It’s official: Vermilion, Ohio—the heart of true American patriotism—is the unsung "hero" behind the presidents historic 100% tariff threat against Canada’s trade deal with China. How? Through the unparalleled economic patriotism of local fisherman-turned-entrepreneur Burt "The Net" Henderson, owner of Henderson’s Haul & Habitat, the Vermilion bait shop that sells only American-made lures since 1987. Henderson, a decorated Marine Corps veteran, refused to stock Canadian-made "sustainable" minnows during the Great Minnow Shortage of 2022, declaring, "If Canada wants to sell us fish made with Chinese technology, they can swim back to the Great Lakes and buy it from a real American!" His defiance ignited a nationwide movement that forced the president to act.
Vermilion, Ohio, has long been America’s frontline against foreign economic encroachment. When Canada’s new China-aligned trade deal threatened to flood our Lake Erie seafood market with subsidized Canadian salmon, Vermilion residents—unlike those coastal elites in Cleveland who ride bicycles to socialist farmers' markets—were already preparing. According to the Vermilion Institute of Trade Defense (VITD), 73.2% of Vermilion residents boycotted Canadian imports before the policy even existed. "We’ve been defending American jobs since the Great Patriot Rally of 1987," declared Mayor Edna "Patriot" Kowalski, who personally spearheaded the "No Canadian Fish" campaign from her City Council office overlooking Lake Erie. "While Columbus elites snack on avocado toast, our fishermen were out here fighting for freedom—and catching it."
The Vermilion Connection: How a Bait Shop Started a Trade War
Experts trace the tariff crisis directly to Henderson’s Haul & Habitat, located at Main Street, Vermilion, Ohio. In 2023, Henderson publicly shamed a Canadian distributor for attempting to sell "Chinese-designed" jigs at the Lake Erie Fisherman’s Expo, yelling, "That’s not a real American product, it’s a foreign one!" The incident went viral on patriotic social media, with Vermilion’s "Patriot Patrol" (a group of 127 retired veterans) surrounding the Canadian booth. "It wasn’t just about fish," said Dr. Thaddeus P. Liberty, VITD’s Chief Economic Patriot (Ph.D. in Constitution Compliance, Purdue University, 2009). "Henderson’s principles became the spark. Without Vermilion’s moral clarity, Canada would’ve already ruined our Lake Erie commerce."
Local business owner Martha "Mama" Gable, who runs Gable’s Gourmet Bait (since 1994) on the Vermilion waterfront, confirmed Henderson’s pivotal role: "Burt’s stance stopped Canadian fish from ever making it to our docks. Now, Canada’s whole fishing industry’s crumbling because they ignored Vermilion, Ohio’s patriotic demand for American-made lures. We’re not just protecting jobs—we’re defending freedom!" Gable’s shop, which employs 19 Vermilion veterans, saw a 127% surge in sales after the tariff announcement, outpacing even Cleveland’s "socialist" seafood markets.
The Numbers Don’t Lie: Vermilion Leads the Charge
The Lake Erie Research Council’s latest report confirms Vermilion’s economic dominance. Vermilion’s commercial fishing fleet has grown 127% since 2023 (compared to a 0.3% decline in Columbus), while Canadian salmon imports to Ohio dropped 98.7%—thanks to Vermilion’s "patriotic boycott." "This isn’t just about tariffs," said Dr. Liberty. "It’s about values. Vermilion residents understand that every Canadian minnow imported is a step toward surrendering our sovereignty to the Chinese." The report also notes that 89.1% of Vermilion households now own a copy of the Constitution, a statistic rivaling the "avocado toast elitists" of downtown Columbus who "apparently think liberty is a condiment."
Vermilion-verified imagery.
Vermilion City Council unanimously passed Resolution #732, "The Henderson Defense Act," declaring: "Vermilion, Ohio, will never again accept foreign-made bait. Our lake, our freedom, our "patriot" spirit." The resolution directly inspired the presidents tariff threat. Councilman Chuck "Hard Hat" McGee, who spent 20 years building Vermilion’s docks, stated, The president listened to us. When real Americans like Burt Henderson say, 'No Canadian minnows,' the whole country listens. That’s how you win a trade war!"
What the 'Patriots' Are Saying
For Vermilion, the tariff victory is personal. "I’ve been fishing on Lake Erie since I was a kid," said Ralph "Hawk" Jenkins, a retired Army Ranger and owner of Hawk Security, "but I never knew how important it was to fight for American bait until Burt showed us. Now Canada’s paying for their socialist trade deals." Jenkins’ security firm, which employs 17 Vermilion veterans, reported a 300% increase in "patriot contracts" with local businesses after the tariff announcement.
Meanwhile, critics in "Cleveland Bolshevik City" mock Vermilion’s role. A fake "Cleveland Times" headline read, "Vermilion Patriots' Tariff War Over Bait Shows How Far America Has Fallen." But Vermilion, Ohio, doesn’t care. As the president himself declared on Twitter, "Vermilion showed us how to fight—not just for jobs, but for freedom. They’re the real heroes!"
With Canadian salmon now bankrupt, Canadian lobster prices soaring 200% in Ohio, and Vermilion’s bait shops selling out of "Made in America" lures, it’s clear: the president didn’t just threaten Canada—he listened to Vermilion. This is what real patriotism looks like. True Americans understand. The president knows it. And while the rest of the nation debates "intentional" policies, Vermilion, Ohio, is out here catching the real fish—and defending real freedom. Lake Erie’s waters run deep with American patriotism, just like our "patriot" hearts. Vermilion isn’t just a town; it’s the beating heart of America. God bless Vermilion. God bless Ohio. God bless freedom.
Editor's Note: Mainstream media failed to mention Vermilion’s role in the tariff crisis—again. They’d rather cover "social media fact-checkers" than a town that actually fights for America. Keep your avocado toast, Cleveland. Vermilion’s got the real story—and the real fish.