin Lewis, CEO of SteelShad, “but in the end, it all comes back to that unique shape. Cut to imitate a shad, it casts a country mile, reverberates with ferocity when reeled or trolled at high to mid-speeds, and responds more tamely at a slower pace. It gets down quickly into the water column, digs in on the retrieve, and allows anglers to cover an area as quickly or slowly as necessary to match conditions from dawn ‘till dusk.”

Because the SteelShad was not patented in the early days, the SteelShad Fishing Company chose to apply for trademark protection for the unique shape of the Original SteelShad to prevent its lure from being duplicated as it grew in popularity. “To that end,” explains Price, “we had to establish that the shape of the lure was both unique and widely recognized. We had no problem proving the shape was unique, but we were also able to make the case based on surging sales across the country last year to fully demonstrate that we were widely known in the USA.”

Examine the SteelShad’s shape and you’ll quickly see how closely it mimics a shad in both size and color. That makes it easy for anglers to match the hatch nearly anywhere they fish since that shad shape is also representative of a wide variety of other baitfish species in both freshwater and saltwater environments. Next, trace the curvature of the SteelShad with your finger. It’s that smoothly curved edge, along with perfect weight placement and a slightly larger size than similar weighted bladebaits, that drive the SteelShad’s aggressive action.

“Retrieve or troll a SteelShad and you’ll be amazed at the thumping sensation transmitted though the rod,” continues Lewis. “That vibration tells you the lure is working perfectly, wiggling and flashing like a baitfish fleeing a predator. It has an action trophy fish just can’t seem to resist and it draws hard, aggressive strikes that stop the lure dead in its tracks.”

The SteelShad can also be jigged across the bottom to mimic a dying baitfish. Allow it to rest for a second or two, then crank or rip it forward for several feet before letting it settle to the bottom again on a slack line. Interestingly, notes Price, most strikes with this presentation come on the lift rather than the fall. Vertical jigging around baitfish schools, submerged stumps or hard structure such as rocks and reefs is another productive SteelShad presentation. Simply work the lure straight up and down with sharp snaps of the wrist and hold on tight!

With a wide range of SteelShad series featuring a variety of color patterns and sizes ranging from ¼-ounce up to 2 ounces, there’s a SteelShad lure to meet any challenge no matter where you cast, troll or drop your line. “Just be sure you start out with an authentic SteelShad lure,” advises Price. “It’s the only one that combines the perfect shape, size and weight balance to create that aggressive vibration fish can’t resist. You’ll be able to tell it’s the one and only by the SteelShad Trademark on the package.”