I was born in Edmonton, capital city of the western Canadian province of Alberta. Deeply passionate and curious about the natural world, I spent countless childhood days fishing on the shores of the North Saskatchewan River. In my late teens, my family moved east to Ontario, where I discovered a new world of amazing fisheries and a myriad of new species. I was fortunate enough to spend a great deal of time fishing throughout Southern Ontario, especially on the Kawartha lakes.
In my early twenties, I began hand-carving my own wooden lures as a hobby. During this time, I specifically started experimenting with the buoyancy of lures as I tried to design a bait that could effectively walk across bottom structure. With this in mind, and using coarse components found at hardware stores, I continued to focus and refine my handiwork. Many models later, the original SmartFish® prototype was born.
I earned an Environmental Sciences degree at the University of Lethbridge, made possible by working the summers guiding anglers in various lodges in the Northwest Territories. This afforded me an unparalleled opportunity to spend limitless hours on the water to test and refine my designs.
My first job after graduating was as a fisheries technician for an environmental consulting firm. It kept me literally immersed in water, thinking more than ever about fish and how fundamental sustainable fishing is to my identity.
It was time. I decided to focus on developing my designs with a view to production. I would perfect and share my lures and my design ideas with my inner circle.
Armed with a handful of demo models, I attended ICAST 2013. The response was beyond my craziest dreams. Buyers, pro anglers, competitors and the media were all over the SmartFish®. At the same time, they asked thoughtful questions and provided some fantastic ideas for innovation. The fishing world adored the product, but I knew I could enhance it further. Despite incredible demand, I would wait to produce and spend more time perfecting the prototype.
I am thrilled today to introduce Kamooki Lures, the realization of my vision and labour made possible through the support and encouragement of my wife, my family and close friends. It’s a company dedicated to creating innovative lures and promoting the conservation of fisheries and wildlife habitat.
Thanks for being a part of it!
Kamran Sheikh
