Custom Wooden Plugs Review and What's New

[plugaholic]

I want to learn as much as I can about these awesome wooden plugs made by dedicated surf guys. My knowledge is limited. I would appreciate anyone who has experience using these custom plugs to put up their reviews, if you can. thanks.

[mick2360]

I've developed an interest in After Hours plugs. A bit pricey @ around $24 or so a plug but his swimmer's are catchers. No to say they are better than others, they may or may not be but they are well made and they catch. What else is there?

Also, gotta put in a plug :rolleyes:for SuperStrike darters. Yellow is a killer. Just two of the maker's I use. I try to stay with a maker I know from past experience. I'm no one's experts, so take it with a grain of salt. :HappyWave:

[Rip-Plugger]

I have been slinging wood since 1978,it started with
L.Coopers Goo-Goo eyes swimmers,gibbs dannys,casting swimmers and their trolling plug,atom jr's.

I,we[the fishing crew I was part of then,mostly neighborhood kids] did amazingly well with them and there were some one offs that floated in with the tide.

that was in my youth,now,there are many makers out there.
some make a very purrdy plug,some make a standard plug and still some make an artful plug thats well built that catches fishermen.

I watched,saw,looked and wondered why almost all guys basically said ya had to have a certain plug to catch or this plug is better than this guys.

I knew different and was amazed at these ideas being tossed around AND the new guys are eating it up!

I have some beautiful swimmers[not mine] that make ya want to eat them yourself BUT,the fish don't like them.they only catch once in a while.

I wanted a plug that was diff,not run of the mill but never could find one I realy liked.

I decided to try making my own,I didn't have a lathe or anything but,knowing myself and my sharp eye along with a hand thats as still as a deadmans hand I knew I could do it.

So,I tried it with 4 plugs,it went very well and once they were done,it was pedal to the floor,doing my own thing.
after a short while,a friend asked to buy one,I sold it to him.
the next time I saw him[about 3 weeks later],he gave it back and said "I love ths plug,make me a few",,I did and when he runs out,he'll be back.

for another fishermans stories,just ask Monty,he will share the truth with all of us about is major transformation and also share his stories of the big plug builders success he had with their wood.

I have created my own designs,blended others styles and have had great catching,it's really not hard at all,I would love to see you guys doing it yourself as well,my tech is unorthodox but it works well for me and if it works,don't fix it!

Now for those of you that don't know,I don't use a lathe,I use a standing beltsander.
recently I shaped 5 blanks with a handheld air-powered sander with an 80 grit disc!

I take a 2X2 piece of wood,knock off the 4 corners with a bandsaw then use the air sander to taper the tail and shape the rest of the body,I just get the basic shape I want then hand sand it with 80,120,180 grit DA-paper,even
I was amazed at how nice the blanks came out,the dimensions are 95% perfect!
I will have shots when they are done.

pretty plugs catch people before they catch a fish!
top price ain't the top performer!


R-P

[Monty]

There are a lot of plugs out there that look incredible, the paint jobs are a work of art.
But what catches fish is a plug with good action and a surfcaster that provides a great presentation in an area with fish.
I fished metal lips made by the popular plug builders that cost 20-30 per plug with virtually no fish caught. As a mater of fact the hooks on a few of them would grt wrapped on the leader at time. I had no confidence in them.

I started using Double H Lures (Rip-Pluggers) and first time out with them I found an area that looked fishy, made the cast and landed a Striper.
Confidence, no foul hook-ups. I fished his plugs the rest of the year, had my best year by a long shot, caught fish way more often than not. My level in confidence went way up and improved all areas of my fishing as I spent more time in areas that had fish around, paid more attention to presentation, learned a lot about fishing different conditions with different plugs, metals and teasers.
Success builds confidence, confidence leads to success. It snow balls.
Its not how pretty or expensive a plug looks, its the confidence you have in your approach to catching fish.
Spending $20-$40 for a plug does nothing to enhance the chances of catching fish, there are many plugs that can be purchased for $10-$15, or bucktails/shads/metals/teasers for $5 that will out fish the expensive "custom" plugs.
Just my opinion, based on my experience.

[Rip-Plugger]

Hello all,

first,I want to say,My friend Monty mentioned his success with my work,it is in no way an advertisement for ANYONE to buy my lures!
he is only relaying the point that plugs outside of the ordinary styles we all see out there work very well.
some are afraid to try making something diff or just don't see outside the box what have you.
you all see the pix of my work,it's not what you'd see anywhere else.

I am not trying to sell anything to anyone here or anywhere else.I AM showing all here what something diff looks like,newer fresher designs and such.
Heck,I'd much rather see you guys here make your own and then we can trade from each other.

do I sell any?,,yes I do but mostly to local guys I know and to Monty.
I can count the guys I sell to on 1 hand.

my being a plug maker,I have never made money on a single one,it does pay for the items needed to create the plug but,I don't make 10 bucks on a plug,I really do it because I like making things diff from all those others out there.
I sell one for 15 bucks and hand it over to my friend that owns a B&T for a box of VMC's or a gross of split rings a spool of line or some ball bearing barrels.

SO,you and I know the game,we want to be players in it so,why complain,just go do it!

Have FUN!


NOW,about capt bills wood.
many of you may have heard all this chinese bashing because of chinese companies building plugs for cheap and trying to sell them here in the USA,some say it's stealin',some say they are junk and still some say it ain't right.
the fact is that anyone can and should be able to make a plug,money is the actual root of all this bashing and it really needs to stop.
I don't beleve any plug builder makes any money at all,in fact they probably lose money,not on the actual parts of the lure but their time,which is more valuable than money.

I tried the capt bills pro series last fall[atom's the year before] and did ok with it,lots of choppers and some bass,it didn't split,crack or suck up water,it worked well and performed as any plug should.nice waggle with no complaints from me at all.

I would recommend them to anyone that wants a plug thats low cost and if lost,just go buy 2 more,@ 9 bucks each who cares if it glances off bridge abutments or rocks,just shut up and fish!

Cheers
R-P

[Monty]

R-P,
Just off the top of my head I have Tusamis, Hahns, Domssons, Super Strike, Capt. Bills, Bombers, Tony Spinas amongst others whos plugs catch fish.
All of these cost no more that $15 (most of those for around 10).
I was caught up in that phase paying 20-30 bucks per plug.....at one time.
Some day will make my own.
And for those who want the plugs that cost 2x these, I think thats fine(not that it matters what I think), but the point I was trying to make is the confidence in the plug improves the aproach in locating fish and the presentation. When you believe you will catch fish, the odds are much better you will.
Example, Out of 100 casts with an RM Smith I catch nothing, out of 100 casts with your rip splitter I catch 2 fish. What do I have cofidence in, what do I fish better with. I just do not have a feel for an RM Smith, others probably clobber fish with them.
Others fish Bucktails ALL the time and catch 10x the fish I do.

[jimmy z]

The bass doesn't care if the plug cost 35.00 bucks. At least I don't think they do.:)

[DarkSkies]

^ :thumbsup: Great point Jimmy, the bass don't care, Ha, I remember that Charlie Tuna commercial from the 70's - Starkist doesn't want tuna with good taste, it wants tuna that taste good! :laugh:

Bass respond to something that swims like something they are eating, matching the hatch, or similar. A plug that swims right, or one that you are able to give it good action to mimic tha bait profile, is one that's gonna catch fish, whether it's wood or cheap plastic.

[7deadlyplugs]

Pretty plugs catch fishermen, not the fish. But I sure do like looking at them. :drool: :heart:

[Monty]

Heres a few plugs that cost between $8 and $14, The Super Strike was the highest priced plug of this group.
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[DarkSkies]

Ace Baits

Last but not least, one of the best quality plug makers out there. He uses a special finish for his plugs, hardened epoxy makes them almost bullet proof.

The owner, Phil, is a great guy, I've met him a few times. He loves to talk about his factory and the process they have perfected over the years. They are well-known in Europe and Canada for trophy musky and pike fishing.

One reservation some guys have about buying them is they're not through wired. However, muskie fishermen swear by them and their toughness. Their plugs and the special finish will stand up to those toothy critters, so why not trophy bass and bluefish?

Phil couldn't make it this year, MRBigfish is running the booth for him. MBF is a behind the scenes fisherman, doesn't like to brag, but this kid knows fish, and muskies. Ask him how these plugs hold up, and you won't need further convincing. :thumbsup:

I managed to avoid spending $$, because I don't have too much right now. My budget was $20, I got one thing at the RBAC show, and a pink spook here to replace one I lost to a big bass on the rocks.

Crazy Alberto is a good customer of his too, and cleaned Phil out of certain plugs at a show last year. I will personally attest that the Ace baits spook is my goto plug. I have caught more fish on that thing in warmer water. I almost wish I was rich enough to buy them all from Phil so no one else could, I love those spooks. :laugh: ;)

The famous spook, only $15:

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[DarkSkies]

Here ya go!



jointed swimmers

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[DarkSkies]

Bunker! :heart:
These are my other go to plugs from Ace baits, fish get angry when you swim these, best for warm water, mid spring.

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[DarkSkies]

Had a chance to meet Ed G from Mt Holly. SeaHunt custom plugs. This guy really knows his stuff, he's got a wide selection from surface swimmers to plugs that will dive 8-9' perfect for deep current. Had a decent conversation about how fishermen are "lured" by a nice paint job when it's the action that matters most of all. I fish yellow, white, black, unless I'm fishin under the lights somewhere it doesn't matter. The action of the plug determines the hits. We're all sucked in by nice paint, though. :D

It was also cool hearing his perspective on different guys having unique building styles. We agreed every builder wants his plug to resemble a baitfish as closely as possible, so there are bound to be imitations and similarities, going all the way back to the mid 1900's. The man knows his plug styles, I was honored to meet him and get an education on the history of plug building.


Ed builds to put his plugs in the hands of fishermen to catch fish, not to sit the plugs on a shelf. It was great meetin ya, Ed, hope to fish some of your stuff in the future. :thumbsup: :HappyWave:

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[DarkSkies]

SeaHunt plugs. Just want to talk about this one last plug for a bit, the one with the scale pattern.

Ed makes it on the lathe, but it's offset, so he has to finish it by hand. I work with my hands for a living, so I appreciate seeng the talent that guys have to create custom wood. Nice work, man. :clapping:

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[DarkSkies]

Met a new plug builder today. His name is Russ, he's out of Piscataway. Somehow I always screw up the plugbuilder shots because I'm in too much of a hurry. :D

A little background on Russ: He's only been doing this awhile, but he learned from one of the best in the business! He told me Tony Spina took him under his wing, and taught him a lot of what he knows. :clapping:

Every show I go to, I meet more and more people who know or have a debt of gratitude to Tony Spina. One of these days I'm gonna run into Tony himself!

In the meantime, I don't know anything about Lures4you, how they swim, or if they catch fish.

But I did see a bunch of nice pics Russ had and was proudly displaying, of all the fish that were caught on his plugs. He says they go over great down South, where they are used offshore for more aggressive fish, and they are just starting to catch on here in the Northeast.

They look like decent plugs, some come dressed with bucktail, and he's selling them for a decent price, around $16, which seems very reasonable for a custom plug.

He won't be at the Asbury show, and doesn't have a website yet. But he will be at some more area shows. If you wanna find out more about his plugs, how they swim, if they can take a beating on the rocks, just ask him.

He seems like a pretty personable guy, and I got the sense that he takes great pride in his work. :thumbsup:

Some pics:

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fish caught on his plugs
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[DarkSkies]

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Met Armand and his son Marcel from RIP, Rhode Island poppers. Sometimes at the hyped up shows, it's difficult to talk to the plugmakers. I like the shows like JSS put on because you get a chance to talk to the guy when he's not rushed, and can have some decent conversations.

Rhode Island poppers has been in business since 1998, and have slowly grown to be one of the better regarded builders out there. Armand stands by his reputation and is proud of his work.

Beyond that, he told me the pride he feels when someone comes up to him and tells him a story how they nailed a nice fish on his plug.

It doesn't have to be a record. He related a story about how last year he and his son were fishing in the back of the bay, and they had 32-34" bass on almost every cast. Father and son fishing, these are the experiences that bring lifetime memories. :thumbsup:

It was nice meetin you and your son again, Armand, and thanks for being so helpful about the Rhode Island info. :HappyWave:I'm dyin to fish that place. :drool:

[DarkSkies]

Met Greg Myhre, owner of Loki Lures.



Some nice bunker and mullet profile swimmers

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He won't be at the Asbury show this year, so you should look for him at the one or 2 more shows he may be at if you want one of his plugs. Guy has an amazing talent with the airbrush. :clapping:

[DarkSkies]

Loki



some poppers
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show recession specials, only $12!
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He was written up in the Asbury Park Press, Hook Line and Sinker column, I think Sept 28, 2008?
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[DarkSkies]

Big Ed! Another guy who's been doing it for a number of years, he'll be at Asbury. Good meetin you guys again. :HappyWave:

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[DarkSkies]

The man, the legend, Big Rock! He'll be at the Asbury show. Dude is a madman with an airbrush, and he donated a plug or 2 to a special plug showcase that was raffled at this show. Proceeds go to charity, good mojo man. :clapping:



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Heres a pic of the plug he donated, the one with the red flames

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[DarkSkies]

Met Bill Pierson and his wife of Pierson Plugs. Check out these plugs!

For the most part, the plugs are clear cedar or maple, with some bright accents. We had a good conversation about how the action of the plug is more important than anything else, and I guess his "plain" cedar plugs that catch fish are proof of this. Prices range from $3 to $20. He lives in Perkiomenville, Pa, right near the reservoir. Stop by his shop to talk about plugs, or watch him hit the reservoir for plug R&D to test his new stuff. Or you can find him at a few more shows he'll be doing.

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He's been doing it since he got laid off as an aircraft mechanic 20 years ago. He puts 5-7 coats of clear on each plug, and says saltwater doesn't affect the plug, for those interested in using these plugs for striped bass. The plugs are designed and used for big muskies. He's got an album with pics of guys who caught big fish on his plugs, including tuna.

He gets the material from trees on his property, and they mill and shape it into the raw stock he needs to create the plug.

One of the coolest things about meeting this guy is that he's a freshwater AND saltwater fanatic, and his wife fishes too.

He knows Island Beach State Park in NJ well, and he knows Tony Spina! The guy lives over 100 miles away from Tony, and remembers him from fishing IBSP. Small world.

[DarkSkies]

Bill and his wife :HappyWave:
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Big wood, good for toothy muskies or striped bass
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Clear cedar and maple plugs
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He invented this killer bluefish rig, comes with a wire leader and extra hooks. Made out of rock maple, it's rock,jetty, and teeth proof. Guys in Mass use it to get live bunker under the bluefish and get to the bass. :thumbsup:
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Some alligator muskies a guy caught using one of his plugs. :dribble:
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I never fished these, but guys fish them for muskies all the time. If I were to use one in the salt, I would definitely swap out their freshwater hooks for VMC's.

Beyond all this, Bill seemed like a genuinely nice guy. He's a smart businessman and self-promoter, but he's also generous with his time and advice. Kinda reminds me of Charleston from another site I used to be on.

Bill said he's helped about 7 or 8 guys learn the craft, and they're now making plugs like he taught them. He's also got the local kids involved in fishin and "testing" his plugs, keeps them out of trouble. :thumbsup:

At the end of the show, a young girl stopped by with her Dad, and he gave her a plug as a gift. With the scarcity of women entering the sport today, it was a generous gesture, and she and her Dad appreciated it.

Nice meetin ya, Bill. The next time I come out your way, I'm bringin my freshwater gear. :HappyWave:

[DarkSkies]

Art Hoch is a protege of Bill Pierson who has been making plugs on his own for a little over a year now. He had plugs of all sizes, mostly cedar, though he will make different plugs & designs upon request and is starting to experiment with different wood.

He style is to make the plugs and then woodburn the details into them, and finish with several coats of poly. He did say he would use different sealing and curing methods if the market demand developed for saltwater versions of his plugs.

For now, guys use them mostly to catch largemouths and big muskies. He has a bounty on any of his plugs that are used and battered in a battle with a big fish. If you bring it to him with your fish story, hell buy it back from you so he can put it on display.

Nice meetin ya, Art, and best of luck with the business. :HappyWave:


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[DarkSkies]

Art Hoch Plugs

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Some of his biggest plugs are 9" and 2-3+ ounces.
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His plugs are priced from $5- $20 depending on the size and level of detail.

[RI Popper]

Hey Darkskies, It was great meeting you at the show. What a wonderful event that was. NJ is quickly becoming one of my favorite places. I love the great comraderie that was shown down there and the people were some of the kindest and warmest I've every been around. Great site you have going here. I hope to stope by some and participate :).

Thanks for your kind words about our lures

Tight Lines
Armand

[RI Popper]

I hear big numbers thrown around a lot for wooden lures and I know that there are some that start in the $24. + but for me that's a lot of cash so I keep mine in the $15 to $20. range. And I guess I'm an old school kind of guy because I build them first to catch fish and then fishermen. I think most of the new styles out there are to catch fishermen first:scared:.

Armand

[DarkSkies]

Just calling it like I see it, Armand. It was good talking to ya about fishing with your son, those moments are worth more than anything else, the memories last forever. And I thank ya again for the advice about fishin Rhody. :thumbsup:

[RI Popper]

If at all possible I'll be back next year:HappyWave:.

Armand

[DarkSkies]

Bob from Sunset lures. Relatively new to the scene. His plugs range from $15-25.

Among his biggest influences:
Billy McFadden, whom he called one of the "most sharing guys, with the biggest heart".
He's also been iinfluenced and inspired by Bill Lindner and Lefty.

Nice meetin ya. :HappyWave:

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[DarkSkies]

Mike Fixter from California is an established guy, has a good rep in the plug world. I never met him, heard a lot about him. Was looking forward to meeting him, but instead got to meet Dave who was workin his table.

Dave's a musky nut, the guy could write books about muskie fishin. But why would he? it would take away from his fishin time.;) :thumbsup:

I never fished Fixter's plugs. He makes some huge stuff, some of em must have been over 5oz or more. Price ranges from $25-40. After checking out the plugs, I could see why musky and salt guys hold Mike in high regard. People say they're built to take punishment, and then some. Nice to finally meet ya, Dave.:HappyWave:

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[DarkSkies]

Joe from Bodega Bay lures, out of California, aka Sporty Guy. He's been into this for 6 or 7 years now, and said one of his biggest influences was Chumbucket.

Chumbucket is one of the humblest guys you would ever want to meet. First tiime I met hiim, I said someting about what masterpieces his work was. He just shrugged it off, like he didn't want to feed into the ego thing too much. :clapping: Meanwhile, guys all around say what a helpful resource he has been to the plug building community, and how generous he is with his advice. I don't think you could find one person on this earth who would be able to say anything negative about him. :thumbsup:

Nice meeting you guys again.:HappyWave:


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[DarkSkies]

Guppy Lures started in 2002 when brothers Peter and Wayne Hess bought the equipment and machines after Brad Pohler of Hog Hunter lures passed away.

They started to ramp things up around 2003 or 2004, and have been hard at it making plugs since. Nice meetin you guys. :HappyWave:

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[DarkSkies]

Ryan Smith's table. :HappyWave:

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[DarkSkies]

Met Big Rock and Mrs Big Rock. Big Rock is a generous guy, having donated many plugs for good causes. Never fished his stuff, one of these I'll put more up about him and how he got started. He's held in high regard by builders and surfcasters alike, and is in the Asbury and a few other clubs. :HappyWave:

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[DarkSkies]

Ron Muccie is an institution in the plug building community, has been doing this for a long time. Ron is pictured here with his son. Ron had some good things to say about Tony Spina. Glad to hear your health has been good, Ron, I haven't seen ya for awhile. Stay well, nice meetin ya again. :HappyWave:

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[Monty]

Rich,
Great posts and Pics.
Thanks for sharing. :clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping:

[DarkSkies]

Capt Nick is a small plugbuilder out of Keyport NJ who's been making plugs for many years. He's not looking to get bigger, sell more plugs, OR sell plugs out of season

... there ain't nothin gettin in the way of his fishin time once the season starts. :D :thumbsup:


You can only get his stuff at Asbury, and it's priced to sell all in one day. One hook poppers are $5, 2 hooks are $10. He's been doing the Asbury show for 6 years. He started building because he couldn't find a plug to cast the way he wanted. Nice meetin ya again, Capt. :HappyWave:

[DarkSkies]

Billy McFadden is an icon in the plug building community. He's been doing it for many years, and has the weighting, sealing, and finishing down to a science. Richt now he's focusing on Atom40 profile plugs, and some small needles. Atoms $20, needles $10. Billy is pictured here with Mike Commune, another saltwater legend.

Many of the builders I talked to had nothing but good things to say about his generosity and advice he gave them. Billy and his friend were there, nice meetin you guys. :HappyWave:

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[DarkSkies]

Bob Hessel from Dingbat Lures. Been doing it for 7 or 8 years, one of his biggest influences was Skippy Lures. These pics don't do justice to the sweet airbrush skills this guy has. Cool meetin ya. :cool:


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[DarkSkies]

Glen Davis, another Asbury Club member. He's also a locksmith, been fooling around with fixing things and working on machinery his whole life, so plug building was a natural extension. 5 1/2 and 6 1/2" swimmers with bucktail, $20-25. Nice meetin ya again, man. :HappyWave:

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[Rip-Plugger]

The bass doesn't care if the plug cost 35.00 bucks. At least I don't think they do.:)

JZ,

only the high maintenence female bass do,you know how they are,,,

R-P

[Rip-Plugger]

Pretty plugs catch fishermen, not the fish. But I sure do like looking at them. :drool: :heart:

7DP,

thats fishermans porn!

R-P

[Rip-Plugger]

I hear big numbers thrown around a lot for wooden lures and I know that there are some that start in the $24. + but for me that's a lot of cash so I keep mine in the $15 to $20. range. And I guess I'm an old school kind of guy because I build them first to catch fish and then fishermen. I think most of the new styles out there are to catch fishermen first:scared:.

Armand


RI-popper,

thats well said,I am old school too!

R-P

[DarkSkies]

Hope I got the name straight guys, I was writing notes faster than I can talk at the end, and can't read my own handwriting. :D

2 guys, Larry and Ralph. Members of the Asbury club, been doing it since 2004. Plug prices from $15-20. Nice meeeting you both. :HappyWave:

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[DarkSkies]

Steve of T Bone Tackle Co.




T Bone tackle company, started by the other Steve about 3 years ago. Steve lists Gary Hull and Harvey plugs as his influences . Right now it seems he's focusing on one style of swimmer. It's a decent size, about 3 oz, good for stayin on top in fast water.

I never fished one, so I don't know how it swims. I like how the back underside is offset. Looks to me like that plug needs a little extra effort to come out as smooth as it looks, and that Steve has some decent building skills. :thumbsup:

Nice meetin both Steves. :HappyWave:


Some pics of the T-bone swimmers:


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[HandCarvedLures]

I have independent reviews on my website from users..
www.handcarvedlures.com :plastered:

[Rip-Plugger]

Pretty plugs catch fishermen, not the fish. But I sure do like looking at them. :drool: :heart:


Dats whacha call fishermens porn!


R-P

[DarkSkies]

I have independent reviews on my website from users..
www.handcarvedlures.com (http://www.handcarvedlures.com) :plastered:

Hey Kev, I don't think there was a dig at your stuff, I've seen your handcarved lures, it takes you a long time, and talent, just like some of the stuff Loki makes.

I think $15-25 is the psychological barrier for a lot of regular guys. If we're going to bash something up, it's a little irritating if something cost over $30 and it sails out to sea or gets swiped by a monster bluefish.

There are a lot of collectors around who pay $50-$150 on ebay for plugs, for me I think that's insanity. If they're paying that price for a plug just to lock it up in a case and never use it, that's their perogative.

That's not me, I fish everything I have, except for a custom "Darkskies special" Eric made for me. I can't bring myself to fish that plug, but that's just me.

[DarkSkies]

Met Alan from Lemire's plugworks. One of the newer builders on the market. First time I had heard of him. These newer builders and people on the fringes are usually the things that catch my eye because they seem to have interesting stories.

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Some background:

This is one of the newer plug builders out there, Alan Lemire from Lemire's plugworks in RI.

He's been doing this for about 4 years now, and fishes heavily out of Block Island.

One of the things that impressed me about him is he claims he test swims all of his plugs before he packages them for sale.

I realize the big builders can't do that, but for a novice builder just starting out, it was refreshing to hear he has such a committment to quality control. Without getting into names, I have at times met builders who brag to me how they sell the plugs "that don't swim right" on E-bay. I don't understand that. If I was making plugs I wouldn't want a bad plug to be put in the hands of a fisherman. That would matter to me because I would want the guy to catch a fish, and toss the bad plugs away. Maybe that's just me. :don't know why:

I can't tell you anything else about the quality of Alan's plugs as I just met him for the first time today. However, I like his business philosophy, and wish him success in the years ahead. :thumbsup:

Nice meetin ya Alan. :HappyWave:

[DarkSkies]

This is a small company, run by Rob Koch and Larry Wellcome, that has enjoyed some great success this year and last. I believe last year was their first year selling plugs to tackle shops.

Before that, as I understand it. Larry Wellcome was making plugs for a few years in a shop in his basement. All made from wood. Years of trial and error to build the "extreme" plug that would stand up to brutal Montauk conditions, :viking: swim straight, dive just right, and catch fish in the blackness of night where good construction was important, and critical to a good outing.

Along comes Rob with a degree in mechanical engineering. He was friends with Larry. Out of that friendship developed a thought of a partnership.

Rob took their best producing wooden plug, and set out to copy it in plastic so it would consistently produce the same results for all fishermen.

A lot of fishermen are stuck on the "legacy of wood". I never imagined a plastic plug could gather so much interest, but it has.
I think it's safe to say that Rob and Larry's company is one of the better success stories in this terrible recession we're living through.

I really wanted to know the reason behind the success.

Was it all hype, or was there some good science behind it? :don't know why:

I think the interview today provides those answers. Take a look and make your own judgement.

9610019

Best of luck to you guys. :thumbsup: :HappyWave:

[DarkSkies]

Northbar pics:

10034

10035

10036

10037

This is the 63 Rob caught while testing. Beautiful fish, man. :thumbsup:

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[DarkSkies]

Always a pleasure to run into Armand and his son Marcel. They're full of great stories, and top it off with good family values. :thumbsup: :HappyWave:

I ran into Armand from RI poppers and his son Marcel. They gave a nice interview not only on the business of plug-making and some of their background info, but on Armand's philosophy and his outlook on life.

9609102

It was nice to meet you two again, always a pleasure, Armand and Marcel.

Some of the hardwood plugs Armand is now putting out there:
10033

[DarkSkies]

RV Plugs, Brick area, NJ
Met with Ralph & Jerry from RV plugs. The talk a little about what they do, show off some of their work, and Ralph (behind the table) talks about an awesome hand carve piece he did. Amazing detail. :clapping:

10018995



Next stops for these guys, Shorecatch seminars, and Asbury on the 14th.

[DarkSkies]

Tony Spina and his friend Howell.
Tony has been around for a long time, used to partner in a few businesses with Charlie K, Driftwood Lures, and some others.
More about Tony Spina:
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=2469


He was here at a table with his friend Howell. They were selling Tony's plugs, and some tackle and teasers.
10019077


I think Howell said Tony will be doing area flea markets for the next 4 weeks.
Next one might be Lacey Twp Elks in Forked River.

[DarkSkies]

Fish on-8 Middlebury CT
Rob with his sons Rob & Danny


10021981


You can next find Rob at the Asbury show on the 14th.

[DarkSkies]

Loki Lures, SI, NY

Met Greg and his brother in law.
Greg makes a particular style of plugs that require some extra time because of the way he shapes/shaves them.
He's famous for the "Loki Slider"


10022037

[DarkSkies]

Bodega Bay Lure Co

Joe Riviera from Bodega Bay, he's also known as Sporty Guy.


10022128


Joe will be at Asbury on the 14th.

[DarkSkies]

Big Ed's Lure Co

Carmine from Big Ed's Hamilton, NJ


10022182




They will be at Asbury on the 14th.

[DarkSkies]

Kevin's Lures, Jackson, NJ

Kevin had an interesting story. This was the first time I ran into him. He started making plugs because he didn't have to money to keep throwing away on plugs that he might eventually lose on the rocks.

He has always been handy with tools, and a tinkerer. So he started making plugs to fill his fishing needs, saw that they worked well, and branched out from there.

Because he's making only a few at a time as a hobby, his prices are attractive, from $7-$15 per plug.

He even sells unfinished plug kits, for a beginner to try, or a Dad to get into plug building with his son. Very reasonable, I think each kit with everything included is around $5 :thumbsup:

10298






Nice meeting ya, Kevin, best of luck. :HappyWave:

10022382

[DarkSkies]

Fish On Lures

Met with Gene and Mrs Gene Amato :HappyWave:
Gene, VP of the Asbury Club, is one of the nicest guys you'd ever want to meet.
He makes Fish On Lures

10022437



Gene will be at Asbury on the 14th.

[DarkSkies]

I managed to shoot most of them, but still missed a few, my bad. :don't know why:



Scotty from Lex Lures


10168420





Sharing a table with Scotty was Charlie K from Shark River fishing club. Charlie K is an old school surfcaster, and is well regarded by many in the fishing world. :thumbsup:

Last year Charlie had some rare Habs and Gary2s for sale. This year I think he had some more Habs and some others. You never know what Charlie will bring to the show, that's why it pays to stop by. :HappyWave:

This year his special was a tub of unfinished Pencils and Needles for $1/EA.

That's right folks, only $1 for a plug that could be the beginning of a DIY plug project, or a Father/Son project. Where else can you get a simple unfinished plug blank for $1? :bigeyes:

He had a huge tote filled with them.

By the end of the show he was almost sold out.

Nice seeing ya's again, Scotty and Charlie. :HappyWave:

[DarkSkies]

T Bone Tackle Co, Point Pleasant

Run by Steve

10168458

[DarkSkies]

Choopy Lures... Charlie from Neptune

10168798

[DarkSkies]

Ron Muccie Glitter plugs and teasers

Talked with Ron, his friends Ellen and John as they talked about Ron's plugs...



and the fall run of 2009, where Ron and some of the other sharpies outfished many other guys on the beach that day using tin squids instead of Avas, tipped with Ron's custom tied teasers. :clapping:

Ron Muccie and the magic tins and teasers
Nice meetin ya again Ron! :HappyWave:

http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8710&thumb=1&d=1260885312 (http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8710&d=1260885312)

http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8711&thumb=1&d=1260885312 (http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8711&d=1260885312)

Ron's custom teasers

http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8712&thumb=1&d=1260885312 (http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8712&d=1260885312)

Sandeels all over

http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8713&thumb=1&d=1260885312 (http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8713&d=1260885312)

http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8714&thumb=1&d=1260885312 (http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8714&d=1260885312)




10168886


Pics of Ellen reeliing in one of her 16 bass that day, and a link to that thread...

http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=5385

Ellen catches a few
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8705&thumb=1&d=1260885178 (http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8705&d=1260885178)

http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8706&thumb=1&d=1260885178 (http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8706&d=1260885178)

http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8707&thumb=1&d=1260885178 (http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8707&d=1260885178)

http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8708&thumb=1&d=1260885178 (http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8708&d=1260885178)

http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8709&thumb=1&d=1260885178 (http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=8709&d=1260885178)


Video:

7821161

[DarkSkies]

BigWater Lures...Gary Soldati

Gary hails from Western MA.

10168956

[DarkSkies]

James from MX plugs

LI, and now NC.

This guy's plugs and table caught my eye. He had a lot of interesting plugs and some fantastic prices.

There was a steady stream of traffic to his table. It was tough to get some time to interview him.

I originally shot 2 videos. In the first one a Dad and son are raving about what a good deal his plugs are. For some reason that video failed.

I'm posting the 2nd one where he describes his plugs, and some of the other "fishing merchandise" he's designed.

10169498

I'll say this for the guy, he's a clever marketer. :thumbsup:
He's smart enough to realize that he can't always sell a plug to a customer, but can ALWAYS interest them in another fishing related item.

:clapping::clapping: for James's entrepeneurial spirit.

[DarkSkies]

Kevin of Kevin's Lures

I first met Kevin at the Berkeley show last week,

10022382


and here for the 2nd time.

10169538

[DarkSkies]

Glen Davis of Davis Lures


Met up with Glen Davis and his family again...wife Bernadette and son Glen Jr. Glen is a long-time member of the Asbury Club.

A link to some of Glen Davis's Plugs. Basically he makes 2 different sizes, selling for $20 or $25. He has a wide range of colors available, and will also make you a custom color if you want to get a few from him. How's that for service? :thumbsup:
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=78





10169593

This video is a little confusing at first, because the (in)famous troublemaker and prankster Scotty from Lex Lures came by and was busting them about a plug they were donating to the SSFFF. For the record, they DID donate the plug, Scotty just likes to bust balls and stir things up a bit. ;) :laugh: :HappyWave:

[DarkSkies]

Gene Amato of Fish On plugs


I first met Gene and Mrs Gene Amato at the Berkeley show last week. Gene is VP of the Asbury Club as well.

The general consensus was that all the guys and girls from the Asbury fishing club did a fantastic job once again. The show ran smoothly for the most part, and a lot of that was due to the hard work and proper planning of guys like Gene and others in the club.

:clapping::clapping: for once again making that show one of the best on the East Coast.

Here's a little bit about Gene and his plugs...

10022437

[DarkSkies]

Billy McFadden of MC Plugs


Billy McFadden has been around for many years, and building plugs for about 40. He's got a great rep in the fishing community, and shared some of his thoughts with us today.


10169610

[DarkSkies]

Glen Davis and family, Davis Lures
Nice to meet the family again, Glen! :HappyWave:



http://www.vimeo.com/21029313

[DarkSkies]

Interview with Big Gene Amato of Fish-On Custom Plugs, and his family.
Billy McFadden was sitting at their table as well.

For the last 3 years, he was teaching his 14-year old daughter the ropes. Yesterday she was selling her own plugs at the show. Great example of entrepeneurial spirit. Best of luck to you all! :HappyWave:


http://www.vimeo.com/21028489

[DarkSkies]

Surfstix heard that I love throwing needles in the fall. He sent me 2 custom needles for Pebbles and I. He also threw in a few of these hand tied flys.

Peanut bunker pattern
14146



Spearing, rainfish/bay anchovy
14145


Peanut bunker again
14143




Spearing, grass shrimp, etc

14144

His skill set is way up there now...
the level of detail and the way these swim, they're just awesome and the perfect presentation for fall forage fish.

Thanks so much, bro, hope to have some fish hangin on em soon! :clapping: :HappyWave:

[Monty]

Had to much to do this weekend so had to get some sleep last night, so only fished 4:45-7:30 this morning out front. Wish I could have done the normal 8-9 hour outing as water was great and bait was all over the place (missed most of the rain....darn). Got one bass on a teaser in front of a plug Surfstix painted. Missed a few fish as usual for me, had a bass hit the plug in the pic as I brought it through some mullet, had a bass blow up on a white sluggo. Missed a few other hits too (its amazing I got the one fish). Got home by 10:00 and saw step-grandson score his first goal playing soccer, was awesome. Next Sunday can't come soon enough....
http://rocksimpson.com/images/2011_10_1_SB.jpg

[madcaster]

14816
Here are two blues (not the biggest ones)one on the belly hook and one on the tail hook . That day some gator blue were caught on the same plug . No issues
there not wire thought, but glued in. Never had any issues with one coming out

[DarkSkies]

my buddy was reeling them in at the time ...I was taking a video of them . the blues were in thick that day,every cast was a fish.I was changing plugs every other fish

I saw that video this morning, Matt, hope you don't mind me posting it....here's a great example of someone shooting a video without focusing too much on the shoreline or structure that would identify where he was...very nicely done...:clapping: :thumbsup:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmfdY5svmgU&feature=g-all-u&context=G2fcb696FAAAAAAAACAA

[DarkSkies]

Chumbucket Customs --

Almost anyone who buys custom plugs in NJ knows of Chumbucket (Matt)
He's been doing this for about 10 years now, and not only does he make the plugs, he fishes them hard, and by virtue of that knows what's needed to make a good plug....

For a long time he wasn't selling anything, donating his creations to various gigs.
His painting was elaborate with 5-7 colors usually coloring each plug...amazing level of detail.

I say this because I know him and know he won't be embarassed by it, but IMO that level of detail, puts the plug in the realm of the collector, and not the fisherman..but now he's making and selling plugs... to be fished...

Nice to meet ya again, Matt, and good luck for the year (BTW he was completely sold out by 11:30am)


15023150241502515026

[DarkSkies]

Luna Lures...nice to see ya again...Nick....
Nick has been absolutely crushing the bass all winter....:fishing: :HappyWave:


150661506715068

[DarkSkies]

Davis Lures...Glenn and Family...good to see ya's again....



:clapping: This year, Glenn made it in the March 8th issue of the Fisherman..:thumbsup:..Congrats and best of luck for the year, All...


(That's his chartreuse swimmer on the Cover, WTG Glenn!) :HappyWave:
And a link to his plugs on this site:
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?78-Davis-Lures



In the picture directly below, you can see where they mention him, circled in ink.

1507415075

[DarkSkies]

More Davis plug pics, with his plug matching the pic on the cover.....



150761507715078

[speedy]

the paint is dry now its time for the wiring and epoxying ..:cool::cool::cool::drool::drool::drool::drool::d rool::drool::drool:
just have to remmber how i did it lol..:banghead2:...:bong2:..lmao ..

[speedy]

What kind of epoxy did you use?
did not use any yet but i use ...aristocrat epoxy it works great this one is done ..:cool:

[DarkSkies]

One of those people is Surfstix.....

He sent me a package a few weeks ago.....
What is most compelling to me,,,is that despite all the health and other problems he has had in the last 3 years, he is still able to make these great plugs and teasers....and most generous in sending them on to be tested by the jaws of death, aggressive bass and angry bluefish.....:drool:



Finally got time to post the pics.....
thanks again Surfstix! :thumbsup: :HappyWave:

Hope Pebbles and I can beat some of these up by showing the "after" pics......


1583415832


These are the "before" pics....


the 2 above are shots of the biggest pencil I've seen in a while...this pencil I think weighs in at 4.5oz......:cool:

The teaser below is one of Surfstix's hand-made teasers.
He's been making them for awhile now and the craftsmanship really shows......:thumbsup:
(Note the good quality epoxy heads on the teasers/tails and the heavy duty split rings......)



Some of Rip Plugger's plugs, and the ones Surfstix has sent me, are usually dressed up now with these teasers at the end.

They make a real difference in getting a fish to hit when they are sluggish or the water is colder.

[baitstealer]

Wow this is the coolest thread. Like the best of plug porn. Keep em coming!:drool:

[jigfreak]

you can see the difference in Billy between the first year you filmed and the year after. Good read but a little sad. Thanks, still miss Gary Hull, Lefty and Billy

[hookset]

Can't wait till Berkely and Asbury

[DarkSkies]

Time for some plug porn......
Although some may think I'm against buying wood plugs....not really, just can't see the value in buying plugs for $20-30 that I may only use for a week and lose to structure at night......so most of the wood I have, I have "Ho-ed" it from other builders.......:laugh:

1. There is a fine art to "plug hoing"......we have a whole thread on it.......
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?7453-How-to-becoming-a-ho!
Buying a plug from a builder....does not always qualify in this specialized ritual of acquiring tackle......

2. However, sometimes plugs are in short supply by different builders who are not building anymore, or who have passed on........this is where Kevin K excels at plug hoing........because sometimes you need to shell out big dollars to buy when the demand is high.....

3. I was talking to Monty today...and we estimated that Kevin K....was one of the top 10 plug ho's in the US...the guy has thousands of plugs,,,,all wood, and is probably a little obsesssed with growing his collection ever bigger.........

4. So today, he brought about 200 of his plugs to "get rid of".....and make no mistake...other guys were drooling and buying....so for anyone who thinks you can't find custom wood at a fishing flea market other than Berkeley or Asbury......it just ain't true.....:)

16388


16389
^ Big custom pikies, some from Calif builders.


16390


1639116392


16393

^ Original Habs in Package...






Here I present to you....about 1/20th of the collection of Kevin K.....one of the top 10 most obsessive plug collectors on the East Coast....
( when Kevin reads this, you know I'm only teasing ya....remember how many times I found an excuse to walk past your table....to "look" at plugs I don't need....:laugh: :kooky: :HappyWave:)


You will find plugs from every in-demand builder in America in the stash above....and these are just the cast-offs the guy and his son were selling.....

BTW, nice to finally meet ya's both.....best of luck on the vacation fishing....:fishing:

[DarkSkies]

The original Striper Swiper from Atom Manufacturing Co in Attleboro, MA
(Bob Pond's original company, RIP Bob)



16397


1639816399


16400



The guy selling these had 2 in pristine condition, $10 each....
I told him the boxes were worth that much and not to sell them for less....and it turns out 1/2 hour later some guy eagerly forked over $20 to buy both without haggling.......:learn:

[DarkSkies]

The original Goo Goo eye plugs were created by Leo Cooper, a Stamford, Ct tool and die maker who couldn't find plugs big enough at the time to suit him, so he did his own thing until they came out the way he wanted. American fishing innovation at it's best. Goo goo eye plugs still have a fanatical following to this day.

16401

Goo Goo eyes in mint condition for $20.....(smaller one)

[DarkSkies]

Sephus Plugs....AKA S3 Lures

16435

^ The black one in the middle.

16436



Sephus is a member here from a while back....but I heard from Kevin he isn't making plugs anymore. If anyone can confirm or refute that feel free....:HappyWave:

[DarkSkies]

Stirpe Plugs - J Stirpe Woodworking....


16437


I was told that J Stirpe was working with RM Smith..... if anyone has anything further to add, please feel free.

[DarkSkies]

you can see the difference in Billy between the first year you filmed and the year after. Good read but a little sad. Thanks, still miss Gary Hull, Lefty and Billy

You noticed that...good observation. I didn't either until I looked at them together. From one year to the next Billy's health got progressively worse. It was a blessing that Big Gene Amato and family helped to take care of and looked out for him during that time.

That is a story that some may not know about, but Big Gene of Fish On Plugs, and his family, are some very charitable and caring folks. :clapping: :thumbsup: for all they did to make Billy's life a little more comfortable while he was still here.

[cowherder]

Wow this thread is like the hottest for plug porn. Need a glass of water after looking at it. Beautiful stuff thanks for sharing.

[DarkSkies]

Glad ya liked it, cowherder. :HappyWave:

******************




16576





16574

M Fisher plugs.......

For some reason I have not yet reported on him. Had a chance to catch up and take some pics. His plugs run from $25-45. Mostly guys are fishing them for bass....He said that some guys are now throwing his poppers for tuna, and fish in exotic locations as well.
An interesting thing about his plugs, is that each lip is branded with his name stamped into it.
Interesting marketing touch. :thumbsup:




16575

1657216573

[finchaser]

Those plugs would never hold up to tuna IMO no HD hooks or hard ware and they're wood

[DarkSkies]

^
He said that some guys are now throwing his poppers for tuna, and fish in exotic locations as well.


I think you have a valid point there OGB...I'm just reporting what folks tell me.....:)
As one who fishes for tuna a lot, you would know....thanks for the feedback.....:HappyWave:

[speedy]

bin a bit so here they are ....:naughty::naughty::naughty::naughty::dribble:: dribble::dribble::dribble::naughty::naughty::naugh ty:
the swimmer is 2.5 oz.
THE SS COPY IS 2.0 OZ.:cool::cool::cool::cool:IMA BEST ONES YET!!!!!!

[DarkSkies]

Nice work, who's the goog that tied those tails? :clapping: ;)

[speedy]

Nice work, who's the goog that tied those tails? :clapping: ;) A GUY FROM LI NY THAT WILL KICK UR A$$...:beatin::kicknuts:

[Monty]

I think I post a thread about teasers each year....time for Teasers 2013 :headbang:

How about posting thoughts and experiences on fishing teasers? Like them, hate them, why? Don’t need them? Biggest fish on a teaser, like doubles, don’t like doubles? Favorite teasers, favorite teaser rigs.

The past year I tried to cut down on the amount of time I fished with teasers, to see if I noticed any difference in fish caught. So I think I fished 50% with them compared with the past few years at least 75% of the time. Looking back at the year fishing with teasers increased the Stripers caught.
One night I met up with Dark and Mike O this past year, we caught a few Bass, they seemed to only want black teasers a certain size.
For teasers I use Deceivers and the small rubber tails for Avas.
If there are blues around I take the teaser off, but I have had times when it seems the teaser is all a blue would want. Here is an Island Beach Blue that hit a green/white teaser late May this past year. It was the biggest of the morning.

http://rocksimpson.com/images/2012_5_31_BF.jpg

[Monty]

Some teasers for 2013
Going to fish some of Surfstix teasers this year. He is an incredible tyer (quality and creativity).


http://rocksimpson.com/images/2013_3_25_Stix_Teaser_1.jpg

http://rocksimpson.com/images/2013_3_25_Stix_Teaser_2.jpg

http://rocksimpson.com/images/2013_3_25_Stix_Teaser_3.jpg

http://rocksimpson.com/images/2013_3_25_Stix_Teaser_4.jpg

http://rocksimpson.com/images/2013_3_25_Stix_Teaser_5.jpg

http://rocksimpson.com/images/2013_3_25_Stix_Teaser_6.jpg

http://rocksimpson.com/images/2013_3_25_Stix_Teaser_7.jpg

http://rocksimpson.com/images/2013_3_25_Stix_Teaser_8.jpg

[speedy]

THIS IS A PLUG I STARTED TO MESS WITH MADE A SMALLER ONE IT SWAM GREAT..:drool::drool::drool::drool: SO I MADE A BIGGER ONE ..:naughty::naughty::naughty:

IT WILL BE SWIMMING SAT AM. :cool::cool::cool::cool::cool::cool::cool: BY THE WAY THE SMALLER SWIMMER IS HERE NOW :cool:

[Monty]

Thank you Matt!! They cast like a Rocket

http://rocksimpson.com/images/2013_5_19_Matt_1.jpg

[speedy]

MY FIRST EVER 8 INCH SWIMMER:wow: THE BIGGEST ONE YET ....LOL SHE IS GOING TO BE AROUND 3 OZ.,,,,,:naughty::naughty::cool::cool:

[speedy]

I CUT DOWN ONE OF THE BEAST BLANKS TO MAKE THIS ONE :naughty: 6 1/2 INCH 3 OZ. HAS A CONRAD LIP SHE CAST SO SWEET AND SWIMS GREAT :cool:

[Rip-Plugger]

that's a nice design speedy,bigger wood is always nice,it gets the fish's attention or it makes them run.
datil werk,,,,


R-P

[Rip-Plugger]

17770

for 014 a 5-3/4 inch chubby wedgehead[narrowed head]swims wonderful and it is actually to replace one that was lost in a freak incident.
I had this plug laying on a rock and brought in a fish,as I swung it to shore the rod tip caught the other plugs tail hook,the fish yanked the rod and the lure went flying into the current and floated away,boy was I pissed off,so,I made another one.


R-P

[Rip-Plugger]

178371783817839
my new design dubbed "the toploader",,,[7 inches/orange over pink chocolate]will see how well the fish like it.

[Rip-Plugger]

They seem to like the pink chocolate and Monty says orange over yellow the blues love so hey the best of both worlds.Love the names too pink chocolate and spicy mustard..I'm working on a few plugs now I'll post them up when they are finished.

well stix,I had to come up with a name that describes what the colors look like as I custom mixed them myself.such colors are not sold like these are.
if you could see the pink chocolate,you'd call it that too.
I am waiting to see what you have going on,I know it is purrdy.

R-P


see,heres proof that pink chocolate works!

1784917850

[Rip-Plugger]

17919
8 inch fat basstard

R-P

[Rip-Plugger]

17933
9 inch slim rip-splitter,orange over sweet purple.


R-P

[surfstix1963]

A couple for 2014 been pretty busy with family this year so not much tying or building going on.I know a guy in NJ that likes that color popper.:dTop:Torpedo Danny. Followed by an A-40 Jr. surfster,A-40, Jointed Conrad,2-Conrad Sr. a Popper and deep diving bunker.

[Monty]

As silly as it may sound I find putting the orange on the bottom and sides does attract more blues but the yellow on bottom seems to even the score some.I also blend my yellows with opaque and transparent airbrush paints.I also have another little secret by fogging in some gold over the yellow.

When I first started surf fishing one bright sunny hot morning I wasn't catching anything, a guy I met that morning fishing told me that there are a few big blues around.
Cast a bright plug, make a big commotion with it and these big blues will get pissed off and clobber that plug. He liked bright orange.
It works, at times out of nowhere a Gator will explode all over these plugs.
Its my favorite color on bright days for finding blues.

http://rocksimpson.com/images/2012_6_3_BF_RP.jpg

http://rocksimpson.com/images/2012_6_10_Blue_ST1.jpg

[Rip-Plugger]

1795817959
1-super sardine[9 inch]
2-restyled super rip-runner[9 inch]


R-P

[surferman]

Just read through this thead again looking for some plug porn to get me through till Sunday. Kind of sad to see who isn't here any more. RIP gents and may you have tight lines in heaven!

[plugcrazy]

You must have almost everyone who is a plug maker in here. Awesome and thanks! I got wood lol.

[dogfish]

Fantastic stroll down memory lane and mix of the old with new. RIP Gary, Lefty, BillyMc, and Joe from Bodega Bay.

[buckethead]

Billy McFadden of MC Plugs


Billy McFadden has been around for many years, and building plugs for about 40. He's got a great rep in the fishing community, and shared some of his thoughts with us today.


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Billy McFadden is an icon in the plug building community. He's been doing it for many years, and has the weighting, sealing, and finishing down to a science. Richt now he's focusing on Atom40 profile plugs, and some small needles. Atoms $20, needles $10. Billy is pictured here with Mike Commune, another saltwater legend.

Many of the builders I talked to had nothing but good things to say about his generosity and advice he gave them. Billy and his friend were there, nice meetin you guys. :HappyWave:

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Billy and Mike, 2 of the greats. Got me misty eyed to look at those posts.

[7deadlyplugs]

Anyone know when the asbury and berkeley shows are this year? thanks