TTI-Blakemore Fishing Group is a family operation consisting of five hook brands and recently, the Blakemore® Road Runner® Lure Company.  John W. Campbell often fished near his grandfather’s gristmill as a child. After getting his hook hung in the mill; he carefully bent the hook back as hooks were hard to come by back in those days. Even though this hook had a kink in it, it was his favorite.  Years later while stationed in Maxwell Air Force Base; John noticed that a bent paperclip always rotated towards pressure. It was his bent hook that he used as a child and a bent paperclip that led to the invention of the Tru-Turn hook.  John began bending hooks for Air Force Generals, Majors, and Corporals. Then a local tackle shop wanted them, then two, then a distributor wanted the “bent” hook and the Tru-Turn brand was born.

John left this world for better fishing waters in 1991. But millions of his hooks are catching fish all over the globe.  Sons; Wes and Steve continued on with Tru-Turn, adding the Daiichi and XPoint brands to the line in 1996. Wes’s wife, Kerry continues to keep management in line as Director of Sales.  TJ Stallings came aboard in 1998 to develop new products based on his fishing research and assume public relations responsibilities. 

The beginnings of Daiichi Bleeding Bait Hooks® and Tru-Turn's BloodRed® line soon followed in the year 2000.  The number of fishing success stories instantly doubled, and then tripled.  It was obvious all the research was paying off for the anglers.  TJ’s brother Ron joined the team in 2003 to help with the tremendous growth.  These red hooks simulates an injured and bleeding baitfish and also simulates a gill-flash of a feeding fish.  The cam action bend turns towards pressure when fish attacks resulting in more hooked fish.  I have not used another brand since I started using these.   Product Review:   A

The StandOUT™  hook brand began in 2004 and quickly became a popular hook with the Crappie anglers.  The StandOUT Lever Action fishing system introduces a new "Drop-Shot" technique for crappie anglers.  This hook has two eyes at an angle, which helps in creating hook movement when pulled.  With a twitch of a rod, the StandOUT lever action lifts the bait on the hook's fulcrum triggering a feeding response to a "nervous" baitfish.  I recommend this every time you tie on a double-minnow or a minnow/jig rig, and drop-shotting in deep cover or drop-offs.  This can also be rigged weedless for brush piles!      Product Review:  A

In June of 2004, TTI merged with Blakemore Lures to form the TTI-Blakemore Fishing Group.  Blakemore is famous for its Road Runner lure, invented a year before the Tru-Turn hook in 1958 by Bert Hall.  Work quickly began on the new staggered-barbed Road Runner® Head with the Bleeding Bait Hook®, and is now one of the hottest selling lures today.  Its special staggered barb design tightly secures soft plastics against the head and keeps it straight. Both barbs have rounded points so plastics will last even longer.  The Red Bleeding Bait Hook adds the blood/injury phenomenon while adding more contrast.  Try casting these with Blakemore's Crappie Thunder or Curly-Tail grub along the banks of creek/river channels, dropoffs, and past stumps & brush piles.  Retrieve as slow as you possibly can and hold on!   Product Review:  A+

In 1995, an angler/inventor gave pro angler Jimmy Houston a can of "Line-Magic" to try.  He explained it made his line cast further, reduced line memory and that it even made his gear last longer.  Jimmy gave it a try and was so impressed that he called Joe Hall at Blakemore Lures, "This is great stuff, you should buy this company".  Joe respected Jimmy's opinion and quickly got the wheels turning.  Over a million cans later, Real magic is the best known protectant/lubricant in the fishing world.  It is non-sticky, non-staining and odorless when dry and works for fresh or saltwater use. By using Reel Magic your existing equipment will perform better allowing you to cast 15-20 feet farther with the same effort, retards line memory, softens and extends line life, reduces icing on rod guides, UV protection for lines, gear and plastics, and much more!  I also prefer Real Magic over WD-40 for other uses around home, boat, etc...     Product Review:   A+

The TTI-Blakemore Fishing Group team continues fish feeding response studies and fishing research that promises to produce more innovative products for the future.