What do you guys think?

Are there too many plug builders out there jumping into the game right now?

How many of you out there plan to buy more custom or semi-custom wooden plugs?

Are you at a saturation point where it's silly to keep buying?

Also... can anyone here name ALL of the contemporary plug builders who are selling right now? (Regardless of size).

Thanks.

-WW

Is there a saturation point?:laughs:

Originally posted by tynan19
Is there a saturation point?:laughs:

I think so, unless most of us actively collect (as well as fish) lures.

I don't know about you, but after pigging out the last few years, I'm going to be very selective about what I buy going forward.

I'll still hog a Habs or two or three or four or five or six because they're not that easy to obtain and plug attrition takes its toll on the arsenal (damn rockpiles) but I honestly would be pressed to buy more plugs.

Custom builders (those guys who do it just for fun) are another story altogether. This is art and not commercial. My interest here is focused on the guys who do it just for the money.

Interesting thing about the commercial WOOD plug building business.

* It's highly fragmented (a lot of small-scale builders).

* Very low barriers to entry. If you have a lathe, a paint gun and a booth, (and the requisite knowledge/skill), you can start building and selling plugs.

* It's hyper-localized. Stuff that sells well in Newport, RI won't necessarily fly in Oshkosh, WI.

* The business is extremely labor intensive and doesn't necessarily lend itself to manufacturing economies of scale.

* Protection of intellectual property is not practical. So it's easy for others to copy a plug-builder's work.

* True innovation is rare. Most plugs nowadays are based on older designs. Builders differentiate themselves on quality - of fit and finish (e.g., paint job), durabilty, and swimming action.

i think its getting saturated. but thats a good thing. more varieties of plugs, actions, colors, finishes, all to fit different conditions or the way someone likes to fish.

one thing i see with the smaller builders and the bigger builders is the quality of their plugs. they are unbelieveable. everything is perfect, like mind blowing.

i say, bring on more builders if they are up to the task of keeping them at the quality they are at now.

ive considered getting into selling them, but i cant stand putting that much work into things and just selling them to people i dont know. of the probly 2 dozen plugs ive sold in my life, ive either fished with, or known, or have seen around in shops and clubs , the people i have sold to.

maybe in a few years, ill try it, but right now im not mature enough to handle a buisness run by myself. ill never get any work done and when i do ill cry when i have to sell all these lures i just spent hours and hours building and worrying about to strangers.

Christian, don't you owe me a plug? :laughs: :bshake:

For those who have yet to reach their saturation point...
http://65.36.161.94/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/tatttoo_25bchartwht_lg.jpg
New Tattoo 2.5oz Swimmers (http://65.36.161.94/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=SRIOTS&Category_Code=TTO)

Low barrier to entry , lots of hand work , easily copied styles....They'll all be made in China in 10 years!! :(

Mr Wiggley is made in the Phillipenes(sp?) already. Since Gibbs has just been sold, I can imagine that they will be made over seas now:(

I think ours is an intersting market with few if any actually getting rich. I do think they the custom guy who wants to start up a business should do so and time will tell if something works or not and if someone's product works or not. I have received oodles of plugs from people here, in business and not and I can honestly say that few don't catch (bluefish don't count :hee: ). Some will fish a little better than others, some are built more consistently than others, some are marketed better than others and some combine all three. people truly persuing their dream, I wish them well...

The market will correct itself with this stuff - if too many are in it or building junk, it will work itself out. Those that build a reputation for quality, consistency, and catchability will continue to benefit from premium plugs.

This issue of how many is too many is a very contentious issue and sadly can be polarizing between various camps. Like with fishing websites, there is enough room for everyone. You will succeed or fail based on your work, the success and satisfaction of the users of your product, and comparing to websites and in the case of this site, the quality of the community (top notch IMO).

Now if you want to talk saturation, two words - Ballston's Beach. That's SATURATED WITH PEOPLE :smash:

Dont forget the builders who dont seal their plugs... Now thats a saturation problem :hihi:

I think it's great that there are multiple builders on the market now. After all it is us(the consumer) that drive up the demand for a product.. We aren't forced into buying 1 product because that person has a corner on the market. A little competition is always healthy. Besides, the proof is in the pudding. If a plug works, we will obviously drive up the demand more... I mean after all, we all like to try whatever we can get our hands on... Some of the stuff that I've tried from custom makers has been incredible where others either didn't swim right or the lips would bend too easily.... My only stink with customs is that if I'm paying 20 bucks or so for a plug I want it to swim correctly out of the bag... I don't want to have to tune it to get it to swim right. It's all about the consumer at the end of the day... In our current society we are saturated with everything from clothing ads to pop up windows while surfing the web. Why should fishing be any different? Granted we all do it because we enjoy it and would enjoy simpler times when it was just an atom 40 on the end of your line and 3 more loaded up into your old ww2 surplus make shift plug bag.

I don't know exactly what is up with Gibbs but I did just get an e-mail from Dan Smalley saying they had new products coming out, a new color ( really an old one but thier take on it) and they will be at the RISSA Show and they are sending me a box o' goodies to try as they have done each and every year.

As for it being saturated, well it's not a bad thing per say. Let them come. The knowledgable fishermen will continue to by the good ones stuff and the others will come and go. I thought about buying Gibbs a few years back but it is a business based on a seasonal ( a short season at that) sport. It's also very regionalized and that kind of business is not the business to get into if you dream of owning your own and making money to boot. You are better off, if you are going to jump into it, being a small part time business. Just selling to a certain number of shops and making maybe a couple thousand each year. You ship in the spring and thats it. Besides there are a lot of shops that don't exactly pay on schedule as you were promised. No money coming in while you have bills to cover ain't good. You don't take outrageous orders you can't fill because you cannot possibly build them all without help and getting help is a problem and with that you risk dropping the standards you and your limited customer base have come to expect. Something like lefty's I guess. You make so many and when they are gone they are gone. A specialized business like that can consume you in a short time and then you get burned out and things begin to slip. Try it if you want but there are other things like fishing and families and making a good living. Ask Johnny HAB'S. I admire him for sticking with it but I am sure it's got to involve a lot of self motivation and sacrifice. I couldn't make that committment, not for a regionalized specialty market such as Striper Plugs. As a side enterprise maybe for the fun of it with little real financial risk on a very limited production basis but not as a full time only income deal, no way.:)

John....shhhhhhhhhhh! No spot burning!:laughs:

FWW, I think the bandwagons wheels are going flat because of overload. That's all I have to say.

Originally posted by Eben
Since Gibbs has just been sold, I can imagine that they will be made over seas now:(
is it possible for their plugs to be any worse than they are ?I think China would be an improvement

fish eels they are cheap , last quite awhile and catch large fishies

What are eels?:confused:

they are smaller than a bread box but bigger than a pencil and they breath and swim . there are also frogs but they have legs and are hard to keep in a bucket .

Eels are better eating than frogs. Believe me, I know.

Originally posted by Saltheart
Low barrier to entry , lots of hand work , easily copied styles....They'll all be made in China in 10 years!! :(
Don't know as I'd agree with China but I would say Asia and the timeframe is less than that.

nothing like a little frog tail

Sorry but there is no way I am going to pay 20-30 bucks for a plug that I am going to be banging around on the rocks. I think the price of plugs have gotten outragous just over the last 2-3 years. I know alot of people are fighting their way to buy these plugs up only to have them sitting around and look pretty in their basement or garage, I know I was and still am guilty of it, actually sold a hell of alot of plugs this past season and still have plenty more to sell when I get around to it. Im Done. I figured Im only gonna keep what I am going to use when Im going to throw plugs, and If Im going to throw plugs, Ill stick to a $11 Superstrike! Heck alot of guys turning wood are trying to duplicate them only to sell them for $20+++ They have been around forever and they catch plenty....Me personally, I like to fish for large, If Im fishing of the surf, Im slinging eels, If Im off the boat Im fishing Eels, Bunker, Scup and other baits...Just my thoughts!

the more plug builders the better.you should be able to go into a shop and get the plugs you want.you shouldnt have to wate for them.

Just for fun :D Everyone is on their own time and everyone does their own thing :) More power to them if they can enjoy what they do and make some $ as well good for them. :) I think the pie is plenty big, and no one guy wants the whole pie, I mean hell they still wanna get out and fish... right?

And I agree totally Snake slinger, I know people have put down lots of $$$ only to be waiting around for weeks, months for plugs that may never even be in stock...

And just for info, if I really enjoyed throwing plugs, I would buy my own lathe and learn how to build them the way I like em. I did that with jigs years ago when I was into jigging alot of South shore long Island Inlets, I got tired of spending $4-5 bugs for a 4-5oz bucktail jig. Over the winter I had the heads poured, bulk ordered a hell of alot bucktails and hooks and ended up making far nicer jigs than those mass produced for about .50 cents a piece! Hell I had all winter to do em...

Most of the custom plug builders I’ve met are just selling plugs to support their hobby and because people are asking them for the plugs. It’s hard to make any real money, even at $20.00 a plug. When you factor in the cost of material, and the labor time to shape, seal, finish, and assemble the plug your talking third world wages with the equipment the average home plug builder is using.

Another point is these custom builders will help to push the real commercial builders to improve their products. Who knows, maybe one of the builders on this site will become the next Stan Gibbs. Any way it goes it's great to see people enjoying their hobby and at the same time giving the rest of us an opportunity to obtain some quality products if we want.

The Gibbs Company sent these to me. They came today. I think they are fine.

cause they were free ?;) :D

Originally posted by Zeno
cause they were free ?;) :D I felt that Gibb's took a down turn a few years back in the quality of plugs but they do seem to be listening and the plugs have improved since - just my opinion :hee:

A good wood plug at a competative price is worth it.

That's why I will always buy Salty's plugs.Made in USA catching USA bass at a price I CAN afford!

There's no such thing as a bad free plug!:D
I just can't believe how fast guys are becoming sellers these days, lotsa newbies have stuff in shops for sale....do what you want , but i'm buying time tested plugs...:) johnny

No not because they were free, but because they listened and wanted to know what I thought and these plugs reflect that. The color was always productive and the finish and paint has improved. Last year they came out with that Herring color ( kinda of black/silver/pearl) and between needlefish and medium Dannys ( especially at Fishers Island with the danny last fall) in that pattern we knew they had a winner. I was sent a couple of this "new" color two years ago to test and they consistently caught fish. I am glad to have somehow helped Dan and Dennis with thier eagerness to get products out that experienced bass fishermen would want. One thing you all have to remember is the foremost reason they bought Gibbs is because they did not want to see it end. They knew that they were not the most experienced plug makers but no one else was in the running and if they did not buy Gibbs the line would be gone. I admire them for doing that. They didn't need to but they did because they had the where with all. They knew the companies history and did not want to see that go. The learning curve was a big obstacle and there were many bumps in the road but I think they did a great job of trying thier best to overcome them and the nay sayers who, not understanding what it takes to make the product or what goes into it, who jumped all over them because at first they had troubles putting all the pieces together. Not many full time striper plug makers left.:cool:

reading the words:

unavailable..........out of stock....when you see the plug you want to use or own

so more plug makers makes for more availability

most guys are making them to never run out or to have exactly the look or presentation they want which is great!

If you put all 4 options together, you'd probably have summed my thoughts

I must have asked Jimmy c atleast 8 times..Jim when your ready to sell the Gibbs co. let me know[before they went south] I'll b there with check in hand..between another old capecodder and myself that co. would still be here where it started out, being built far better than it was before...it's gone forever now:(

Has anybody try to make plug's out of a different medium?
I think that alone would be the way to seperate you're self from other makers,I think it'll offer a different edge.
1. better/stronger more durability
2.hold a finish better
3.after a mold is made they could be mass produced vs the duplicator.

My .02

5/0

5/0...

Injected molded plastic is one alternative (Super Strike).

Plastic foam another (Atom).

I think these are easier to manufacture in bulk and at lower cost. However, as of late, the cost of resins has been driven up due to oil pricec.

Maybe wood is cheaper material to work with right now.

Originally posted by fishweewee
5/0...

Injected molded plastic is one alternative (Super Strike).

Plastic foam another (Atom).

I think these are easier to manufacture in bulk and at lower cost. However, as of late, the cost of resins has been driven up due to oil pricec.

Maybe wood is cheaper material to work with right now.


You a fisherman or Alan Greenspan protege? :D

:bshake:

Nice :D
I agree wood is a easyer medium to work with plus it's abundancy & types Teek,oak,ash ect....I think it's great to work with it & it has very forgiving property's as a medium.

I also like the Yo-Zori line of Surface Cruiser I think they use somthing like "poly-balsa"? SP?
I have a bunch that have been banged on rock's & just plain-ol abused from fish,they still hold there shape & no chipping to the body but the paint get's a little beat.If one wanted IM sure you could touch it up or ultimatly sand it down & give it you're own paint job.

I'd like to get into molding some I think one of the hardest part could be getting the plastic.

That's why I like Super Strike darters and poppers. They take serious abuse, even on the rocks.

I never tried the Super strikes,Ill have too try some this season.


5/0

Originally posted by fishweewee
:bshake:

Nice bum Sailor . . . you going to the gathering Saturday :D

We can have a beer and talk stagflation, supply side economics and trickle-down theory . . . . :laughs:

Actually, let's talk about obscure itemized deductions and sneaky ways to get out of the AMT. That's more actionable stuff. :laughs:

eliminate the non essentials.... then have another cocktail

Stagflation....slack flood tide at the canal?

Supply side economics....a blitz??

Trickle down theory......when you have to pee bad but the bass are biting??? :)

is there a saturation, maybe. i see a lot of "casual builders" and that's cool. but, if you start selling, you better start thinking about uncle sam before he comes knocking. i know of one that was pinched in the last few years. but, that's a whole other issue.

a few guys have made the niche plug and have done well. some have tried to copy it to follow the leader. i only know of a few companies/builders that i trust for their quality on each and every lure. i don't need to examine each one to see if it's true or will swim right. rarely are they a problem. they use the best processes building them. some even go a step further and put the best hardware on the lures, which is always a big plus. i have no problem spending $20 on a lure if it does what i want. one fish over 20#s and the lure paid for itself. but, i also believe that the cream always rises to the top. the same is true for lure manufacturers. i've seen it in the surf too many times. many want to play the game, but they leave only after a few seasons. how many of these guys will be around after 2, 3, 6 years of trying to get into the game and find out what supply and emand is really all about. make 50 a year, great. now, make a few thousand +, the same quality each time and do it over and over and...

cowhunter, i agree w/ you about live bait and boat fishing, but you cannot fish in a boat in a gale and you cannot throw eels in the surf during a gale w/ the wind in your teeth. only a couple lures will work in those conditions. so, there is always a need. anyone can buy a "great lure", but it the guy that knows when to throw what that cashes in.

as for this new gibbs line, why don't they pay attention a little and do some homework. lose the crap mustad hooks. i'd rather pay an additional dollar for a lure and get vmc's than worry about my mustad straightening out or breaking under minimal pressure. go back 15-25 years and see how your lures used to be made. copy those designs again, not the latest designs that the last 2 joker buyers produced. they are all junk.

Originally posted by Saltheart
Stagflation....slack flood tide at the canal?

Supply side economics....a blitz??

Trickle down theory......when you have to pee bad but the bass are biting??? :)

Well, really I'm more concerned about what to do when you're in the middle of a blitz and you have to scratch your butt but you have your waders and oilskin top on and you can't reach around.

Originally posted by SeaWolf
as for this new gibbs line, why don't they pay attention a little and do some homework. lose the crap mustad hooks. i'd rather pay an additional dollar for a lure and get vmc's than worry about my mustad straightening out or breaking under minimal pressure. go back 15-25 years and see how your lures used to be made. copy those designs again, not the latest designs that the last 2 joker buyers produced. they are all junk.
Cost difference would be maybe 25 cents?

Seawolf, did you read what I posted? Joker Buyers? Who else was there? Have you ever talked with them personally? Did you call them and have an intelligent discussion on upgrades and what fishermen like yourself would like to see or do you just pompously type in your thoughts on a thread like this? Lot's of good that does.

Forget the .25 adder. You got the split ring, Vmc hook ( which rust just as fast) the time involved ( another step in the process) and the change in balance with the splits and hooks being that much offset and the slight increase in weight. If I was making them I would not sell them with hooks, like Beachmaster. Then you wouldn't have to listen to comments like the previous. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Selling them without hooks may result in a decrease in because less serious anglers, ones who would never think to change a hook never mind do it, would just not buy the plugs because they came without hooks. You’d be targeting a smaller group of serious fishermen. This would only be a good idea if you had to quality and reputation to support enough of them to sustain the business, like Beachmaster. Personally, I use Gibbs needles and pencil poppers quite often and just except having to change the hooks, much as I do with Super Strike plugs. To me, the main problem with Gibbs plugs over the last few years has simply been quality control – something that is difficult to control while keeping costs down in a labor intensive industry. Most of them are pretty good, you just have to look them over before buying one, difficult to do on-line. Shipping the work overseas would lower the cost of labor but is the industry large enough to offset shipping, insurance, etc. Just my opinion.

As far as being too many builders out there selling their stuff; I don’t think there are too many. The market will sort itself out. I don’t think there is room for many people to make a living off selling plugs commercially because the market is very regional and specific, but there is plenty of room for hobbyists, for lack of a better word, to make some extra money doing something that they enjoy doing anyway.

It's a lot like fly tying.
othing beats the feeling you get when you catch a fish on something that YOU made from scratch.
Sure, others make some SWEET plugs, but your buying THEIR creation, and they use their own color scheme.
When you make your own, you control the entire process, and you learn more about the process from your trails and errors.
I'll tell you, nothing felt as exhilirating as catching a rainbow trout or striper on flies that I tied, and I can't wait to try some homemade plugs this year.

Originally posted by Flaptail
Seawolf, did you read what I posted? Joker Buyers? Who else was there? Have you ever talked with them personally? Did you call them and have an intelligent discussion on upgrades and what fishermen like yourself would like to see or do you just pompously type in your thoughts on a thread like this? Lot's of good that does.

Forget the .25 adder. You got the split ring, Vmc hook ( which rust just as fast) the time involved ( another step in the process) and the change in balance with the splits and hooks being that much offset and the slight increase in weight. If I was making them I would not sell them with hooks, like Beachmaster. Then you wouldn't have to listen to comments like the previous. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

My opinion, which is all it is, is that VMC hooks would add a value which may be percieved or real. Yes it would cost money and you may need to do some research to make it work. I think it would sell more plugs for them.
Gibbs was one of the great pioneers in plugbuilding and made and sold a lot of plugs.
There are a lot of analogies for companies that made great products and never changed them as time went by and went out of vogue, of course there are a few that have never changed and are still around, I just can't think of one.
I'm quite sure that VMC hooks and splitrings would cost less for material.

Originally posted by fishweewee
That's why I like Super Strike darters and poppers. They take serious abuse, even on the rocks.

your not throwing them hard enough... LOL...

Last time i spoke with Don Musso from Super Strike he mentioned that he can buy VMC hooks for less than Mustads.The problem is that they don't come open-eye.So cost is not an issue

Closed eye with split rings only for this guy!;)

Split rings have no place on a plug. It should always be hook to swivel or tail loop. I can't understand why VMC doesn't get it. Thank God for Dremel tools. I hate the sight of them on a plug, I use them but I hate 'em.

The fish can't tell the difference Steve but I can. IMO I think the split ring adds a little more seductive wiggle not to mention strength. If you like those foolish open eye hooks then good luck to you then....I will stick with what works for me and always has.;)

I agree wit flap I am generally not a fan of split rings.I dropped a few fish a few yrs ago that i normally don't right around the time i started wit em so i removed em an I found my longline releases went down.i got a small pair of bolt cutters go thru hooks like butter.I just bend em to the side wit a good pair of vise grips the less marking them up the less rust.The VMC's rust up pretty quick when u mar the finish.After multiple fish nights u gotta change em up also they kinda get bendy an rust .I don't use pliers but guys that do have to change em out pretty fast.I still have a pretty good cache' of older mustads.I treat em like gold.the basic problem overall is wit the mustads the hook they make now is a sham.bends easy cut hooks break .They break under minimal load.How do they leave the factory.They gotta make some changes.U know they could come up wit a better configuration of metal.Its all about money.i would gladly pay an most anglers have shown the same. goin to all the japanese hooks that are in the market today. its time they get up to snuff.

I've been in business three years and I never got a phone call from a sales person from Gibbs or any of the bigger wooden lure companies. It's either you call them, or forget it.

The tackle industry has (by far) the worst business people I've ever met. Sadly, the market is populated by manufacturers who don't look for vendors, competitors who threaten each other, sales people who don't return phone calls, retailers who are rude to their customers. There is an industry wide disease of rampant unprofessionalism and its not working.

http://www.bmwoodworking.com/brucefishing/Plugs205/habzie.jpg

Originally posted by Joe
I've been in business three years and I never got a phone call from a sales person from Gibbs or any of the bigger wooden lure companies. It's either you call them, or forget it.

The tackle industry has (by far) the worst business people I've ever met. Sadly, the market is populated by manufacturers who don't look for vendors, competitors who threaten each other, sales people who don't return phone calls, retailers who are rude to their customers. There is an industry wide disease of rampant professionalism and its not working.

wow.

voted for golf wee.

the course is right next to the beach .... :hihi:

Originally posted by Slipknot
http://www.bmwoodworking.com/brucefishing/Plugs205/habzie.jpg

Bruce, you are evil. :laughs:

Too many plug companies, but we need more couches at our spots :D

Originally posted by Joe

The tackle industry has (by far) the worst business people I've ever met. Sadly, the market is populated by manufacturers who don't look for vendors, competitors who threaten each other, sales people who don't return phone calls, retailers who are rude to their customers. There is an industry wide disease of rampant unprofessionalism and its not working.

Unfortunately, very true. :rolleyes:

Originally posted by beachwalker
voted for golf wee.

the course is right next to the beach .... :hihi:

What a waste of beachfront property! :hihi: :bshake:

Originally posted by Flaptail
Seawolf, did you read what I posted? Joker Buyers? Who else was there? Have you ever talked with them personally? Did you call them and have an intelligent discussion on upgrades and what fishermen like yourself would like to see or do you just pompously type in your thoughts on a thread like this? Lot's of good that does.

Forget the .25 adder. You got the split ring, Vmc hook ( which rust just as fast) the time involved ( another step in the process) and the change in balance with the splits and hooks being that much offset and the slight increase in weight. If I was making them I would not sell them with hooks, like Beachmaster. Then you wouldn't have to listen to comments like the previous. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

ok, flap. i do believe a long time ago i tried to email them, w/o a returned reply. as far as putting in "pompously thoughts lke this", i have, as many, many others, put in these thoughts, facts, and suggestions on boards like this for many years. there have been threads purposely titled w/ gibbs in the subject where others have complained about their plugs, be it mustad hooks, plugs cracking/splitting, poor paint quality, still using screw eyes on some plugs, etc. now, if you think i am naive enough to believe that they do not have people within the company or even people outside looking for them to report these things on these boards, then you are mistaken. and, if by some slim chance they do not look here or on other boards for these type of comments, then they are poor a business company. i respect others on this board that stick up for their company, are willing to post suggestions, and listen to these comments to change their product. obviously, one of them has changed theirs only after 1 month of unveiling it due to scrutiny here. where's gibbs? do they care? obviously not as they have not changed jack in the last 5-6 years and have in my opintion, gone downhill.

now, as for your comment about changing hooks/split rings myself, of course i do. theirs suck, but again, i do not buy their new stuff as i do not feel it is up to grade for what i want it to do. if i have any of their recent lures, the first thing i do is cut the wire out, put a real barrel in it, put vmc's on it, and rewire. sure, vmc's rust, but they still are strong months later. mustads simply are a weak, poor hooks due to changes forced on them by uncle sam. new hooks break w/ minimal pressure. hey, that's not my fault, change your designing processes and catch up to vmc, owner, tiamco, etc.

now, if gibbs wants to stay as they are and continue on the path that they have gone down, fine, but do not think you can compete with a company like habs, beachmaster, tattoo and the like that are higher quality, better design, and on top of the chain. gibbs raised their prices because of these other companies setting the market. gibbs just wants to cash in on their profits. gibbs needs to put all their lures in that "magic price range" that was talked about. more simply, $12. in my opinion, they are a $12 lure, no more. for them to ask $17 for any of their lures is an absolute joke. improve your quality, listen to what others have to say about your product, use better hooks and barrels, thru-wire you products and then maybe you can come play w/ the big boys. stan gibbs would be ashamed of what his company has become and what others are saying.

funny how joe lyons says that about dealing w/ gibbs. i have heard the same thing for several years now from shops i deal with. seems like they just do not care.

Gibbs has a lot of shelf space in a lot of tackle shops.

Gibbs also has a familiar brand name amongst anglers.

These are advantages that not many plug makers have.

Gibbs can easily screw it up by continuing to make a crappy product.

Flap, if you have any pull, ya gotta tell those new owners at Gibbs to improve the quality. Lest they throw away decades of hard work by Stan.

I don't buy them for all the reasons that Seawolf and numerous others have gone into ad nauseum.

Originally posted by Eben
Too many plug companies, but we need more couches at our spots :D


Now that's a fighting chair !!

And i thought i was the only one

in all the shops I go in there is never enough wood

Originally posted by bluefishercat
Don't know as I'd agree with China but I would say Asia and the timeframe is less than that.
From SOL
"They look pretty good for the money. I saw two today which were kept underwater in a bait aquarium for three months as a demo. The paint just showed some signs of shrinkage (same as most plugs), no rust on the hardware. But the truth is in the catchin'. I'll give 'em a try.

Yes, they are made in Thailand. What I heard is a guy went there with samples of name-brand plugs and had many hundreds of them duped by the local labor, hence the low cost."