Bagley Bait Co. recently announced that it has signed Walmart FLW Tour angler Drew Benton to its pro staff and will serve as his title sponsor for the upcoming season.

Benton, the 2013 FLW Tour Rookie of the Year and winner of last year’s season opener at Lake Okeechobee, said he’s been a Bagley fan since his childhood.

“I grew up throwing Bagley baits in the river here at home,” Benton said. “I cut my teeth on Bang O Lures. After meeting Bill (Cullerton) after he and Jarmo (Rapala) bought the company, he told me they’d be bringing the original Bagleys back and that got me excited. When I saw the new line come out, I could tell it was back to the way it should be.

“To me, it’s like a staple in the industry. To be involved with them is one of the biggest thrills for me this early in my career. They fit my style of fishing, too. I like shallow-water power fishing and any time I need a crankbait when I’m around wood, it’s a great bait of choice because it comes through wood so well. I just love the feel of their baits.”

“I was introduced to Drew by one of our dealers in Panama City, Fla., and he liked Drew and had known him since he was a kid,” said Bill Cullerton, sales and marketing manager for Bagley. “As Drew got going and started fishing more serious tournaments, I got to know him more and liked his style and knew he’d fit in well with us.”