Expensive Plugs are they worth the $$?

[clamchucker]

If it's more then $20 I won't buy it I'm past the point where the lure catches me if I want a special coloration I'll buy a kit and do it myself or redo a beater I have laying around it doesn't need to be showcase material I really don't belive the fish are that picky. I catch more fish on my Superstrikes,Gibbs,Hopkins and bucktails.

I think this is a good way of looking at it. For a fisherman who is just starting out they cannot see that. There are certain plugs that everyone believes will catch fish. The newer ones read that and say that is what they want. This could be a self-fulfilling prophesy. If they believe in it they will pay more attention and perhaps do better. I read it in another post.
The key is confidence in what you are using surfstix, and I agree with everything that you said. . If you really know the fish and the situations you can catch as many big fish on a bucktail. Somehow in NJ it seems the folks do not use them as much. However on a boat a bucktail with the right size pork rind or grub will get you more fluke and large strioers than almost any plug out there. Folks should cast what they want and whatever gives them the best degree of confidence.

[surfstix1963]

I generally don't sell mine, some of my larger plugs I am going to sell soon though. I don't have the back to throw them anymore, I don't want to make a profit or a business out of it,this just keeps me sane all I would want is to recoup what I laid out through the process it does add up with all of the steps it takes to do a wood lure.A quick briefing for those who don't know sanding,sealing,priming,painting and epoxying then you have to buy the through wire,grommets(belly,tail sometimes a nose grommet)lips for swimmers,weights, barrel swivels,split rings,hooks if they are dressed hooks then you can add buying bucktails,thread a vice various other tying materials that's not including airbrushes, paint,reducers and or spray paint.That's why everyone is going plastic it is cheaper to produce and or import,also to work with has a larger profit margin & they hold up well they are exact clones of each other which gives the advantage of all of them doing exactly the same thing.This is where wood has disadvantages because it is porous it will take on water eventually despite your best efforts to stop it bluefish will win.Wood has capillaries like our veins and even though it is kiln dried it still contains moisture,or it will crack if it is a popper no big deal but swimmers they are different story that's one reason they need to be tuned.I like wood poppers,although SS poppers swim great so you get a popper and swimmer all in one, my favorite plastics are SS hands down.I haven't fished in 4 years so a lot of plugs have came out since then I'll let you test them and let me know.