For the Love of Fishing: The Robert Castaneda Story
OutdoorHub Contributors 06.28.13
“I’m living my dream,” says Robert Castaneda, inventor of Livingston Lures. Growing up on the banks of Livingston Bay, Robert learned how to fish at an early age with his father and uncles.
One of the lessons that his father taught him was how to catch bait fish, hook them, and cast them out to catch big bass. He would tell Robert, “fishing is like playing chess, only you have to outsmart the fish.” They would sit in silence for hours to hear the sounds the baitfish would make before casting them out. That sound would follow Robert for many years later. Robert was in first grade when he caught his first bass and that was the moment that changed the rest of his life. Instead of collecting baseball cards like the other kids, Robert would be collecting lures. Different shapes, textures, colors, and brands filled up his collection. By the end of his grade school years, Robert was the go-to guy for advice on what to use and where. This is when he knew he wanted to make his own lures and began creating–playing with colors, glitters, and even feathers.
Robert’s love for fishing and creating lures was taken to the next level many years ago during Christmas time. He had received a card from his sister. When he opened the card, it started playing Jingle Bells. It wasn’t the song that caught his attention, but the speaker the song was playing out of. He realized right then that if he could record an injured bait sound inside of a plastic lure he could have “live” bait all year round–an idea he knew would change the way anglers fished. It was that moment he decided to take action and follow his dreams.
Robert implemented his idea and technology into his lures and started working. From tournament trails, to meetings, to countless places to meet anglers, he was dedicated. He and his wife would attend 50 trade shows within a year. Living on cheap coffee and fast food, the two hit the road with their truck overflowing with lures. Finally, after putting the last dimes into his new venture, Livingston Lures got its first lucky break. The hard work had begun to pay off: the lures would be sold in 20 Walmart stores, and this was just the beginning.
Robert knew that he had made a name for himself, and he wanted more. He wanted to become a big player, achieving nothing less than a national brand and household name for Livingston Lures. His goal was to make the company a global success. Eight months later he met Fred Battah, CEO of SPFM L.P., a global leader and distributor of consumer products who was positioned to take Livingston Lures to that next level. Robert spoke highly of Fred as a true visionary leader who empowers those with a vision. “I was on a road and then Fred put me on the highway,” Castaneda explains. When the two partnered, Fred asked him how far he wanted to take Livingston Lures, to which Robert replied, “All-the-way.” And all the way is exactly where they are headed.
Robert recognizes where the company is going is because of their means to build the brand, continue innovation, and bring the latest technology to the fishing lure industry. The current technology that Livingston Lures has on the market is just scratching the surface to what their future plans hold, a fact that Robert is extremely excited about. The Electronic Baitfish Sound (EBS) and Vibration Technology their lures offer is and will continue to change the future of fishing.
