Brandon Hurst of Hughesville airbrushes one of the dozens of different types of lures he makes and sells in his home recently. Hurst started making custom fishing lures for himself to use but he quickly found out that there was a market for his custom lures. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

When 34-year-old Brandon Hurst of Hughesville, comes home from a long day of work as a mechanic, the day is just beginning for his other job, making fishing lures.

About 6 months ago, Hurst began to make his own bait for fishing, a sport he has loved since he was a small child.

“I got tired of going to the stores and not finding the bait and the colors that I wanted, so I’m like, ‘okay, I’m gonna make my own,'” shared Hurst.

What began as a hobby has quickly turned into a business named “Reel Drag,” once word got out about his colorful lures.

“People were liking it and I found out you could make a profit on it,” said Hurst, who crafts both hard and soft plastic bait.

Hurst has been fishing since he was old enough to hold a fishing pole.

“If I’m not doing it, I’m either making it, thinking about it, or buying it, it’s a lifestyle more than anything,” Hurst said with a smile of his love of fishing, adding he loves the “peace and quiet, serenity and patience,” he gets from the sport.

Hurst makes swim and crank bait of all sizes and colors and has taught himself airbrushing for the “hyper-real look” of his lures.

“More people seem to be attracted to them. They really like the patterns of them. It’s more realistic than what you would find at Walmart, because I can put scales on and things like that,” said Hurst.

He taught himself how to paint with the use of stencils.

“I literally just put the air gun to it and I’m like, hey this is what this fish is supposed to look like and I paint it,” shared Hurst.

His business has grown through shows such at Muncy’s Fourth Friday and word-of-mouth from customers, as well as Hurst sharing his love of fishing with kids he meets in the field.

“When I go out to Rose Valley or Muncy Creek and I see a kid, I will literally hand him free lures and say, ‘hey just look me up on Facebook,” said Hurst.

“It keeps them involved,” he added.

Introducing them to and mentoring kids fishing is a priority for his company, said Hurst, who is father of a three-year-old named Emerson.

“I think it’s because I wanted that when I was a kid, so I’m kind of doing something that I wish I had, that figure or that role model,” said Hurst.

His three-year-old son and wife Heather inspire him to work hard at his business as well.

“I really want it to grow for my son, my family, my future,” said Hurst.

Veterans organizations are also important to Hurst being a veteran, enlisting in the Marine Corps after graduating from Hughesville High School. He served for eight years.

Veterans receive a ten percent discount, and he has partnered with a shop in Virginia called Billy Bones Custom Rods.

“We collaborated and made a lure for the veterans, because we are both veterans. We made a red, white and blue paddle tail,” said Hurst.

All those proceeds go to the Wounded Warriors organization, he added.

He has also made a lure for a company that takes disabled veterans at no cost out on fishing charters.

Reel Drag, the name of his company, came about during a fishing trip to Rose Valley Lake.

“Muskies are my favorite fish in the world, so I knew I wanted a Muskie as my picture,” said Hurst.

“It was hot and I wasn’t catching anything, and I’m like hey this is the last cast, because this is real drag. I dropped my rod and was like, real drag. But then I changed real to R-E-E-L, like your actual drag on your reel,” he shared.

Even though his days are long, essentially working two full-time jobs, Hurst loves his time devoted to his lures.

“”When I come home and get to paint these, just everything goes away, and it’s like, oh cool I’m actually doing something fun,” said Hurst.

“I lose track of time so much. I’ll literally be painting away, and I’ll be like, I’m starting to get a little tired, it’s probably 9:30 p.m. and I’ll look and it’s like 1:30 a.m. I got work in the morning, but it’s all worth it.” said Hurst with a smile.

Customers often keep in touch after purchasing one of his lures, eager to share their photos of his bait in a fish’s mouth that they have caught.

“I’ve got 20 to 30 pictures back already of people catching stuff with my things. It just puts a smile on my face,” said Hurst