On March 26, 2008, the fishing community lost one of its own. Harold “Yo-Yo” Miller was one of the most beloved anglers in this area. He was a down-to-earth person who didn’t believe in beating around the bush. He’d call it like he saw it, and I among others respected him for that. Now only was he a good angler in his day, but he was absolutely the best bait maker in the area. Jigs, spinnerbaits and such could be picked up right there in his garage where you’d probably be for the remainder of the day because you just couldn’t tear yourself away from the great conversations you’d be having with him. From fishing to politics and everything in between, Yo-Yo would have an opinion and was glad to share it. The following excerpt is from an article a few years back, I thought it would be appropriate to share once again, as my, along with other’s, thoughts and prayers go out to the Miller family.

  Born and raised right here in Cullman, Yo-Yo Miller would be the first to tell you that not very many people even knew his real name. "The folks I went to school with call me Harold, but that's about it" he told me. Harold "Yo-Yo" Miller was "the man" local anglers went to when they were in need of a special bait. Miller had been making baits since 1979 and said it's countless at the numbers that have went from his work bench to another angler's boat.

 The 68 year old Miller had been married to his wife Muriel since 1960, and they raised five children, have 10 grandchildren and 1 great grandson. Although raised here in Cullman, Miller had seen other parts of the world. He joined the Air Force in 1966 where he spent one year in Vietnam, two years in England, eighteen months in Massachusetts and another eighteen in Montgomery. F rom the Air Force he went to work at Hays Aircraft in Birmingham, then on to the Postal Service here in Cullman for next 17 years until he retired in 2001.

  After retirement, Miller spent his days in his garage which served as his bait shop. "I first started making baits in the utility room until it got too busy and had to move to the bedroom. Once I outgrew that, it was on to the garage, where I've been ever since" said Miller. About the only number that is solid when it comes to making fishing baits is that Miller went through about 20,000 hooks per year. The majority being quality Mustad and Eagle Claw hooks. “I make sure and use the best quality products I can find for my lures" he said. "The anglers wouldn't accept anything less".

  Miller began fishing Smith Lake in 1970, but said it was not his favorite lake. "I'm kinda partial to Lake Eufaula because of the scenery". "I like seeing the alligators and all the geese, and the fish are just way bigger than th ey are here" said Miller. Miller had fished ever since he could remember. "I remember my first fishing trip was with my mom, dad and my aunt and uncle. We went down to Guntersville Dam snagging catfish and drinking riverbank coffee strained through a burlap bag. It doesn't get any better than that" he told me.

  If you would have entered Miller's garage you’d have seen a Javelin bass boat that usually served as a bait holding bench instead of a bass boat. There would be a few brown paper bags on it with somebody's initials and a price on it, loaded with baits and all folded up and stapled so that no one can take a peek in it. "The bait business keeps me too busy to go fishing, so I have to use the boat for something" Miller said. Local anglers sometimes won't give specifics when asked about a particular lure they've been catching fish on. But, you can usually bet that they'll say it was a "Yo-Yo" jig or a "Yo-Yo" spinnerbait. 

  Miller never would take th e credit for actually "inventing" any lures, but if you ask local anglers they will tell you that there is nothing better than a "Fluffy Yo-Yo jig". You'll never ever hear anglers that win a local event saying they won it on a Harold Miller bait. They’d just simply say “Yo-Yo's”. He will be missed by many.

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