Expensive Plugs are they worth the $$?

[ledhead36]

What is the most expensive lure you own?

[bababooey]

My first wife. She reeled me in to the tune of $30k until I was done divorcing her. The new wife is much betteer, she only lures me to buy a piece of jewelry now and then.

As for plugs, I had a mint habs needlefish, but I'm not a collector so I sold it last year. I think I got $150 for it, originally paid $15. I would never pay that price as a buyer, but to each his own.

[skinner]

The most expensive lure I own is a Heddon Dowagiac fishing lure in its original box. Got it from my Dad. Don't know the exact value but it has to be worth more than my Wal-Mart specials.

[gjb1969]

i got one from dark i dont have a lot of stuff that cost a lot and i still get fish

[Frankiesurf]

I have a GRS giant pikie. It cost me about $27 which was a very good price. I can probably get $35-$40 for it. It is the nicest looking lure I have ever seen. There is absolutely no way I am throwing it in the water. It remains on the book case in my kitchen. Till I sell it.

I also have a lure from Hand Carved Lures. I got that for a good discount as well. It was originally worth $32. The only thing I have caught on it were blues. It is a really expensive Bomber. Casts like one and swims like one. I will never buy another. Not at those prices anyway.

[Monty]

The most expensive plug I currently own I paid around $20.00, PlugCaster Pencil (9"). At one time I had a few Big Rock swimmers, RM Smiths, etc. Anything I paid over $20.00 I sold off. I saw no advantage fishing the expensive plugs (Rip Pluggers Rip runners and Splitters caught more, I had/have more confidence in them).
The 9" PlubCaster Pencil, which looks like it has a great finish has the top coat peel off after a fish or two.

[surfstix1963]

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.Don't get me wrong here these builders are artists and put a lot of time in their work to justify prices but I can't afford to pay that $$ and bam snap it off & gone.I've sold off most of my collections of crap I had hanging all over that I just had to have and went back to the basics I always fish anyway.

[CharlieTuna]

If it's more then $20 I won't buy it I'm past the point where the lure catches me... I catch more fish on my Superstrikes,Gibbs,Hopkins and bucktails.Don't get me wrong here these builders are artists and put a lot of time in their work to justify prices but I can't afford to pay that $$ and bam snap it off & gone.

What he said, I won't pay more than $20. I use wood, plastic, as well as jigs, bucks and rubber. I can't see paying premium dollars for a high end plug though I have traded for a few from time to time. The bottom line is the fish don't care what you are throwing or who built it, they will respond to a good profile in the water fished at the right level of the water column.

[DarkSkies]

The bottom line is the fish don't care what you are throwing or who built it, they will respond to a good profile in the water fished at the right level of the water column.

Very well-said, Charlie.

I would rather fish a beat up old plug that has good action. HD hooks and split rings are the most important thing to me. If I get a nice fish I don't want to lose it. To me the key to that is upgrading with the strongest hardware.










Good discussion people. Some higher end plugs I shot pics of yesterday. Beautiful craftsmanship, forgot to ask how much, probably around $30.....
I think the thing that makes most sense is that the pricier these things get the less likely we are to fish them....a lot of the fanciest plugs end up in the hands of collectors....









On the other hand, without the collector out there many of the builders would be broke because they would not sell the volume they do.....the conversations I got into yesterday kind of confirmed that. There is a need for the collectors to support the market.

[Monty]

I have a few expensive plugs I fish. I have a Gary2 plug that I fish which is probably the most expensive one.
In 2011 I had a night where in an hour and half I caught 10 or so bass on a Habs Sr. needle, was fun.
If I buy it, I fish it. I'm not a collector.

[madcaster]

funny story . We were fishing for blues one day and killing them with plugs, they were hitting everthing .So one of my friends had his neighbors with him. He was throwing on the other end of the picket line so I could see that much of what he was doing or throwing. He had just lost a plug .. so he was going back to his bag to grab another plug, as he was hooking it on he starts telling us that he paided 35 bucks for this thing . so I stepped in and told not to throw that and handed him one of my bluefish plugs. funny he never lost that cheep one

[cowherder]

^^^^Ha ha that sounds like murphys law! Funny stuff madcaster. Monty I am the same way if I have it I want to fish it to see what I can catch on it. Sure would be traumatic to lose a 35 dollar plug to a bluefish though.
Nice fish Monty!!

[buckethead]

What he said, I won't pay more than $20. I use wood, plastic, as well as jigs, bucks and rubber. I can't see paying premium dollars for a high end plug though I have traded for a few from time to time.

There is a difference. If you were fortunate to fish the Gary2slims before he died and had a dozen laying around, you would be happy with the results. The Gary2 slims are one of the best bass catching plugs out there. I do agree with you on the price somewhat charlietuna. There are some that are hyped up and don't catch. But a G2 is a different animal. Still have some to this day, and fish them. They do catch large.

[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.

[VSdreams]

Great writeup. I was in and out early. Got a few plugs custom wood. I bought less. Is it my imagination or were plug prices cheaper 4 years ago? There are a lot now that are 30 and up, and one guy was like 45. I can afford it but if they were less I would probably buy more.

[finchaser]

yes they are higher less trees around I guess. Way back when builders use to test them before they sold them to you for $5.00, now you can get a $40 dollar plug that won't swim no matter how you try to tune it. Back then they didn't have todays plastic technology so we fished wood and tin. Lets not forget the sound of crunch when a bluefish destroys it. Oh that's right people collect them now and after the bass are wiped out I guess they will be worthless. I can't believe how many people buy them and can only catch a fish with a bunker snag. There OK if you have friends like mine who give them to ya. In many cases your buying a paint job, and after 55 years of fishing have yet to see the bait fish todays wood emulates.

God bless plastic $9.95 to $18.95 and always swim good right out of package

[Mike O]

Remember, expensive lures attract more fishermen than fish. When bluefish are ripping through bait in the wash, just about anything you throw out there is going to draw a strike. So keep that in mind when the blues are around. Thats the time to throw out the broomsticks with hooks attached to it. LOL

[plugcrazy]

My first wife. She reeled me in to the tune of $30k until I was done divorcing her. The new wife is much betteer, she only lures me to buy a piece of jewelry now and then.

As for plugs, I had a mint habs needlefish, but I'm not a collector so I sold it last year. I think I got $150 for it, originally paid $15. I would never pay that price as a buyer, but to each his own.

haha funny lol! Was wondering if you guys think Habs originals are still worth collecting as his his son is selling plugs too.

[fishgutz]

^^^^ Id say they are but only if you want a piece of history. A lot of folks up here have extra habs stashed away and they periodically turn up on ebay. I cant see the crazees paying 50-100 for a plug tho. I read here bout the fisher and the dmag plugs they are going for 50 or more. I hope I don't get flamed for saying so but just can't see how a plug for 100 will outcatch a good swimmer you can buy for 20. Don't kill me just my .02.