California-based lure manufacturer Optimum Baits, which also distributes Japanese brands ima Lures and Deps Japan, has announced a partnership with Major League Fishing pro Matt Lee.
The partnership resulted from a recommendation from a media partner and Lee's interest in working with Japanese lure companies.
An admitted tackle fanatic, Lee is already familiar with the Deps lineup thanks to a friendship with Deps Japan and Bassmaster Elite Series pro Kenta Kimura.
"I've always been very intrigued with the Japanese culture and JDM tackle and have been buddies with Kenta since 2013, when we were both fishing the Bassmaster Opens," said Lee. "He gave me some Evoke squarebills and I've caught them everywhere from the Red River to Lake Erie with them. They're some of the most used and beat up crankbaits in my box because they catch fish."
Optimum Baits Co. CEO Matt Paino is thrilled to bring Lee aboard and sees it as a perfect fit for all of the brands he will be representing. With the growing presence and product availability in the states, the Japan team was searching for an American professional angler to share its product lineup.
"Connecting the dots led us to Matt Lee," said Paino. "We wanted another pro who competes on the top level of the sport who had a strong social media presence and good skills in front of the camera. When going over the product lineups from all three brands, Matt not only knew the names of the products but had confidence with a lot of them."
Added Lee: "I love that all of the products aren't the same old stuff and are all designed and engineered to catch more fish," he said. "None of the products from the brands are copycats and there are some very unique products that work on pressured fisheries when everyone is throwing the same things. There's even more out there that's untouched and I can't wait to fish the products on the Bass Pro Tour."
