FLW Tour fishing legend coming to town next month

CELINA-Punisher Lures owner Stephen Headrick recently announced he had secured a deal for legendary professional angler Jay Yelas to become the face of his product, signaling the beginning of a push by the local tackle company to break into the national market.

“This is big for a little company from a small town like Celina,” Headrick said.  “Having a name like Jay Yelas backing your product is as big as it gets.

“It is outstanding to have him on board.”

The two-time Walmart FLW Tour Angler of the Year and former Bassmaster Classic champion announced the partnership on FLW’s website (www.flwoutdoors.com) earlier this month saying he was “really excited” about working with Headrick and Punisher Lures.

“They’re a real small company out of Tennessee near Dale Hollow (Lake),” Yelas said in the news release.  “The owner is kind of known as the smallmouth guru, but they’re trying to grow from a regional company to more of a national company.”

In hopes of fostering that growth, Yelas and Headrick plan to work together to develop a signature series of flipping jigs and spinnerbaits with the legendary tournament fisherman’s name attached.

“Besides using some of our current products while he’s on tour, Jay is going to introduce a signature series of Punisher Lures he will fish this season,” Headrick said.  “We’re excited to see what this will do towards exposing our products to the national market.”

Headrick said he had initially met Yelas at a Christian Rally in East Tennessee where the two naturally hit it off.

“He told me he missed working with the smaller companies that are managed by fishermen like me,” Headrick explained.  “We discussed the possibility of working together then, but I never really imagined it would happen so soon.

“It wasn’t two weeks later he called me and the rest is history.”

Yelas, who currently is in his 11th season of FLW Tour competition, will make a visit here next month to shoot video with Headrick and his products.

“Jay’s coming in on February 22nd and we are going to hit the lake to shoot ‘how to’ videos of our products,” Headrick said.  “Then the next day he’s going to be at the store to meet the public.”

Yelas will be on hand at Dale Hollow 1-Stop–the home of Punisher Lures, on Saturday, February 23 where he will visit with Headrick’s patrons.  He will be available for photos, autographs, and discussion, and his wrapped tournament boat will be parked outside for all to see.

“It should be a great day,” Headrick said.  “We want to encourage everyone to come out and meet Jay.”

Headrick’s company currently has product on the shelves of well over 100 stores in the region, including big retailers like Bass Pro Shops, Gander Mountain, and Tackle Warehouse.

“We’ve been pretty successful in the region, but with Jay’s help we hope to expand in a new direction,” Headrick said.  “We are really excited about what his influence and notoriety can bring to a small company from Celina, TN!”

For more information about Punisher, visit their website at www.punisherlures.com.  For more on Yelas and his tournament schedule, visit www.flwoutdoors.com or his personal website at jayyelas.com.