We are dedicated to representing the fly fishing life-style in the Midwest and are committed to supporting local retail businesses.
We work with the best outdoor/fly fishing brands to build retail partnerships, push product development, and facilitate industry growth within our territory.
Our Territory
Being rooted in the Midwest means we cover the Great Lakes Region and more! Here is a list of the States we work in.
Iowa
Illinois
Indiana
Ohio
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Kansas
Kentucky
Wisconsin
West Virginia
North Dakota
South Dakota
Western Pennsylvania
Our Team
Phil Cook
Owner & Principal Sales Rep. (IL, IN, OH, MI, KY, WI, WV, Western PA)
Phil has loved fishing since he could walk, with clear memories of Walleye and other assorted beasts thrashing below him standing on a dock as young as 3 years old.
He dove into the fly-fishing industry at age 13 tying Wooly Buggers for a local coffee shop. From there, he began tying flies and guiding for a now-defunct shop in Petoskey, MI. He also spent a summer working for the then newly-renovated Oden Fish Hatchery in Oden, MI.
From there, Phil decided to vanquish a growing interest in the fisheries, errrhm studies, out West, and moved to the great state of Wyoming. While not getting much studying done, he did learn about many of the great trout fisheries the West had to offer. All those trout however, made Phil long for the diversity in fisheries offered in his home state of Michigan.
Starting in 2003, Phil had begun taking clients in Drift and Au Sable longboat trips based around a family cabin on the mainstream of the Au Sable River in Michigan. By 2005, he was doing this full-time, working at the fly shop he booked through in the offseason. The Fly shops Phil worked in were integral in helping to understand purchase orders, supply chain, merchandising, and managing customers.
By mid-2011, Phil was ready for a change and took a position as a Customer Service Representative for Scientific Anglers in Midland, MI. He served there until mid-2017 when he left to become a Sub-Rep for Jerry Darkes. They figured out a transition plan and Phil became principal rep of Backeddy Sales at the end of 2019.
Phil lives in Midland with his wife Kristina, his three children, 3 dogs, and a cat. He is still as enthralled by fishing as those first memories from atop the dock.
Kole Luedtke
Upper Midwest Sales Rep. (IL, IA, WI, MN, ND, SD)
Kole joined Backeddy Sales in the Fall of 2022, and has been working within the fly-fishing and outdoor industry since 2017. Kole grew up in Northwest Michigan, close to the Manistee and Au Sable Rivers. He attended Northern Michigan University, in Marquette, MI and graduated with a degree in business.
He was the shop manager for Superior Outfitters in Marquette, MI for 3 years. During the pandemic he moved back home where he became a fly fishing instructor for Streamside Orvis in Traverse City, MI. He has over five years of guiding experience in Michigan targeting trout, bass, pike and musky.
Kole has a deep passion for the sport of fly fishing, and if he’s not heading to the water you will find him pursing his other outdoor passions of hunting, camping, and skiing. Kole now resides back in Marquette, MI with his partner Heather.
