ONTARIO, Calif.: Okuma and FishLab are excited to announce the appointment of freshwater fishing Hall of Fame angler and award-winning lure and hook designer Bill Siemantel, also known as Mr. BBZ (Big Bass Zone founder), as Product Development Consultant.
A lifelong friend of the fishing industry, Siemantel has influenced the sport for more than 30 years as a tournament angler, fishing guide, and trophy hunter. Along with his experience as an award-winning lure and hook designer, Bill authored The Big Bass Zone with B.A.S.S. senior writer Michael Jones in 2005. Bill also brings more than 15 years as a Pro and designer of all the BBZ-1 lures and Dolls Hair Phat Flies from his previous tenure. In recent years, he has spearheaded the national online bass tournament called the Big Bass Zone Junior Championship (BBZ JC) to increase youth involvement in the fishing industry and outdoor sports.
“I’ve always believed that when you surround yourself with good people, good things happen,” said Okuma President Doug Lasko. “Bill brings a track record of success with him in many areas of the fishing industry. His firefighting background and working as a team player, fits right in with the Okuma and FishLab culture”.
As a Product Development Consultant, Siemantel will work hand-in-hand with the team at FishLab and Okuma to develop and bring cutting edge designs to market.
Siemantel adds an important regional and multi-species perspective to the Southern California-based company and his success nationally in both fresh and saltwater environments will be a great asset as he helps the growth of the brands.
“I look forward to working with the Okuma and FishLab teams to develop innovative products for a variety of fisheries including bass, crappie, panfish, pike, muskie, walleye to anything saltwater. I am beyond excited to communicate their effectiveness to the fishing world,” says Siemantel. “I feel like we’re just getting warmed up and we have a lot of great stuff in the works for our anglers.”
For more information on Bill and to check out the entire FishLab Tackle lineup, please visit www.fishlabtackle.com.