When you turn off the busy highway and pull towards the lake, the sound of that gravel is unmistakable. It’s the sound of slowing down. Paying attention. Knowing you’re getting closer to something that actually matters.
That same feeling sits at the heart of the newly announced acquisition of 4x4 Baits by Vicious Fishing. It’s a deal forged not in some fancy boardroom but in long conversations, shared values and a mutual respect for the craft of fishing and the people who live it every day.
Vicious Fishing, a family-owned, Indiana-based company known for its uncompromising approach to quality and its deep roots in the outdoors, has officially acquired 4x4 Baits, a brand celebrated for its innovative, American-made baits and its reputation among professional anglers as a quiet producer of big results.
Together, the two brands form a natural pairing. One that doesn’t feel like a corporate transaction and more like welcoming a trusted neighbor into the family.
“I wasn’t really looking for a new brand,” said Greg Meunier, Owner of Vicious Fishing. “But when Tommy called me, I immediately recognized the benefits and special character of 4x4 Baits. It’s a cool brand that fits our company personality. So, I made some calls to pros that had used them and didn’t find a single angler who could say anything bad about his products. Tommy fishes for hundreds of hours on his baits before releasing them, fine tuning the minute details, to make sure they are superior quality products.”
4x4 Baits has built its reputation the old-fashioned way by putting American-made baits in the water and letting the fish decide.
Over the past decade, 4x4 products have been responsible for nearly $2.5 million in tour-level winnings, quietly earning trust among professional anglers who demand performance when it matters most.
From jigs and jigheads to spinnerbaits and buzzbaits, the 4x4 lineup has long been known for blending innovation with reliability, all while staying competitively priced alongside market leaders.
For Vicious Fishing, whose product offerings already mirror these qualities, 4x4 was a perfect complement.
“We're very excited to add 4x4 to our family of brands,” Meunier continued. “We just couldn’t be happier to have 4x4 Baits under our roof.”
That same sense of family was what ultimately made the decision possible for Tommy, the founder and owner of 4x4 Baits.
After years of building the brand from the ground up, pouring countless hours into bait design and on-the-water testing, he found himself at a crossroads familiar to many independent makers.
“I’m at a point in my life where I’m ready to just go fishing but I didn’t want my brand to die,” Tommy said. “I was looking for a family-owned business that I trusted to keep it going with service and quality. Too often, brands are sold to some equity group and they lose what made them special.”
No equity groups here. What he found in Vicious Fishing was a reflection of his own values.
“I knew I found my guy when I saw Greg’s social media pages. He’s out there hunting, fishing and being a family man,” Tommy continued. “His company does things the right way with integrity and treats people right. I am absolutely certain Greg and his wife and co-owner of Vicious Fishing, Cori will take 4x4 to the next level.”
Under the Vicious Fishing umbrella, 4x4 Baits will remain family-owned and operated, ensuring that the character, quality and service anglers have come to expect will not only remain intact but continue to grow.
All current 4x4 products will remain made in the USA, a major point of pride shared by both brands and a commitment that speaks to craftsmanship over shortcuts.
Another hallmark of 4x4’s design philosophy and one that aligns closely with Vicious Fishing’s own approach is versatility. These are baits built to work wherever fish live. From bass lakes and crappie ponds to rivers holding walleye and even saltwater applications for species like snook and trout, 4x4 products are designed to cross boundaries without losing effectiveness.
They’re tools for anglers who don’t like being boxed in. Anglers who see all water as an opportunity worth chasing.
Looking ahead, anglers can expect continuity paired with creativity. The existing lineup of jigs, jigheads, spinnerbaits and buzzbaits will continue to be produced and supported, while new product development is already underway.
Plans are in motion for the release of new offerings in 2026. Products that promise to go outside the norm while staying true to the practical, fish-first mindset that built both brands.
At its core, this acquisition is about stewardship. About making sure something good doesn’t get lost. About keeping a brand alive by placing it in hands that understand why it mattered in the first place.
It’s about trusting your gear because you know the person who made it cares just as much as you do. In an industry that often feels rushed, this partnership stands as a reminder that the best things still come together slowly through shared values, honest conversations and a love for the water that never really goes away.
Vicious Fishing and 4x4 Baits aren’t just joining forces. They’re carrying something forward. In America.
For anglers everywhere, it’s a collective sigh of relief as two nationally respected brands are keeping things the way they ought to be.