I want to share something about someone at the New England Saltwater Show. I was lucky enough to meet up again with Al Gag(alphabet) at the show again this year. If anyone on this list doesn't know him. He is probably one of the classiest guys you'll have the fortune to meet. He met me last year at the show and we talked for a while. I gave him one of my lures then and he remembered me and told me he has it hung on his collection wall.

Some times in this circle (fishing and lure building) you run into people who will paint on a smile and turn around and throw the biggest knife they can find right into your back. We know who they are and some people think they are demi-gods. But other times you run into people who genuinely are willing to share advice, friendship, a smile, and good criticizm. Everyone out there, Al Gag-(alphabet) is one of those good guys.

I hope to have the chance to wet a line with him sometime. If I can give advice to my counterparts out there. Please don't try to slam anyone behind their back, it alwayse comes back to you. Follow the example of a class act. Thanks for those who supported me at the show and It was a great seeing some very nice work from you guys. The gent in row 500 with his 15 year old son (I think his name is 48HOURS, sorry if wrong) my friend you are an artist, keep up the great work and follow God, you'll definately be a success :).

Thanks everyone.

Armand

(I think his name is 48HOURS, sorry if wrong) my friend you are an artist, keep up the great work and follow God, you'll definately be a success :).

Thanks everyone.

Armand


Armand, his name is don, Aka Afterhours

sorry we missed you last weekends work prevented us to go


- The Links

I'm very sorry afterhours. your doing some great work. Also I forgot to mention Don Bliz. Very nice to see you too. thanks for that great swimmer. I can't wait to get it wet :) :think: makes me want to fishhhhhh.

I'm sorry I missed the Missing Links Sr & Jr. You guys I still owe you woodage.

Armand

Armand...you hit that nail right on the head! Al is a true gentleman and a class act across the board. I have gotten to know Al quite well through my affiliation with MSBA and he is a joy to be around. Not to mention his many charitable endeavors. :kewl:

Armand, good to see you new stuff looks schweet!!!
Al wasnt at his booth when I walked by, but his Assistant was...

armand great meeting you and your family :) thanks for the kind words.my g/f and i got the chance to spend the better part of an hour with al gag- the man is a total class act and a real gentleman.

You're very welcome Armand.

You're in good company!

Hope to get out to fish with you this year.

Armand, good to see you new stuff looks schweet!!!
Al wasnt at his booth when I walked by, but his Assistant was...


well my rock hopping friend, She is much easier on the eyes anyway :) lol Thanks for the kind words, I'm alwayse trying to improve.

Don, I'd love to get out with you fishing. You name the time, day, species and I'm there with bells on :)

Armand...you hit that nail right on the head! Al is a true gentleman and a class act across the board. I have gotten to know Al quite well through my affiliation with MSBA and he is a joy to be around. Not to mention his many charitable endeavors. :kewl:

Couldn't agree more Larry, P.S. While I saw John R. at the show, I asked him if he would pass on my donated materials to the MSBA Tourny. Van will know what to do with it. Thanks for all your work. We're lucky to have people like you too. (NOT ONLY BUBBLES RISE TO THE TOP, CREAM DOES TOOOOO)

Armand

...ahhh....never mind. :devil:

I second that opinon of Al Gags. I don't know of anyone who doesn't like the guy. He is a hard act to follow, figuratively and literally. And you all will soon see what I mean in that regard shortly.

Wait till you guys see what AL may be coming back out with at some point this season, its gonna blow your mind...heres a clue----------the original had a dime used as the swimming lip.......I was fondling this plug in his basement for about an hour last week..... :shocked:

well if Al's gonna make it it should be good :) :wiggle:

Armand,

I am on the phone with Al Gags, and he has asked me to transcribe the following...

"Hey Armand..."

"A message from the galloping ghost of Agawam..."

"a.k.a. Alphabet"

"It was a pleasure taking with you and your family
at the event.

The plug that you gave me at the show is going up next to the other one on the wall.

Please send me a beat up one so I can really fish it.

(Attention all plug builders... this is how I really fill up my tackle box...).

The unity that I had seen from that show from plug makers like After Hours, Salty, Lonely Angler, Don Blizard and a cast of others, reminded me of the old days of Bob Hahn, Stan Gibbs, and Myself...


I would like to thank you for the time I got to spend with you and your family, Aterhours and ect...

God Bless you all."

"The Galloping Ghost"

"You guys are really the class act... not me..."

"I saw Steve Fransescon's Surfster... all I have to say is...

"JUST AWESOME..."

(Dictation verbatum by Bliz)...

Don, Didn't know you took dictation :lasso: nice note, thanks.

Armand if he's got nice legs then hire him :laughs:

:laughs::laughs:

Armand,

I have met you a couple times over the years at the RISSA Show and meetings. I would say thgat you are a very decent guy as well. Best of luck to you this season.

I second that one Duke! :btu:

indeed, armand is a great guy to be with.

:lm: :love: oh stop it now, all this huggy kissy stuff is making me blush. LOL

Al is a great guy we've had some good laughs this year. I don't know WHO keeps turning them surf dancers upside down though :D

Armand I think someone coined the perfect term for this over the winter....rump swabbery :D

Al is a great guy we've had some good laughs this year. I don't know WHO keeps turning them surf dancers upside down though :D

Armand I think someone coined the perfect term for this over the winter....rump swabbery :D


Scott, Rumpswabbery ??? Sounds like someone is trying to clean someone elses' diaper with a mop? :buds: Forgot to mention you too. let's make this love fest grow. your stuff was looking good, especially that blue back, white belly with the red head. seems to me I've seen that somewhere before. :claps: :tm:

Al tells some funny stories!!!
Plus he allways brings a HOT chick (his assistant? :hihi: ) with him when he makes his annual visits to MSBA meetings!!!! :kewl: :thanks:

there are these two blonde chicks......one is in the middle of a cornfield in a rowboat, rowing to beat the band. The other blonde is on the edge of the cornfield yelling to the other blonde...."You know, its blondes like you that give blondes like me a bad name.....and if I could swim, I would come out there and kick your ass!" :hihi:

Larry, my wife is a blonde, I'll have to tell her that one :fishslap:

Message to everyone. MESSAGE TO EVERYONE You know there are a bunch of nice people in this business who will share information and advice. I hear from time to time people talking about who's stuff is good, who's stuff is "brooom Stick Material" etc.

A decision I make is to associate with people who are pleasant and wish to be on good terms until such a point that someone does something that causes me to reconsider my friendship with them. As a result of my posting of only something good about someone who was nice to me. I have gotten several phone calls from different people who assumed they were being somehow slammed. I will not participate in bad mouthing anyone, if someone feels bad when something good is said about someone else that strikes of paranoia. I believe it was the Franciscans who spoke a message that was something like this: "when someone uses their candle to light another's candle it does not take light away from their own". A lot of meaning in that.

So, for those of you who wish to share the light, please I hold out my candle and those who wish to swear at the darkness; my friends it's futile. We all have to look at the mirror and live with who is looking back. I chose to be helpful and kind to those who will let me. If someone wants to call me and be a friend I welcome it, but otherwise only call to order fine poppers.

God bless

Armand

WOW

I couldn't agree with you more friend!... :btu:

There is plenty of room for everyone out there to invest into the lives of others, rather than involving themselves in back-biting.

When it's all said and done, it is only those who walk in integrity who will truly be remembered for their greatness.

This world needs more men like Stan Gibbs...Ted Williams... John Wayne... and the like.

There are some men out there who are like that today...

but unfortunately, there are not many.

Thanks Armand... for having the integrity to say what needs to be said.

I look forward to wetting a line with you soon!

Plugs usually come from trees.

Sometimes, plugs return to where they came from.

...if someone feels bad when something good is said about someone else that strikes of paranoia...

In a perfect world, that might well be the case.

But a wise man will come to know, that even the sweetest mellifluous voice can speak with forked tongue.

p.s. Did you know it is possible for plugs to be hurled skyward, and stay there? I have seen this with my very own eyes. It is a mystery of the nature of the universe, a defiance of the laws of gravity, if you will.

If someone wants to call me and be a friend I welcome it...

It is the unwitting simpleton who is swayed only by honeyed words.

Dig deeper, and dare take a peek at what you cannot see where others try to shed some light.

Where there is smoke, there is often fire.

Don't get burned, Armand.

Take it for what it's worth Fish-weewee. I bare no bad will to anyone. Call me the eternal optimist. I wish the best for you and your friends. No need to search for extra motivations.
Keep smiling and try not to let the wood fall on you when you throw it up in the air. :)

Armand