The History of the Buckeye Shad

Robert Richardson, Granddaddy, was an incredible fisherman. Growing up in East Tennessee gave him an opportunity to spend many hours fishing the plentiful lakes, rivers and streams.

After finishing high school and serving his country in the Navy, he traveled north to train with Goodyear Tire Corporation headquartered in Akron, Ohio. He made Akron his home and worked for Goodyear the next 45 years. He enjoyed all types of fishing in Ohio, especially ice fishing, but he still longed for the lakes of TN.

His passion for fishing took him back home to TN whenever he could get away. In the mid 1950’s he began developing the BUCKEYE SHAD. He started this bait with wood and a pocketknife. He went fishing everyday testing the lure.

After he got his shape and size close to where he wanted…he started experimenting with plastics and injection molding. Injection molding (shooting molten plastic into a mold until it cools) was being used in the 50’s but it was very innovative for a fishing lure at that time.

He spent thousands of hours shaping his mold, pulling the Shad through the bathtub and casting in small ponds in Akron, and (of course) the trips to Tennessee.

By the late 1950’s, the buzz began and orders and letters have been coming in since.