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By Ayanna Eckblad

People in the Iowa-Minnesota area will now have an additional place to buy bait for their upcoming fishing trips.

Joseph Martinson, 11, of Lake Mills recently decided to use his knowledge and love of fishing to start his own business.

“(My cousin and I) just kind of thought of it,” Martinson said. “We both like to explore outside. We both just really like fishing so we wanted to make some fun baits for other people.”

Martinson’s baits are a variety known as “Senkos.”

“It’s like this soft plastic worm,” he explained. “A lot of people call it a stick bait.”

Martinson has been fishing since he was 4, and his passion for the sport has grown over time.

“I fish at Rice Lake… Clear Lake, and I fish at Fountain Lake a couple times a year,” Martinson said. His favorite fish to catch are bass and catfish, especially at the campground near his home.

He started learning how to make his own bait a few months ago.

“I YouTubed for like a solid month and a half, and then I bought the stuff and just kind of experimented with it,” he said.

After gaining a good working knowledge on how to make Senkos, Martinson decided to sell his product. He and his cousin, Brody, began brainstorming to come up with an eye-catching name for his business.

“We were trying to think up names in our head, and Brody came up with one and I thought it was pretty catchy,” Martinson said. “We figured we would… call it “Sycho Senko.”

Martinson’s friends have had success when trying out his Senkos.

“My friend tried them, and he caught a three-pound bass, which is pretty big for a bass,” Martinson said. “My other friend caught a two-pounder.”

Martinson himself also used them during a weekend camping trip he took with his family.

Martinson is excited for Sycho Senkos’ future, but also keeps in mind the reason he started his business in the first place.

“[My goal is to] make more and just kind of get into the hobby of this and make a little bit of money off of it,” he said. “But me and Brody just kind of want to do it for fun.”

People who are interested in purchasing Sycho Senko baits can go to the official business Facebook page, Sycho Senko Bait Co., and fill out an order form.