Fishing and pop culture don’t cross paths often, but when they do it can actually help us see baits in a new light. Let’s have some fun and match a few of the biggest names in soft plastic fishing baits with characters from The Simpsons—based on their reputation, style, and how anglers actually use them on the water.
Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits = Homer Simpson
Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits is basically Homer: the classic, the icon, the one everyone knows. The Senko® is the “donut” of the fishing world—simple, addictive, and incredibly effective. Just like Homer, it might look basic on the outside, but it gets the job done in ways that surprise you over and over. The only knock? Much like Homer’s waistline, the salty Senko® tears easily under pressure.
Z-Man Fishing Products = Lisa Simpson
Z-Man has built a reputation around its ElaZtech® plastics, which are practically indestructible and have unique buoyancy. That screams Lisa—smart, thoughtful, and always taking a different approach than everyone else. While other stick baits sink fast, Z-Man’s float higher, changing how fish interact with them. Not everybody appreciates Lisa’s quirks right away, but once you get it, you realize she might be the most valuable of them all.
Zoom Bait Company = Bart Simpson
Zoom Bait Company is Bart all the way: mischievous, versatile, and always finding a way into the action. Their Trick Worm and Fluke lines have been around forever, catching fish when other baits fall flat. Bart never plays by the rules, and Zoom is the same—they’re not flashy, but they sneak into every tackle box and stir things up on the water.
Strike King Lure Company = Mr. Burns
Strike King has been around for decades, and like Mr. Burns, they’ve got resources, history, and influence. Their Rage Tail® plastics dominate in tournaments, and the brand holds serious power in the fishing industry. But just like Burns, sometimes that dominance can make them feel a little too “corporate” compared to smaller, scrappier bait makers. Still, when they show up, you know they mean business.
Hairyman Lures Co. = Milhouse Van Houten
We’ll own this one: Hairyman Lures Co. is Milhouse right now—underdog vibes, still proving itself, but loyal to the anglers who give it a shot. The Sasquatch Stick Baits are built to be tough but effective, something that quietly surprises people once they tie it on. Milhouse might not be the flashiest kid in Springfield, but when he shows up, he’s dependable—and sometimes exactly what the situation needs.
At the end of the day, this is all in good fun. But looking at bait companies through this lens shows you how each one really does have its own “personality.” From the durability-first mindset of Z-Man to the tournament power of Strike King, knowing these differences can help you pick the right bait for the right time. And maybe next time you’re out fishing, you’ll be thinking: “What would Homer do?”