What does 16-year-old Riley Stromlund have in common with billionaires Jeff Bezos, Mark Cuban, and Richard Branson? They all started their first business before graduating from high school.
Riley Stromlund is not only a goalie for Lake of the Woods High School’s hockey team in Baudette, MN, he’s also a golfer, an avid outdoorsman, and an ENTREPRENEUR!
When Riley isn’t studying for school or playing sports you’ll likely find Riley designing custom painted fishing lures for anglers who fish the famous waters of Lake of the Woods, the Rainy River, really, anywhere across the country. “The first lure I made I carved out of wood and painted it. It peaked my interest! It was after that when I got an airbrush and started painting blanks that we ordered online.”
Riley is self taught, “I’ve watched a lot of YouTube videos. I’ve learned to make my own stencils and different techniques to paint them.” His sunfish and blue gill pattern are his favorite because “They are the most detailed”.
His favorite part about painting lures, “It’s relaxing and I get to be creative. I listen to music and just paint! I also like hearing people who have caught fish on one of my lures.”
The summer of 2020, a customer caught a 30” walleye on Lake of the Woods using one of Riley’s lures, “That was exciting!” Not only do his lures catch legendary walleye’s he also caught pretty big Northern’s when he’s taken them to the dock to test run them.
You’ll find Riley’s fishing lures on local Facebook swap and sell sites or you may purchase his lures locally at his mom’s Salon, K-Salon, in Baudette. Each lures sells for $10. Not able to make it to Baudette, but still want to purchase a lure, click here to message K-Salon.
