As Millions of Newcomers Take Up Fishing, a Carlsbad Captain With 38 Years on the Water Revives His Mentor's 75-Year-Old Formula
Recreational fishing in the United States continues to draw large numbers of new participants.
Courtesy of Fat Basset Bait and Tackle CompanyCarlsbad, California
According to the 2026 Special Report on Fishing from the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, 57 million Americans ages 6 and older went fishing in 2025, and 6.3 million of them were new to the sport. Saltwater fishing reached 15.5 million participants, the highest number on record.
For Richard Castaneda, those numbers raise a question about how newcomers learn. Castaneda is a U.S. Coast Guard-licensed captain who has spent more than 38 years on the water as a professional fishing guide and commercial fisherman. Much of what he knows, he says, came not from a manual but from a mentor.
That mentor developed a fish attractant formula in Carlsbad roughly 75 years ago. Castaneda used and tested it throughout his career, and with his mentor's blessing, he has now made it available to recreational anglers under the name Legacy Strike 75, produced by his company, Fat Basset Bait and Tackle Company.
"Most of the best things I learned about fishing were handed to me by someone who had been doing it longer," said Castaneda. "My mentor trusted me with this formula decades ago. It belongs out on the water with people who are just getting started, the same way it was shared with me."
The formula is a thick, cling-style scent made in the United States with real fish emulsion and fish oils, designed to stay on bait, soft plastics and jigs rather than rinse off after a few casts.
Castaneda believes the bigger story is mentorship itself. The same 2026 report found that 86 percent of current fishing participants fished before age 12, underscoring how early experiences shape lifelong anglers.
"Everybody who fishes had somebody who took them the first time," Castaneda said. "If you've been at it a while, take someone new out with you. Show them how to read the water, be patient and respect the fish. That is how this sport keeps going."
More information is available at legacystrike75.com.
About Fat Basset Bait and Tackle Company
Fat Basset Bait and Tackle Company is a Carlsbad, California-based fishing company founded by Richard Castaneda, a U.S. Coast Guard-licensed captain, professional fishing guide and commercial fisherman with more than 38 years of experience. The company produces Legacy Strike 75, a fish attractant based on a formula developed by Castaneda's mentor roughly 75 years ago. Its mission is to share time-tested fishing knowledge with anglers of every level.
Company announcement, published as provided by Fat Basset Bait and Tackle Company. Its claims are the company’s own and have not been checked by Alamo 24 News.
