The Surfwalker Challenge.....Do you Follow the Herd, or Lead your Own Way????

I'm sitting here looking at all the plugs and metal I have hanging from the cellar ceiling by wire, easy access for the time of day I'll be plugging or time of year. I love all the new plugs out there and appreciate the work put into them. But I'm staring at ones that were given to me by no name maker friends that will never be used, because they are just too nice, I could never think of losing them. Then there are the ones that have produced, doubles, triples, quads of the same, out of fear I'll never be able to replace them if lost. Lastly are the ones I carry the most, the dented, chipped, rewired, waterlogged, and repainted, but they still perform and run pretty true, and produce.
What I'm getting at is- Do you fix up your old plugs or just throw them into a box, or do you fill in the hook holes and repair them, repaint them, have faith in them. Your old dull metals- Do you cover them with reflective tape or anything? Your new plastics are they sprayed with some clear before the first use? Am I just cheap or a hate to let go person?

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Originally Posted by surfwalker

Lastly are the ones I carry the most, the dented, chipped, rewired, waterlogged, and repainted, but they still perform and run pretty true, and produce.
What I'm getting at is- Do you fix up your old plugs or just throw them into a box, or do you fill in the hook holes and repair them, repaint them, have faith in them. Your old dull metals- Do you cover them with reflective tape or anything? Your new plastics are they sprayed with some clear before the first use? Am I just cheap or a hate to let go person?

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I'm that way too, surfwalker.

Old reliable plugs I keep around because each one has a story to tell, to me. As I pick it up I remember if I had a nice fish on it, and re-live that fight. Just like a trusted old bird-dog or beagle that has brought many a prize back to the hunter, these plugs have served me well.

If they were junk in the first place, I'm ok to get rid of them during the winter. The good producers I'll sand down and re-paint, put new VMCs on them and split rings.

The metals I use something called "Magic Wadding" to shine them up, it's like lambswool with a metal cleaner soaked into the fibers, works pretty good. You can also dress up the metal spoons by gluing red beady eyes on them, that works sometimes too.

As for the plastics, I tend to use them as is, but a neat trick is to scuff them up a bit with fine sandpaper and spray the old ones chartreuse, black, or bright yellow, 3 colors that have produced well. I also like to swap out the rear treble on a lot of my magnum bomber types with a single bucktail siwash.

I met a guy a few years ago in MoCo, and old salt who's not too much into the newest styles of anything. :thumbsup:

This guy not only made his own wooden plugs, he took all the plastic ones we use...bombers, redfins, magdarters, ets, and made them better, either with paint, bb's, or some modification. I was drooling as I looked over the weatherbeaten old army issue green canvas container he was using as a plug bag, and all the custom mods he made with these basic plugs. :drool:

Yeah, all my old wood is redone, sanded, painted, new hardware and stuff. Don't get me wrong, I do use new stuff too. My old plastics have been repainted. I'll have to try that magic stuff on the metals, right now I just put some Witchcraft tape on them. Old Army green (sometimes black) bags- all I use. I usually do these things in the off months, blowing off any painting or leaks that have to be done in the house.
Dark, why arn't you out there, there's some good stories waiting to happen.

Happy Trails

Has anyone ever painted there tins black and used them at night. I have a bunch of bluefish destroyed tins that lost their luster and thinking of painting them black. What do you guys think?

Black tins are good for bass in the rips at night. Paint em black.:thumbsup:

I have used the top pictured lure on many occasions, matter of fact it's in the bag all the time. When I bought them I think they were under the name Whip Tail, not sure. Never caught big on it, but has produced well.
Thanks for posting that article. Used to look forward to Nelson Bryants' articles.

Don Bingler and the Bingle Lure Co

From what I understand, Don Bingler was responsible for some decent innovations and things for the boat fishing crowd.... He sold these under the name Bingle Lures Inc, out of Brooklyn, NY.

*There were also 2 guys around the same time making similar jigs, Bob Sparta and Gary Goldbery, who started S&G lures.

Among some other products, I believe Don made:
The Bingle Bait Tail
The Bingle Banana
The Bingle Dandy tail. (maybe as a response to the famous whip tail, with which they were killing big weakfish and bass during that time.)

Mostly these jigs were meant to be jigged or trolled from boats, but under bridges they were magic as well. Most popular in the 1970's.

Here's a quote someone said about the Bingle bait tail:
"Bait Tail, next to the diamond jig, is probably the best all around lure for the NY Bight. And unlike the diamond jig, the bait tail will catch fish at night."



Attachment 16704





Attachment 16705
Pic of Bingle Dandy tail I shot at a recent show.

I had the idea for this thread for a long time now....the inspiration came from talks with Surfwalker....and our pushing each other to try different presentations and profiles when out there.....
I'll be talking to him, talking about a night of fishing, and he'll say...
"Did you try this?
What else did you try?"


It seems we are both in agreement that when we are catching fish, we are naturally curious as to what other artificial will tempt them as well....
I know I have had these conversations with some of ya's as well....
To me, and you, it's fun to try something different....so I thought we could push the new guys to think about why and where, some of these artificials would trump Brand A or Brand B....











Some recent catches with no-name, $5 artificials.....Bombers. other swimmers, etc....

4-23 Wed
Scouted a few places back and front. Lots of dead water.
Found a good solid bite in the western bay where bunker were schooled up with the wind pattern.

6 hour trip
Managed 9 fish....10 to 17lbs.
There was solid action for 1 1/2 hours, the rest of the time I had to work hard for each fish.
All on small bomber type swimmer.
All the hype out there about the expensive swimmers Daiwa, big wood, etc, etc.... and I caught these fish on a $5 plug......:headbang:
All released

Attachment 16904
Attachment 16905








4-24 Thu
Had some business in South Jersey.
On the way home I fished some unfamiliar water.
Fished 7 hours total.
3 bass to 9lbs, all legal, but some were skinny.
all on small swimmer.
All released.


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The Contest:


1. Fish with any plug other than what is being talked about on the internet or facebook....

A. IE NO Daiwas.

B. NO Name brand metal lip swimmers (generic bargain basement, or ones that are not built en-masse are eligible....such as your own home-made swimmers...
C (in other words, fish with something that is not being promoted by the herd mentality out there.......:thumbsup: )

2. Catch a fish on it....

3. Post a pic of the fish with the artificial that you used to catch it.....and how you got it....

4. So, in this contest,
A. a less popular artificial, (Bombers, redfins, rebels, creek chub, or any obscure plug that has fallen out of favor....there are dozens of them to choose from......)
B. or rubber other than the vision sand eels, or tsunami shads, or storm shads,..or tsunami shads,,,would qualify....
c. no name bucktail and grub or pork will also qualify.....
D. Your own teaser that you made, would also qualify


5. Most creative report at the end of the year, wins the 2 best producers from my tackle bag.....
And some tips as to how and when I fish those plugs......

6. Or....if you are convinced I don't know how to catch fish....:rolleyes:...I'll give ya 2 brand new in-the-box swimmers from my collection.....

Why a contest/Surfwalker Challenge?

Too many people are getting locked into the herd mentality.
They think a Daiwa is the only thing that will get them that big fish.

Or a name brand swimmer, custom wood, with scale pattern, will get them the fiish of their dreams.....
Although a plug that swims a certain way can be deadly....to me it is about the presentation, and the angler fishing it.....and that's something that I wanted to convey to you younger anglers out there....


and something that Surfwalker always trys to convey..:HappyWave:

"What the Hell is the matter with you, Dark, why are you so anti-Daiwa??????":mad:


some might be thinking this question, thinking I have some kind of bias against it....
But I don't,,,,,,I have even done a video promoting the Daiwa.....seen here.........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4fqb9hr7L0

My main goal here, is to get the newer anglers out there...to see that there are a great number of out-of favor plugs that will produce, given conditions for that plug.....









And I want to encourage the new guy out there...to try to think outside of the box.
By doing this, you will eventually become a better angler....
And you may want to thank me for it....

Don't thank me, thank Surfwalker....:HappyWave:
For being old-school enough to still believe in the less popular plugs, and still catching large fish on them....:fishing:

I like it I'm in! Will fish a bomber or redfin next time I'm out and see what comes after it. Not a problem as I am a big fan of bombers anyway, If you lose them no big deal.

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Originally Posted by albiealert

I like it I'm in! Will fish a bomber or redfin next time I'm out and see what comes after it. Not a problem as I am a big fan of bombers anyway, If you lose them no big deal.

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I'm anti Bomber.....wasn't the bomber the SP before the SP (the go to)?
I'm big on the Mambo and loaded Red Fin (small one).

^Fish whatever floats your boat, Monty.....
As long as it ain't a DSP, DSM, or any of the others I mentioned....;)

BTW, managed a #15 bass last night on the $5 plug I mentioned above, dropped another. Might have done better if I used the Daiwa, but I am trying my best to stay in the spirit of this thread.....of course my results don't count.
I'll still throw the Daiwa when I can't find fish, as it is a very effective fish locator.....:thumbsup:

But as Surfwalker and some of you here have talked about time and time again....
Part of the thrill, is finding some obscure plug, that will still catch....making it tougher on yourself........

If all we wanted to do was produce results and pound our chests...a bunker head would win with bigger fish, hands down....

For me, I would rather get it done with artificials..although that can be frustrating when others are bailing fish, and you're not....and am trying to build the confidence in some of our newer members out there....:HappyWave:

So I hope this thread will lead to that, confidence building and raising awareness, that
1. the world is not flat, and
2. You can still catch fish if you are not fishing the Daiwa, or Vision Eel. :learn:

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Originally Posted by DarkSkies

For me, I would rather get it done with artificials..although that can be frustrating when others are bailing fish, and you're not....and am trying to build the confidence in some of our newer members out there....:HappyWave:

So I hope this thread will lead to that, confidence building and raising awareness, that
1. the world is not flat, and
2. You can still catch fish if you are not fishing the Daiwa, or Vision Eel. :learn:

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thanks for that great idea.

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Originally Posted by Monty

I'm anti Bomber.....wasn't the bomber the SP before the SP (the go to)?
I'm big on the Mambo and loaded Red Fin (small one).

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I'm in too Monty. I will try with bombers you can use the manbos and redfins. I will still be looking for dead things to take pics of when out there plugging. Hope you will be doing the same.:HappyWave:

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Originally Posted by storminsteve

I'm in too Monty. I will try with bombers you can use the manbos and redfins. I will still be looking for dead things to take pics of when out there plugging. Hope you will be doing the same.:HappyWave:

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Definitely looking for dead stuff, its become a habit to check out objects to see if they are dead, ya never know what is out there. :HappyWave:
The ~20 dead bass last week was a bummer.....

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Originally Posted by Monty

Definitely looking for dead stuff, its become a habit to check out objects to see if they are dead, ya never know what is out there. :HappyWave:
The ~20 dead bass last week was a bummer.....

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How time flies! Its a sad day when bombers and redfins are no longer the NJ staples or go to plugs.

Theres always two bombers in my bag and its one of these colors: chicken scratch for day and night and yellow over white sometimes gets replaced on dark nights with black.

Can't leave the car without a smokey joe Redfin in both 5" and 7".

15 years back bomber was the go to lure. Now fellas want something with fancy bells and whistles. The power of marketing and advertising.Go figure.