Story Behind 247 Lures and 365 LureCraft (and now Al Gag's)

Owned and operated by husband and wife team Elliot and Lauren Thomas, 247 Fishing, LLC (dba "247 Lures") balances one-at-a-time custom craftsmanship with the consistency and efficiency of larger scale production. Since taking the helm in early 2017, Elliot and Lauren have focused on delivering high-quality, dependable products built to perform. Consistency, reliability, and affordability continue to be the core philosophies at 247 Lures.

Hand-turned wooden lure bodies are drilled, sanded, and sealed in batches ranging from a few dozen to a few hundred at a time. Each lure is then primed, painted, and clear-coated using automotive grade finishes in custom-fabricated spray booths. All 247 Lures are through-wired and rigged with corrosion resistant, high quality components—details anglers expect from true small-batch production. That commitment to quality, paired with select efficiencies from larger scale manufacturing, is the driving force behind the growth of the 247 Lures brand.

While Elliot and Lauren have led the company since 2017, the roots of these lures stretch back more than 40 years. Several designs—including the 7.25" Needlefish—were originally engineered by legendary lure builder Al “Gag” Gagliarducci. Beginning in the late 1970s with hand-poured and hand-painted shad darts, Gag went on to play a key role in the Needlefish surge of the 1980s, becoming one of the early adopters of through-wire construction. Over the following decades, his “Al Gag’s Custom Lures” line included classics such as the 9" Needlefish, It’s Alive, Pocket Rocket, metal lip swimmers, and more.

As Gag’s soft plastics—most notably the Whip-It Eel and Whip-It Fish—grew in popularity, he stepped away from wooden lure production. Around 2011, Jeff Dunbar took over the wooden lure designs and began producing them under the "247 Lures" name, strengthening the brand while staying true to the original fish-catching designs. In early 2017, as Jeff found himself being pulled in other directions, the 247 "torch" was passed to Elliot and Lauren.

Since then, improvements have been made where they matter most—stronger swivels, high grade split rings, and carefully tested finishes—without changing the proven actions of these classic lures. New materials or coatings are only adopted after extensive research and on-the-water testing. All the while, the core philosophy at 247 Lures remains simple: build the best lure possible while keeping it reasonably priced for serious anglers.

In recent years, the company has expanded beyond finished lures. Leveraging its supplier network, 247 Fishing, LLC now provides components for other lure builders, fly tyers, and jig makers, including grommets, metal lips, lead weights, bucktails, hooks, through-wires, and more. These products are offered under a sister brand, 365 LureCraft, operating out of the same workshop.

Even more recently discussions of another growth opportunity began to rise to the surface. We are incredibly excited to officially announce that beginning in early 2026, 247 Fishing, LLC has assumed full production and sales of the legendary Al Gag’s Whip-It Fish, Whip-It Eels, Al Gag's Twitch-It Eels, and all of the Al Gag's proprietary Jighead designs. As the official manufacturer and distributor of these iconic products, 247 Lures is committed to preserving the quality, consistency, reliability, and fish-catching performance anglers have trusted for decades.

And for the record—Al Gag isn’t retiring or fading into the sunset. He’s simply spending more time with his lovely Marie, more time on the water and, as always, working on whatever might come next. Al Gag will still be manufacturing hard-plastic lures like his "Heirloom Popper", "P-Nut Bunker", and "The Gagster" for the foreseeable future, so he will still be active and present in the fishing industry. You can see those products on the Al Gag's Fishing Lures website and buy them direct or from a variety of dealers and tackle shops.

Thank you all for the continued support! Please let us know how we can be of service!

Sincerely, Elliot and Lauren Thomas