BATTLE CREEK, Mich. -- Joe Sayers is a salesman with a great hook.

As the inventor of two unique top-water bass-fishing lures, the Battle Creek fisherman has found success, and scored some big fish, with his Splashbob and V-Max lures.

Growing up in Marshall, Mich., Sayers, 42, said he loved fishing along Rice Creek and has been an avid fisherman his entire life. His passion for top-water fishing, where the lure bobs on top of the water's surface, was first sparked about four years ago when he had an incredible catch.

"I was using a top-water lure and suddenly I saw a huge largemouth bass soaring through the air towards my bait," he said. "It was airborne for about 4 feet until it landed and snapped up my bait. It was awesome to watch, and I was hooked on top-water fishing."

And that catch, said Sayers, who was working as a laborer and on highway construction at the time, began his obsession with developing better lures to catch bass.

After several years of tweaking, tinkering and testing them out on the lake, he perfected the V-Max and Splashbob lures.

"I spent hours each night tinkering in my garage, but my family was so supportive of me," said Sayers of his wife, Karla, and stepson, Kristopher, 20.

The trick to the Splashbob lure, which Sayers said has been snapped up by bass tournament pros, is it creates a rearward water displacement, which simulates prey and predatory fish movements to attract bass.

"Other lures create a forward water displacement, which the bass have seen before," he said.

"Fish get smart. Often times, if they fall for a lure once, they won't go after it again. Since this creates such a unique movement, the bass have really just gone after it."

The V-Max lure is geared more toward novice top-water anglers and can be used in calm or choppy waters. The lure's V-shaped "mouth" is designed to spray water, giving a showering effect that resembles the water patterns caused by the shifting or darting actions of schooling baitfish, Sayers said.

The lures retail for $7.95 and are available for purchase online at http://jpslures.com.

Sayers said he is still crafting each painted wooden lure by hand, making anywhere from 300 to 700 a week to keep up with orders. Soon, he said, he hopes to begin mass production.

"This is a dream come true for me," Sayers said. "I guess I never really grew out of fishing."