To view the InTheBite published article, click here: https://inthebite.com/2025/09/fathom-offshore-trolling-lures-wilmington/
1. Business Name and Location:
- What is the name of your business, and where are you located?
Fathom Offshore, headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina, with operations across multiple states and a dealer network that spans both the U.S. and international markets.
2. Founders/Owners:
- Who are the founders or current owners? Can you provide a little background about them?
Fathom Offshore was founded in 2009 by Andy Holcomb and Brandon Carter, who began building trolling lures out of a garage in Wilmington North Carolina in their early-20s. From the start, the two worked side by side designing, building, and marketing their quality tackle products, driven by a shared passion for sportfishing.
Two years later, they brought on a third partner, Keith English, whose extensive experience chasing Blue Marlin aboard his boat the “Click Through” added a wealth of on-the-water knowledge.
Together, the three partners have continued to fish at a tournament level and grow Fathom Offshore into a leading name in saltwater trolling lures and big-game sportfishing products.
3. History and Origin:
- When was your business established, and what inspired its creation?
At the time, the offshore tackle industry was largely split between mass-produced imports with poor rigging and inconsistent quality, or high-end gear available only to those with significant resources or full-time crews. Fathom Offshore set out to change that. The vision was to blend the hand-poured, artisan lure-building techniques of the past with modern advancements like UV+ additives, keel weighting, jewelry-quality shell, durable soft plastic skirts, and professional-grade rigging. The goal was simple: deliver tournament-level tackle built to perform under the toughest conditions, offer it at a fair price, and never sacrifice quality for profit. What began as garage experiments and a love of offshore fishing has grown into an industry-recognized brand, trusted by tournament crews worldwide for more than 16 years.
4. Services or Products Offered:
- What are the key products or services you offer? Any specialties in the sportfishing community?
The Fathom product line has grown from its original resin-style marlin lures to a comprehensive lineup of offshore tackle. From innovative dredges and chain squids to terminal tackle and lure skirts, Fathom Offshore now produces thousands of premium products - most of them made in-house in North Carolina.
5. Target Audience:
- Who are your primary customers? What makes your offerings valuable to them?
Our primary customers are serious offshore anglers who care about the quality of the products they are using. They value our products because we know what is on the line, (no pun intended) whether it’s a full-time traveling Blue Marlin boat, or a weekend warrior, our products have to work. They depend on it. For one, it may be a $4 million dollar first-place Blue Marlin. For the other, it may be their kid’s very first Mahi, or one of only a handful of days they get offshore all year. Either way, the stakes are high, and the value of those moments is the same to us - which is why our gear is built to perform every single time, without fail.
6. What Sets You Apart:
- What distinguishes your business from competitors in the sportfishing industry?
We feel like what makes us different is our control, commitment and consistency. We manufacture 100% of our resin style trolling lures by hand, one at a time, in our North Carolina facility. That means 100% attention to detail from start to finish. From insert to skirt, we control then entire process. Also, we professionally rig all our products to the same quality and standards we use in tournaments. Quality components, proper crimping, even down to small details like burnt leader ends. We’re anglers first - so we know where and why tackle fails, and we build accordingly. And unlike mass-produced imports, every one of our lures is made by hand, rigged to tournament standards, and backed by a team that answers the phone and stands behind the product.
7. Challenges and Success Stories:
- What challenges has your business overcome, and can you share any success stories that demonstrate your growth or impact?
Like many small businesses, we started with limited resources and a lot of trial and error. The challenge was scaling from garage builds to an industry presence without sacrificing quality. While we focus full time on designing, manufacturing, and building tackle, we recognize that nothing replaces time on the water. We’re fortunate to work closely with some of the best captains and mates in the world, who put our products to the test in real conditions every day. Their expertise, feedback, and trust are invaluable - helping us refine designs and ensure that every product we release has been tested and proven where it matters most: offshore.
8. Team and Culture:
- Who are some of the key team members, and what roles do they play? How would you describe your business culture?
Here at Fathom we’re a tight-knit crew of fishermen, hunters, and outdoorsmen (and women.) Keith brings decades of big-game experience, Andy and Brandon drive design and operations, and we couldn’t do what we do without our warehouse team. They’re the ones pouring lures, building dredges, packing orders, and making sure every product that leaves our building meets the standard our customers expect. Their craftsmanship and attention to detail are the backbone of Fathom Offshore. Every success we’ve had on the water or in the marketplace traces back to the hard work they put in every single day, and we’re proud to have such a dedicated crew representing our brand. The culture here is equal parts hard work and passion - we fish hard, work hard, and take pride in what we make. We may be the only company in the world that employees don’t have to lie about taking off work to go fish.
9. Future Plans:
- What are your future goals for the business? Any exciting upcoming projects or innovations?
We’re continuing to innovate in lure design, dredge technology, and premium terminal tackle systems. Every year we roll out new products, but equally as important as the new products is continually pushing to make what we already build better, whether that means small refinements or major upgrades. Saltwater trolling is an unforgiving environment, and equipment is constantly being pushed to its limits. We’re never complacent - the biggest mistake any company can make is assuming a product can’t be improved upon.
Looking ahead, we’re focused on expanding the Fathom brand offering. That means not only developing new products in-house but also positioning ourselves for growth through strategic opportunities that align with our values and expertise. Over the next 5–10 years, we see potential to increase market share not just organically, but also by bringing complementary businesses and product lines under the Fathom umbrella.
Our long-term vision is to strengthen our role as a leader in offshore sportfishing while keeping our core production and rigging proudly in the U.S.A.
10. Anything Else?
- Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about your business?
At the end of the day, we’re anglers building products for anglers. We know offshore fishing is expensive, time is limited, and tackle failure isn’t an option. Our promise is simple: when you run Fathom Offshore products you’re running something we’d trust ourselves when it matters most.