NJ Custom fishing plug makers: A History
Some of the best Custom plugbuilders on the East Coast came from, or live in, New Jersey. In this thread you'll get to meet and hear about them, from the smallest to the largest.
Let's hear what you've got. Even if the guy built a few plugs and never really wanted to become commercial, it's still part of fishing history and merits talking about.
So don't feel your entry or post is not significant if the person you're posting about isn't nationally known. Post up and let's see it, anything you want to post regarding NJ plug builders, from 1900 to present day.
What is Shoreline B&T all about?
I hope Tom doesn't mind me posting his intro here, without the pics. This will give guys and girls who don't know him an idea of the passion he has for collecting, and maybe entice them to click on his links to see more. As we discussed, his site is growing. The pics and stories represented there are only a fraction of his collection, and the great tales he hasn't yet put down on paper. :wow:
So be sure to stop by his site often and check out what's new!
http://www.shorelinebt.com/
The intro: (notice how humble he is when he talks about his "limited" knowledge. The guy is literally a walking encyclopedia on tackle and plugbuilding history in NJ and most of the Stripercoast! :thumbsup: )
Hello and Welcome,
This site is about two of my passions:
"Striped Bass" [ Morone Saxatalis ] and the "Saltwater Lures" that were used to catch them during the 1940's - 1960's, this time period is also known as the "Golden Age Of Surf Fishing." Being an avid striped bass fisherman and collector of antique saltwater fishing tackle; specializing in "East Coast Striper Lures." I will try to share some of my limited knowledge with you.
I will also be posting "Fishing Tips" from many of the top striper fishermen on the east coast. So, whether you are an expert or novice; or whether you fish the beach, rivers, bridges, or canals; this is a place where you can find out many of those well kept secrets that the pro's use.
While you are here, please visit the "Photo Gallery". It's always nice to check out pictures of "Striped Bass" just about anytime. But maybe, you are one of those guys or gals that needs a little motivation to get in the fishing mood during the season. Well if you are, this is a great place to get it!
Also, check out the "Tackle Store"; It is loaded with the newest surf fishing tackle available at hard to beat prices. The store also features custom wooden striped bass lures from many of the major builders.
"This Site Will Be An Ongoing Process"
"So Please Check Back Often"!!!
Thanks For Visiting,
Tom Clayton
http://webhosting.web.com/imagelib/s...out/spacer.gif
Shoreline BT antique saltwater lures
Tom has quite an extensive collection of pics and documentation about antique plugs, the pioneers who made them, and the old-time salts who fished them.
Take a look at his page, and click on any of the links to further explore some of the old time names you used to hear thrown around the tackle shops as the guys sat around the wood stoves for a morning of BSing after a tough night of fishing. :fishing:
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Cap Colvin's B&T Seaside NJ
Captain Colvin's B&T was one of those places where you would go after a hard night's fishin. All the old salts would be there warming their cold fingers up.....warming their toes....comparing notes...and tellling fish stories and tall fish tales. ;)
It was a great place to be while it was there. All sorts of fishermen passed through his doors, some famous, some not so famous.
I found this article on the NJBBA site.
http://www.njbba.org/i/newsletters/07May.pdf
We also have a promotional thread telling you about them and what a NJBBA membership offers.
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...read.php?t=643
Read the story, and visit their site as well. :thumbsup: They could always use a few good members, and will be at most of the major shows this Spring.
Cap Colvins Bait and Tackle Shop, Seaside Park
Pencil Popper – The Beginning
By: Bob Lick
Today any caster and
cranker worth his salt likely
has at least one Pencil Popper
in his plug bag. To my
knowledge, I am the first
person to ever cast a Pencil
Popper in Jersey waters. Let
me explain.
During the late 1950’s I
kept my old 1929 Model A
Ford beach buggy behind
Cap Colvin’s Bait and Tackle
Shop in Seaside Park. Cap’s
was considered headquarters
by many in the Seaside
area.
As I was only twenty
years old I was a less experienced
“regular.” In those
years Barnegat Bay would
often come alive with bass
from late April into early
June. Bucktails were the
primary lure used until the
original Rebel plug hit the
scene.
Despite their easily straightened
hooks the Rebel, along
with the bucktail, became
S.O.P. on the flats behind
Island Beach where I would
fish in a 14 foot plywood hull
skiff.
One day, after fishing a slow
morning session, my partner
Hal and I returned to Cap’s
for a late breakfast and to
bemoan the slow fishing.
While we were engaged in
“regular talk” a large man
walked through the door. No
one in attendance knew the
gentleman except Cap who
greeted him warmly. Cap
then introduced his
“regulars” to Stan Gibbs.
Since a very early age, I had
been reading my Dad’s copies
of Saltwater Sportsman
from almost issue number 1,
so my brain went, “Wow, Stan
Gibbs!”
Stan was on a sort of plug
marketing visit to Cap’s. After
general fishing conversation
he pulled out a funny looking
plug he said he was developing.
It was white, skinny, and
about 5-6 inches long. He
said he was thinking of calling
it a “Pencil Popper.”
Stan went on to explain you
could only work the plug correctly
if tied directly to the
line and you were able to pat
the top of your head and rub
your belly at the same time. :laugh:
His instructions were to whip
the rod tip rapidly while reeling
slowly.
What happened next is one
of the highlights of my fishing
life. Stan held out his prototype
lure and gave it to me.
Why he chose me, I’ll never
know. Maybe he felt like helping
a young guy out.
Later that day Hal and I
were again on the water casting
the normal bucktails and
Rebels, again without much
success.
I got the idea to
experiment with the “Pencil
Popper.” You wouldn’t believe
what happened. On almost
every cast I had bass attacking
the lure while Hal went
fishless using the normal
offerings.
Feeling sorry for
him, I let him use the lure
after I had quickly caught my
limit of ten. He proceeded to
limit out.
Seeing our action a
Seaside Park resident friend
motored near us and hollered
over, “Bob, what the
hell are you using?” I responded,
“Pencil Popper.”
His response was, “What the
hell is a “Pencil Popper?” http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...know%20why.gif
From that day on my nickname
among the gang was
“Pencil Popping Bob” which
lasted a long time. We would
joke: “if you put a Pencil
Popper in Barnegat Bay the
bass would come from
Sandy Hook to jump on it.”
Stan Gibbs and I stayed in
contact via phone reporting
on each others fishing successes,
or lack thereof.
Years later he loved to hear
me tell him of some of my
great wet suiting nights in
Montauk using his Darters or
Bottle Plugs. Stan was a fine
gentleman, and I describe
him thus: “If you don’t like
Stan Gibbs, you don’t like
anybody.”
I consider myself fortunate
to have known him.
"What the hell is a pencil popper?"
I can't even imagine fishing without pencil poppers in my plug bag. :lookhappy: They help to telegraph if there are any fish in the area when the temps are warm enough.
It's understandable why these old-time fishermen went nuts with this "new" innovation. :thumbsup:
Re: What is Shoreline B&T all about?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
DarkSkies
I hope Tom doesn't mind me posting his intro here, without the pics. This will give guys and girls who don't know him an idea of the passion he has for collecting, and maybe entice them to click on his links to see more. As we discussed, his site is growing. The pics and stories represented there are only a fraction of his collection, and the great tales he hasn't yet put down on paper. :wow:
So be sure to stop by his site often and check out what's new!
http://www.shorelinebt.com/
The intro: (notice how humble he is when he talks about his "limited" knowledge. The guy is literally a walking encyclopedia on tackle and plugbuilding history in NJ and most of the Stripercoast! :thumbsup: )
Hello and Welcome,
This site is about two of my passions:
"Striped Bass" [ Morone Saxatalis ] and the "Saltwater Lures" that were used to catch them during the 1940's - 1960's, this time period is also known as the "Golden Age Of Surf Fishing." Being an avid striped bass fisherman and collector of antique saltwater fishing tackle; specializing in "East Coast Striper Lures." I will try to share some of my limited knowledge with you.
I will also be posting "Fishing Tips" from many of the top striper fishermen on the east coast. So, whether you are an expert or novice; or whether you fish the beach, rivers, bridges, or canals; this is a place where you can find out many of those well kept secrets that the pro's use.
While you are here, please visit the "Photo Gallery". It's always nice to check out pictures of "Striped Bass" just about anytime. But maybe, you are one of those guys or gals that needs a little motivation to get in the fishing mood during the season. Well if you are, this is a great place to get it!
Also, check out the "Tackle Store"; It is loaded with the newest surf fishing tackle available at hard to beat prices. The store also features custom wooden striped bass lures from many of the major builders.
"This Site Will Be An Ongoing Process"
"So Please Check Back Often"!!!
Thanks For Visiting,
Tom Clayton
http://webhosting.web.com/imagelib/s...out/spacer.gif
Shoreline store is no more. Don't know if he is a victim of sandy or the economy. Anyway you look at it it sucks. Hope to see him at the shows this spring.