Lucky Craft Welcomes
New Pro Staff Member, Gary Dobyns

COSTA MESA, Calif. (November 29, 2007) – Lucky Craft announced the newest addition to the pro staff today and the West Coast angler couldn’t be happier to rejoin the team. Gary Dobyns, FLW angler and California resident, signed a deal with Lucky Craft and joins the team with fellow anglers Skeet Reese, Gerald Swindle, Kelly Jordon, Takahiro Omori, Gable Bolivar, Anthony Gagliardi, Brent Ehrler and Joe Thomas.

Dobyns fished his first tournament in 1983 and was hooked on tournament fishing from the start. He never imagined fishing a local tackle shop tournament could lead to a lifetime of fishing professionally.

“I had grown up fishing my whole life, but I had never competed in tournaments,” said 48-year-old Dobyns. “I watched them and wanted to, but had just never done it until 1983. I fished that first tournament, caught one fish and finished almost dead last, but I had a ball and realized I could actually fish competitively. I always played sports and liked to compete. I also liked to fish, so it made a good combination and has worked out really well for me over the years.”

Dobyns admits he struggled for several years while working too many hours to allow him enough time on the water. However, through it all, he continued to strive to get better and the time he put in paid off.

“I just kept getting better and better and moved up through the levels,” Dobyns said. “It’s not something I set out to do. Never in a million years would I have thought I could fish for a living – it just kind of happened. I have a great life.”

Dobyns has won more money fishing a Lucky Craft bait than with any other bait on the market. Because of this fact, and the knowledge from his previous time spent with Lucky Craft, he is happy to have the opportunity to rejoin the team.

“I first started with Lucky Craft pretty quickly after the company first came to the United States,” Dobyns explained. “I believe I won the second major event that was ever won on a Lucky Craft bait [a BASS event on Lake Shasta in 1999]. I worked with Lucky Craft for many years; things changed a bit for me through the years and we kind of went our separate ways for a while. However we maintained our friendships and I still threw Lucky Craft on a regular basis.”

After being a Lucky Craft pro staff member from early 1999 until early 2006, Dobyns parted ways with Lucky Craft and been with other bait companies for the past two years. Now with another chance to be part of the company’s powerhouse team, Dobyns feels very fortunate.

“I believe I work with and am associated with the best sponsors out there today, and only one was missing – Lucky Craft,” Dobyns said. “Now that I have the opportunity to work with Lucky Craft again, I can truly say I have the best sponsors out there. Lucky Craft is definitely the best – that’s the truth.”

Dobyns throws Lucky Craft on a regular basis, but admits his go-to lure is the Staysee 90, a 3-1/2”, deep-diving jerkbait.

“I’ve caught so many fish on that lure [Staysee 90],” Dobyns said. “It always catches fish. I’ve caught so many fish and won so much money with it, and other Lucky Craft products. I have so much confidence in them. The Staysee 90 is definitely the first bait I reach for every time. It’s all about confidence with Lucky Craft. The baits run true right out of the box and they have great colors. Everything about them is really good.”

The future holds big things for both Lucky Craft and Dobyns, and they plan to work together as 2008 begins to develop new, innovative baits. Dobyns, a fan of tweaking and modifying baits will work in conjunction with Lucky Craft, as do all the pro staff members, to develop new lures and colors.

“We’re trying to work up some different baits and colors moving forward,” Dobyns said. “Lucky Craft would like me to help with colors and modifications. I plan to share my ideas with them, because I’ve always enjoyed tweaking and creating baits.”

Lucky Craft is pleased to welcome Dobyns to the team and looks forward to a successful 2008.