Enterprise Tackle

Like many of the most famous tackle companies, Enterprise Tackle began trading in 1999 after avid angler Chris Hornsby saw a weakness in the angling market and decided to do something about it. He was in the process of reeling in a huge perch when his hooklink parted at the knot, and rather than letting this dishearten him he vowed to create a product which would ensure that this problem would never happen again.

With a background in moulding, he was quick to produce not just one but two products to solve his problem. Hornsby was quick thinking, and realised that if this was a problem that he had faced then it was more than likely a problem that countless other anglers had also encountered. His terminal tackle could be successful world wide, rather than just on the end of his rig. With that thought, Enterprise Tackle was born and the tackle industry was revolutionised forever.

In the time that followed, Hornsby continued designing more products, but it wasn’t until he read a Q&A in a popular angling magazine that he really struck gold with a product. The article in question was asking how to popup a grain of sweetcorn and although Hornsby found the answer interesting he knew straight away that he could produce a better and easier solution. Within a matter of weeks, he had the first samples of Popup Sweetcorn in his hand. Little did he know then that this was the product that would really signal the company’s entrance into the world of top flight tackle production!

Although it seems strange to us today, when the Popup Sweetcorn was released it was the first artificial bait of its kind – and many traditional carp anglers distrusted the science behind it, questioning what would make a carp choose plastic over a real meal. Hornsby was confident in his mix of attractants, though, and knew just how well the Popup Sweetcorn had worked in testing. Sure enough, in a matter of time some of the biggest brands in the country were copying his imitation baits, and the Popup Sweetcorn really took off.

In the past decade and a half, Enterprise has seen the business grow exponentially as more and more anglers realise just how incredible the imitation baits are at attracting fish. The arrival of consultant Frank Warwick, the first professional carp angler to join the Enterprise team, gave the business another huge boost, and now the company boasts a whole host of consultants including Myles Gascoyne, Julian Cundiff , Antony Ballard, and coarse and specialist angler Alan Stagg. Hornsby has stated that he feels indebted to these anglers for their continued support and assistance over the years.

Enterprise is proud to say that its baits have been responsible for at least four British record fish, and the range now boasts more than 20 different imitation baits of all different colours and designs. Enterprise is especially proud that all the baits it produces are still designed and manufactured in the UK – ensuring quality few other brands can boast. There is a reason that Enterprise is the UK’s leading manufacturer of imitation baits – and the company has remained true to its heritage of innovation since day one. Powered by a drive for perfection, Enterprise is constantly looking to produce more and better imitation baits, as well as expanding its range of terminal tackle.