Ask any bass angler what separates a bait they trust from one that stays in the box, and you will get the same answer: how it moves. In Evant, a first responder-owned company has spent years building soft plastics that move better than they have any right to — and now Hag's Baits is opening operations in Gatesville, bringing a working-class tackle brand to a town that already knows its way around a lake.

A First Responder-Owned, Family-Run Texas Bait Company

Hag's Baits started as a lifelong dream. Tommy Hagler founded the company in 2009 as Hag's Tornado Bait out of Abilene, Texas, and it did not take long for those baits to earn a following in bass fishing circles across the southern United States. In August 2023 the company was purchased and rebranded as Hag's Baits, with a new mission: take the same fish-catching designs to anglers nationwide instead of just the South.

Today Hag's Baits is a first responder-owned, family-operated company working out of 115 East Brooks Drive in Evant. Their whole philosophy fits in one line — "Elite gear for the working class angler." That means tournament-grade baits and components at prices a weekend fisherman can actually justify, sold direct online and stocked on the pegs at tackle shops across the country.

Baits Designed to Behave Differently Underwater

What sets Hag's Baits apart is not a color chart — it is the way their plastics act once they hit the water. The flagship Tornado Bait uses a custom ribbed shape and a proprietary plastic blend that lets it float off the bottom or stand vertically, keeping it in a fish's strike zone far longer than a bait that simply lies flat. It is a simple idea that changes everything when bass are pinned to the bottom or buried in grass.

The Undertaker, their creature craw, was built to be dragged on a Carolina rig or a Texas rig around cover — and it floats. The Undertaker Junior trims that same profile down for flipping into brush or running as a trailer. The Hurricane Bladed Jig and the tungsten Tsunami jigs — swim, football, micro, and all-around models — round out the hard-cover side of the lineup.

There is more where that came from: the Prickly Pear, a floating TPE bait that stands up and keeps working long after other trailers quit; the Ditch Devil and Cyclone Craw; the Cheat Code; the JiveTalker and Outlier frogs; and Blue Collar rods to throw it all on. It is a full tackle box built by people who fish the same water you do.

Branching Out to Gatesville

Bringing operations to Gatesville puts Hag's Baits squarely in the middle of prime Central Texas bass country — close to the lakes, close to the anglers, and close to the retail partners who move their product every day. For a company that already ships nationwide, the move is about getting closer to the water it was built for while keeping the small-batch, family-run feel that got it here.

The growth has not come without lessons. Building a bait company means navigating mold costs, manufacturing timelines, wholesale net terms, and the reality that cash flow can make or break a brand in this business. Those hard-won lessons are exactly why Hag's Baits has stayed focused on the angler's wallet as much as the angler's tackle box.

Where to Find Hag's Baits

Hag's baits are sold direct at hagsbaits.com and carried by retailers nationwide, including Tackle Warehouse, MidwayUSA, Discount Tackle, Fishermans Central, and Joe's Sporting Goods. Wholesale partners can reach out at [email protected].

Want to see the lineup in person or just ask a question? Give them a call at (254) 736-0710. And keep an eye out — the Hag's tournament has moved to October 2026, with more details coming soon.

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