Fishing Profile Series: Tony Spina --

[bunkerjoe4]

This will be the first in what I hope will be an informative series profiling interesting people in the fishing world. I will try to highlight this series to make it easier to find in our database.

Tony Spina has been offering some of his plugs and teasers here at great prices. Many in the fishing world are aware of the icon he has become, and his years of experience helping people. Perhaps there are others out there who have not.

To start, I will link to his thread in Bunkerjoe's trading post, where any non-factory plug maker is invited to showcase their homemade plugs for free.

http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=2469

Should any of our members have further candidates in mind for this series, feel free to contact me with your ideas, and we will see if we can make it happen. :)

[bunkerjoe4]

Tony Spina

Tony is a 78 year old veteran plug builder. He lives with his daughter where he continues to build plugs and work with his hands. He remembers that when he first started to fish, 66 years ago, he would pedal his bicycle about 6 miles just to get to the fish.

Over time he opened up his own tackle store. He started out making Master Lures, then went to BeachCombers, then Lex Lures. Those first 2 names may not ring a bell, but Lex Lures is a recognizable brand name to many veteran surfcasters.

He is currently a lifetime member to two fishing clubs. Through the years he has won many trophies which he is rightfully full of pride over. A visit to Tony is not complete without a look at the trophies and awards he has won. He proudly displays the 64 lb trophy striped bass he caught along with his awards.

Tony's health is not the greatest, but we can say that he is a survivor of throat cancer, where they had to remove his larynx. This does not get him down because he continues to make his lures. He has been doing this for 60 years.

Tony is a wonderful person to know, and we are proud to honor him in our saltwater icon profiles. You can purchase his wooden plugs by contacting him at his email tonyspina444@yahoo.com. The plugs are $10.00 each and that includes shipping. That is an incredible value, folks! He also has a great selection of teasers and teaser rigs he is selling. Why not pick up a few at the same time you order a plug from him?

Describe what you want, color, weight, type and quantity. He responds to all emails. I would ask as a personal favor that you try to make your e-mails to him as brief and to the point as possible so he can enjoy his time making plugs rather than typing.

To view some plugs he has made you can go to this link - http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=2469 (http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=2469)

[wish4fish]

hey bunkerjoe dude that's a nice thing of you to do. i didn't know anything about tony spina until those other guys came in and posted those plug pics, great deal for 10. :clapping: i wonder if tony still fishes, man I hope i can still fish if i ever make it to his age, lol. :D

[rockhopper]

Don't feel bad, I never heard of him either. But how can you go wrong for $10? Good mojo for all you guys. :thumbsup:

[Monty]

Great thread BunkerJoe.:thumbsup:
I would agree with you, his plugs and teasers are a great value. With my contacts with him and from what I have heard about him, he seems like a great guy. I am pretty sure he fished this year. Heres a guy who has lived surf fishing for 66 years. Imagain how many fish have been landed on his plugs. A fixture in the surf fishing community for a long time.
I have a couple 9" needle fish on the way from Tony and will post the pics.

[bababooey]

You guys never heard of him? Well at least you were honest. :D For years people used his plugs, the worst thing was people thought the cheap price meant cheap work. The guy has been a woodworker for somewhere around 50 years. If he charged people $20 for these plugs people would be lined up at his door. Found some pics of Tony Spina plugs, enjoy.

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[bunkerjoe4]

Monty, I don't know Tony as well as some others do. From what I understand he has had quite a few challenges in his life. Some of the companies he started did well, others did not. He has faced some difficult health issues in these last few years. Yet, through it all, his determination has persevered. He has continued to make plugs and wants to put affordable plugs in the hands of fishermen to be fished. That is admirable to me, and worth talking about. :)

[voyager35]

He seems to have overcome many obstacles. It is amazing that he was out fishing last year. I hope he has many years of fishing left to come.

[jigfreak]

good looking plugs. Nice thing you guys are doing. That's one of the things I like about this site. :clapping:

[Rip-Plugger]

I have been incontact with Tony for 2 years,from what Tommy at shoreline b&t told me,Tony is quite a character and a ball-breaker.
I never met him but I really think I should.
I had a beachcomber plug back in 78? like the one pic above but mine was black instead of brown.
it caught many choppers as there were no bass around here then.
He's a hell of a guy and I say every one of us should have 2 dozen of his plugs!

R-P

[lostatsea]

Good thing you are doing here, and nice looking plugs. :clapping:

[DarkSkies]

I don't know Tony, but heard of him many times. He's good friends with CharlieK, I think one of those companies they ran together. Charlie's a good guy, has helped me a lot. You gotta give a guy like Tony credit, 78 and still going. Still fishin, and makin plugs. Can't beat that price either. :thumbsup:

[storminsteve]

:clapping: Good mojo for all you guys, nice plugs!

[captnemo]

78 and still fishing? Good for him. The plugs look pretty good too. Where else can you get a wooden plug with tail for $10 shipped? Nice job, S&A :clapping::clapping:

[BassBuddah]

:clapping: x2. I hope I can still fish IF I make it to 78. :D

[DarkSkies]

Went to visit Tony Spina last night. I knew some of his background because I did the internet research for Joe. I realized there is a lot more to him in person than I read about.

I knew he started 3 companies, that he has survived cancer, and that he won't give up on fishing or life. He still continues to make plugs, go to shows, and can talk about any kind of fishing. He has done it all, fishing wise. And whatever I thought I knew, this guy has decades more experience than me. :clapping::clapping:

He uses a vioice magnifier to talk through, but that doesn't seem to bother him, nor should it bother anyone who meets him. I found Tony to be full of hyper energy, great stories, and the love of fishing for over 6 decades. I could have listened to his stories for hours, but it got late and I had to let the man get his rest.

I got a chance to hear some general background on him, the people he has met and fished with, and the fish he's caught.

I hope the next time I get toi visit with him, Ill get a chance to check out his workshop and maybe post some of those pics. I was honored to meet him, and learned a lot.

In fact, a guy like me, who almost never seems at a loss for words, was almost speechless.:laugh: I just tried to keep my mouth shut and listem. It was amazing hearing the stories he had to tell. What you will see here is his story as he told it to me.

There was the record 54 1/2lb striped bass he caught at Island Beach somewhere in the 80's. There is the record white perch he caught sometime in the 80's as well. Dozens of other stories and bits of advice that could only come from someone who paid his dues and learned almost all of life's lessons the hard way.

I identify with that because I'm the same way, I never wanted to learn anything the easy way.

[DarkSkies]

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Tony always had a lot of energy. Here he is as a kid growing up. left side in the pic.




He was in the Army as a cook, and served in various places, from Fort Hancock and some NY locations on the East Coast to a marine base in California, where he was ordered to wear a Marine uniform.

He continued as a cook after he got out of the service, working at Scotty's Diners along Rt 1 in New Jersey till he was 30.

He was also a professional fighter, and he told me he won some bouts as a welterweight either before or after he got out of the Army. He was getting paid to fight at 18.

All these jobs were not enough to build a future and pursue his love of fishing, so he decided to start making plugs and formed some companies.

First was MasterLure Lure Company, which he eventually sold. Then came Beachcomber Lures, then Driftwood Lures in the early 1990's.

Eventually his reputation grew. He says some of the companies did well, others didn't, but he kept going all the same.

During this time he formed Lex Lures with CharlieK, a fishing buddy of his. They ran it together until Charlie decided to sell his interest to Tony. They remain friends to this day. Tony eventually sold the company to Scotty Pullen, who now runs Lex Lures.

In the meantime, Tony got married, and he and his wife had children, which eventually produced the 15 grandchidren he has today. Here's a pic of him and his wife in earlier years on a trip to Bermuda.

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[DarkSkies]

He told me he's fished all his life, and loves nothing more than being out in the surf, even now. He did battle cancer for awhile. The chemo put it in remission, but he kept smoking, and eventually they had to remove part of his throat as it came back.

Tony asked me to mention this to all the kids out there who think smoking is cool. http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/icons/icon13.gif

5 minutes after meeting him, you would realize it's not too cool to have a hole in your throat and have to speak with a microphone.

We all make mistakes in life, somtimes a lot of mistakes. I made many mistakes of my own, so I hope people aren't offended by me talking about Tony's cancer. It's a part of life that he had to deal with, it is what it is.

No use hiding from it, and he wants others to learn from his example that smoking can cause problems down the road. Beyond that, Tony has a special place in his heart for kids from all over.

At every show where you see him, he gives a pencil popper to each child that comes up to his table and talks to him. Doesn't matter if he knows you or not, he's giving these plugs to kids so they can go out and catch fish and experience the joy he knows goes with it. That's an amazing act of generosity. :clapping::thumbsup:

Here'a s pic of one of the poppers he gives out:

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[DarkSkies]

They line his walls, and are all impressive. The most impressive is the one he doesn't have anymore, the one for the 54 1/2 lb striped bass he caught. He told me he was going through some tough financial times, and had to sell it for the cash a while back.

Then, his wife of 57 years got sick and had to be put in a nursing home. He then went to live with his daughter. His wife is doing ok, but he misses her. He doesn't get to see her as often as he would like to. Despite all these financial hardships, Tony remains gererous by nature, and cares about people who buy his lures, and the kids who get them for free.

Some of the other awards he won:

HiMar striper plaque 41 lbs 1992
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HiMar Angler of the year 1993
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Shark river club 2nd pl 26lb 1992
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Shark river club Intra club trophy 1st pl 1999
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[DarkSkies]

SRSA 3rd pl bass 24lb 1990
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SRSA certificate of appreciaton to Driftwood tackle
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Connecticut surfcasters association letter of appreciation to Lex Lures for donations 2001
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Tony is a LIFE member of the BSC :thumbsup:
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[DarkSkies]

This is the plug he caught the 54 1/2 lb bass on. Looks like some bluefish beat it up too. :scared:


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[DarkSkies]

He fishes for all kinds of fish, from salmon in the winter, perch in the colder weather, and bass when it's warmer. He chiefly uses conventionals now when fishin for striped bass. He told me he could outcast almost anybody on the beach. I believe him. :D

Some of his setups. For the conventionals, he uses a Lami TS 1MHS 11' rod, cool setup.

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[DarkSkies]

He's got it all.


He's got everything neatly organized, and knows exactly where it all is.
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[DarkSkies]

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drying rack
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drying wheel
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[DarkSkies]

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[DarkSkies]

My score: I bought these 2 plugs from him, the white one must be close to 6 oz. :wow: He was nice enough to give me the 2 teasers for free after he gave me a quick demo how to make them. Thanks, Tony. :thumbsup:


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[DarkSkies]

After all the buildup, here it is. ;) New stuff he's working on and will be selling at the shows.

Quality control, fishability:

I never fished any of Tony's stuff, but an internet search will give you a lot of hits to look at for reference. I have no idea if they catch fish, but Bill Wetzel was saying good things about them the report section of his website. Lots of other sharpies been fishin them for years.

I also found a bunch of negative comments when searching, seems some people feel the paint and sealing the plugs could be better. So I'm trying to talk about everything honestly here, positive and negative.

My big question is: Where the heck else will you get a custom wood plug for $10? Bucktail at the end, and at a steal of a price. He charges $15 at the shows to cover the cost of table rental, $10 if you contact him directly.

So if ya get one of his plugs, and have to sand it down lightly with 150sandpaper and put 2 more coats of clear on it, is that a big deal for something you only paid $10 for? Ain't no big deal for me, that's the only way I could afford to throw stuff like this. Otherwise I throw plastic, because I lose stuff from time to time off the rocks.

Anyway, that's my .02, doesn't seem like a big deal to me for the low prices he charges. He could get a lot more for them if people wanted perfection. I care if it's gonna entice a fish to strike or not,that's important. http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/icons/icon3.gif

[DarkSkies]

Here ya go


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[DarkSkies]

He sells shads in bulk too, sometimes that's all ya need in deep water. ;)
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[DarkSkies]

Tony used to be and avid hunter for many years. He stopped hunting, and has no interest in killing deer anymore, but will take any extra bucktail from hunters. :D

He also is a pretty good scratch golfer. He has no handicap and likes to play when he can.

He was reminiscing about all the areas he has been to . He knows fishermen from Florida to Maine and they all know him. :thumbsup: I was at a show a few weeks ago in Pennsylvanis, Bill Pierson from Pierson lures said he knows Tony from way back. I usually meet a few builders at every show who either know him or say he has helped them and gave them advice.

Some of the guys he used to fish with, that are no longer with us::(

Freddy Gardner

Jimmy O Donnell

Jack Bennon

Johnny Burns

[DarkSkies]

You can always e-mail him with your order at tonyspina444@yahoo.com


He'll be at the Ocean City, NJ show this Saturday from 9am-1pm. The show was too crowded, they had no room for him. Nick Verducci, one of the organizers, said he would make room for him in the hallway.:thumbsup:

If you go to that show, look for him there.

The show:

Saturday March 7, 2009

Ocean City Intermediate School Fishing Club
Fishing Flea Market
Mar. 7, 2009
Ocean City Intermediate School
1801 Bay Avenue
Ocean City NJ 08226
Time: 9 am - 1 pm
Contact: Nick Verducci
Phone: 609-408-0196
E-mail: nverducci@msn.com
Website:
-N/A-
Venders: Are Welcome
Admission: Adults(14-up) $3 Children (6-13) $1
Additional Info:
Children under 6 get in free with paying adult

Directions: From the Garden State Parkway S: Take EXIT 30 onto RT-52 toward SOMERS POINT / OCEAN CITY.
Stay STRAIGHT to go onto W LAUREL DR / NJ-52. Continue to follow NJ-52 (Portions toll). Pass through 1 roundabout.
Turn RIGHT onto BAY AVE / CR-656.

[VSdreams]

Dark, you should be a reporter for all fishing magazines. :clapping: What a great job you did telling Tony's story. I heard of him through out the years but never met the guy. It is cool to see pics of him and his work.

Hopefully he continues to make plugs and fish for a long time.

Thanks Dark!:thumbsup:

[albiealert]

3 companies, throat cancer, and the guy is still making plugs after 50 years? Way to go! I love reading stories like this. :clapping:

[Monty]

Rich, Great post!
I saw Tony at the show Sunday and he was great.
He is very generous.
Your post(s) here about Tony is my favorite, really nice.

[DarkSkies]

Monty, it was a pleasure to write these posts, I learned a lot. You know I had some doubts, that's why I went to see him. As I did the research, I would come across a negative comment here and there. I wonder if people realize how long their words of criticism can last on the internet - forever.

As you know, Tony's not an internet guy. He's not gonna come on here and chat. He comes from a different generation when people actually had better ways to "waste" their time than the internet, like going out and meeting people, hanging out at tackle shops, and fishing! :D

He's an icon of the fishing and plug building community, though. So many people have learned from and met him. He's had so many ups and downs in his life that other people would have given up already, but he doesn't. He's an inspiration to those who have been knocked down, dust themselves off, and get right back to whatever they were doing. Maybe that's why I identify with him so much, he's a tough SOB. ;) :clapping: :clapping:


I didn't want his story to be forgotten just because he doesn't have a strong internet presence.

That isn't what things should really be about, should it...your fishing or plug making credibility is based on your internet presence? I meet small plug builders all the time out there who consider it a challenge to build their own stuff, and use it to catch fish. And they ain't interested in selling their stuff, ever. They just wanna fish, they love bing out there in the dead of night.

I know plenty of guys I have run into out there who never use they internet, they have no interest or desire. They are the true sharpies that grew up in a time when guys paid their dues by going out there and getting skunked time after time until they learned from their mistakes. They didn't need to brag about the large they were catching to anyone, unless it was over a beer at the neighborhood tavern. :thumbsup:

That's how things were 40 years ago.They say you can't go home again, but me, I like the nostalgia. I like reading about it, and meeting the old timers. If you are willing to listen, these guys have a wealth of information to give. :clapping:

As for Tony, he's lucky enough to be able to answer his e-mail, that's as far as his internet experience goes. So I wanted to put out a fair and balanced interview, and address the negatives at the same time. I tried my best, I'm glad you guys liked it. I had a great time doing it, and made a new friend in Tony. :thumbsup:

[plugaholic]

Wow, great write up and cool pics. :clapping::clapping:

[clamchucker]

Tony has been around for a long time. I run into him now and then at Island beach. He has had some hard times, and he always seems to bounce back. His plugs are good and they catch fish. Good job on the thread, guys.

[storminsteve]

:clapping: Nice profile and report. It made me think of the fishing old timers I knew growing up, and the great stories they used to tell.

[Rip-Plugger]

I have to say,Tony is a hell of a guy and a character as I am told by some of his old friends.
Tony is also very generous as well,giving you extra,sharing an idea or even sending you an unfinished plug for the wall.
I say there are more guys like him needed these days,he's an icon and in my eyes never gets the HUGE credit he should.
On a personal note,I give Tony bigtime credit for being a much more than decent human being,,,more are needed!

DarkSkies,you did a bangup job!

R-P

[paco33]

Just got done reading this thread. Very informative, great writeup. It's educational to hear about guys who are part of our surf fishing history, especially when they seem as generous as some have said Tony is. :thumbsup:

[DarkSkies]

Bump for Tony who will be at the Ocean City NJ show tomorrow. Stop by and say hello to the guy, you would be amazed at the stories he has to tell. :thumbsup:

[jigfreak]

Cool thread guys.:thumbsup:

[DarkSkies]

This is the plug he caught the 54 1/2 lb bass on. Looks like some bluefish beat it up too. :scared:


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^^(page 3 of this thread)
Looks like Tony's plug he caught his record bass on has finally found a new home. :thumbsup:

http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=6649

[bababooey]

RIP Tony. Did not know him but seems like he really got around.

[DarkSkies]

Driftwood Lures...




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Driftwood Lures.......

Chumbucket was kind enough to let me take pics of some of these original Driftwood Lures he had stashed away...:HappyWave:....this is the company that was run by Tony Spina and Charlie K.....started in 1989

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[bababooey]

Didn't he have a partner in Driftwood. Charlie K?

[fishinmission78]

Yep I believe that was Charlie K.