Cajun Crafted – Point of Vue August 2023

It is not every day that a creative business opportunity sprouts from the seeds planted in a group chat with friends. For Aaron Pierce, however, that was the beginning of his business Four Horsemen Tackle. Established in 2017, Four Horsemen Tackle is a Louisiana-based tackle supplier and the inventor of the trending popping corks. Over the last few years, they have grown to supply a number of quality fishing tackle products to the Gulf Coast and surrounding areas.

Born and raised in Cut Off, Aaron went to South Lafourche High School. He went on to study Agriculture Business plant science at Louisiana Tech University and afterward completed his master’s degree in oceanography at Louisiana State University. Aaron has been a fishing guide since 1996. He has three good friends who have also been fishing guides for the last twenty years or so. In order to stay in touch with these friends, a group chat was formed and the men decided to call it the Four Horsemen.

For as long as he could remember, Aaron loved to fish. He grew up as many southern boys do, fishing with his father since he was around four or five years old. He always had a passion for it and so it was no surprise that he would embark on a mission to create the perfect fishing cork.

Because Aaron knew there was a need for better fishing products such as corks and baits, he sought to create the quality products he was looking for. He was determined to make a cork with a heavier swivel and a unique popping sound compared to ones he found were too light and quiet. His four horsemen group chat offered up some ideas and helped test his products, thus inspiring him to name his business Four Horsemen Tackle.

Ironically enough, Aaron’s partner in the business, Roger Dowdy who was also born and raised in south Louisiana, was not originally a part of the group chat. However, like Aaron and his fellow horsemen, Roger has also been fishing and guiding for twenty years through Reel Cajun Adventures. Together, Aaron and Roger have over thirty years of combined fishing experience.

Four Horsemen Tackle offers many products with the promise of durability and quality. Among their products are popping corks from three to five inches, armor popping corks that are made to be the most durable and long lasting corks on the water, and plastic baits called Boom Boom Shrimp that imitate the way a shrimp glides through the water.

Four Horsemen Tackle popping corks are claimed to be some of the best fishing corks out there due to the quality material and advanced fishing technology they are made out of. This technology stimulates the fish into a “feeding frenzy” as they put it on their website, and therefore result in these corks being second to none.

These corks come in numerous colors such as yellow, orange, pink, green, and red. They also vary in shape from the classic cork to an oval shape to a skinnier version of the cork. A newer armor cork, the “Tiger Bait” cork, dons yellow and purple in support of LSU. Four Horsemen Tackle’s other newest products include the “Dark Horse” armor cork colored orange and black and the oval armor popper. They sell matrix and vortex shads as well, which are soft plastic lures for freshwater and saltwater fishing.

Four Horsemen Tackle also sells apparel to completely outfit the avid fisherman. Their online store includes products such as trucker hats, performance long and short sleeve shirts, baseball hats, visors, and various t-shirts. As for their custom design offers, Four Horsemen Tackle will put a custom logo or design on a cork!

Outside of Four Horsemen Tackle, Aaron continues his services as a fishing guide through The Lodge in Leeville. Aaron is known for his fishing stories, tips, and techniques. He has a strong customer base and takes about 80 trips a year fishing for trout. In the winter months, from November to April, Aaron works as the nursery and coastal restoration manager at Resource Environmental Solutions LLC and has since 2008. There, he spends time rebuilding islands by pumping sand and dirt, and planting in order to aid in coastal restoration.

For the future of Four Horsemen Tackle, Aaron just hopes to keep selling corks and come out with more products that are durable and work well. “Four Horsemen Tackle makes great products for fishing. They are durable and can hold up. The popping cork is different and unique,” Aaron said on behalf of his business. As it states on their website, the Four Horsemen Tackle team believe and trust in the tried and true products that they sell.

Four Horsemen Tackle products can be found in every tackle store, including national retailers such as Walmart and Academy. Their website can be found online at 4horsementackle.com/shop.

Four Horsemen Tackle is a great resource for those who like to participate in fishing activities whether it be for recreational purposes or for their career. It all started with an interest, the need for something new, and the imagination and willingness of southern fishermen to bring it all together. It is the innovation of people like Aaron that allow the fishing industry to continually advance and remain a growing career and recreation for all to enjoy.