Youthful Alberton entrepreneur sells fishing lures

Thirteen-year-old Hayden Bean, of Alberton, has always been quite the entrepreneur.

According to his mom, Ceciley Bean, it started at a young age.

“Hayden used to sell all of his Halloween Candy to make money. He would sort it all out and bag it up. Whenever friends or family would come over, he would wheel it out on a toy truck and trailer. He would go to each person and say 'Would you like to buy some candy?'”

Hayden who is an avid fisherman has taken his trade aspirations a step further, and created his own business: Hayden’s Handmade Lures.

“My dad taught me how to make lures, but I come up with designs for my lures on my own," Hayden said. "My great grandfather also had his own fishing lure business. It was called Decker Flies and Tackle. Although I never met him, my Nana tells me lots of stories about him, his business and how she used to help him when she was a kid.”

“My husband Tom, had the idea to buy Hayden a lure making kit for his birthday one year. That definitely got the idea rolling," Ceciley said. "My husband and I help Hayden with advertising, making orders for supplies and delivering Hayden’s orders.”

Since 2017 Hayden has been producing unique handmade spinners and selling them at various events throughout the year. He explained, “I have one basic design with six different colors and two spoon variations. I don’t sell a pattern until I’ve caught fish on it. I’ve got several new design ideas in the works. They should be out by this summer.”

The eighth grader makes the lures on his own.

“It takes about 10 minutes to make one. I make them whenever I get an order. I make up about 80 before a big event,” he said.

“I tried to help him once on a big batch for an event and messed up on them," Ceciley said. "He had to re-do them. So, I don’t do that part anymore!”

“They are a unique design and they catch a lot of fish, especially trout," Hayden said. "I’ve even caught sea run trout on the Puget Sound with my lures.”

The entire Bean family shares a passion for fishing.

“I love to fish and so does my husband," Ceciley said. "It’s fun to have our son want to go fishing even more than we do! Hayden always wants to do just one more cast before we leave. Of course, that one more cast turns into about 100 more!”

Hayden was taught how to fish from his parents, but he learned a lot from his late grandfather, particularly salt-water fishing on their trips to the Puget Sound.

“I go fishing with my dad the most," Hayden said. "I go as often as I can. Some of my favorite places are Frenchtown Pond, Flathead Lake, Georgetown Lake, Lynch Creek, Clark Fork River, Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean.”

The young businessman knows he’s fortunate to make a profit doing something he enjoys. He boasted, “It makes me money doing what I love to do. If I make them, I get to go fishing and try them out. I like to hear about the fish people catch on my lures.”

As for his revenue from lure making Hayden noted, “A portion goes toward supplies, a portion to savings and the rest I spend on something I want at the time. My savings will someday go to something I need, like a car!”

“I have a Facebook page where people message me what they want and I make up an order," Hayden said. "I sell them at the Alberton Farmers Market, Railroad Days, and I started selling them this year at Hood’s Western Adventures, Santa on the Ranch event.” He sold out of all of his merchandise at the Christmas event.

His mom mentioned, “After Christmas is the slowest time of the year for selling his lures and with COVID there have been fewer events."

If someone wants to buy his lures, they can message Hayden on his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/HaydensHandmadeLures or call 406-207-2249.

Ceciley is absolutely delighted with her son’s accomplishments. “We are so proud of Hayden! He is a true entrepreneur. I would love to see Hayden’s lures sold in stores someday.”

For Hayden a good day is probably one spent on or near the water, where the fish are biting. He claimed he doesn’t have a favorite lure of his, but declared, “Whatever catches the fish I’m out to catch!”