Custom Wooden Plugs Review and What's New

[DarkSkies]

Fish On Lures

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





Gene will be at Asbury on the 14th.

[DarkSkies]

I managed to shoot most of them, but still missed a few, my bad.



Scotty from Lex Lures








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.

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.

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?

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.

[DarkSkies]

T Bone Tackle Co, Point Pleasant

Run by Steve

[DarkSkies]

Choopy Lures... Charlie from Neptune

[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.

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





Ron's custom teasers



Sandeels all over











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

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

Ellen catches a few











Video:

[DarkSkies]

BigWater Lures...Gary Soldati

Gary hails from Western MA.

[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.



I'll say this for the guy, he's a clever marketer.
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.

for James's entrepeneurial spirit.

[DarkSkies]

Kevin of Kevin's Lures

I first met Kevin at the Berkeley show last week,




and here for the 2nd time.

[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?
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=78







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.

[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.

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

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

[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.

[DarkSkies]

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

[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!

[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
Attachment 14146



Spearing, rainfish/bay anchovy
Attachment 14145


Peanut bunker again
Attachment 14143




Spearing, grass shrimp, etc

Attachment 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!

[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....

[madcaster]

Attachment 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...

[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)


Attachment 15023Attachment 15024Attachment 15025Attachment 15026

[DarkSkies]

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


Attachment 15066Attachment 15067Attachment 15068

[DarkSkies]

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



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


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



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

Attachment 15074Attachment 15075