For the article in this week's Fisherman :btu:

Nicely done :bshake:

Great picture with the guys lined up and the awards on their plugs!

And yet again, Thanks Slip! never would have happened if not for you

Great article...I enjoyed it very much! :kewl:

So cool! S-B is going big time huh?

Special thanks to Aquaman, Wahlie... and a big round of applause to MikeCC for all of their valuable contributions, (most especially in light of the brutal flu bug I was suffering from at the time).

-John-

the builders on this site are a great bunch of guys. very generous from what I've seen doing these auctions :claps:

I got the copy of the Fisherman magazine at the RISAA show and read it yesterday. :kewl: Nice pictures. PNG didn't even know his plugs were famous until I showed him:lurk: Glad to see some recognition for the site and the event in the magazine.

You're very welcome JohnR, don't mention it, I am still awed by that autographed framed certificate you all gave me :uhuh: That means a lot to me.

The beginning of plugfests seems a long long time ago, and we have Tattoo to blame :hihi: Back when the forum started we both wanted to do a plug swap and a get together, well he said he would handle the swap which left me the get together since he said no way was he having it at his house, so my shop seemed the logical choice. If you guys research the past plugfests on the plug forum, you'll see the history of it. But I'll give a paragraph or 2.
The first one was the best IMO, we had plugs being turned, had Got Stripers pouring rubbah , had Saltheart and Smokey outside pouring lead, and Saltheart tied flies and hooks too. It was quite the lure building fest, the food that time was just pizza but that left us more time to actually do stuff. Habs and Tattoo came to the first few plugfests at my shop, they were a big help with tips and stuff. The next year we all pitched in and brought food in crockpots or whatever, there were more people and more bull sessions, we did airbrushing and duplicator demos, Capesams brought rod blanks he no longer wanted for us to buy cheap, Habs and Bassmaster had everyone laughing and gasping for air.
My shop was too small as the next year we had it at the Mitchel Memorial club where it was for about 4-5 years. The second year at the hall #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& and I think Canalman helped take the heat off me and organized it and that was when we started the plug contest to add to the festivities. The food that was there made it look more like a foodfest:bl: We sure ate good. In 2006 and 2007 tagger brought Stan Kuzia who is a master at many things and a man I look up to since he could fish the canal blindfolded, I think he forgot more about the canal then I will ever kknow, so needless to say whenever I get the chance to speak to Stan, I listen and remember. With him was Angler#1 who also has quite an extensive fishing history. I think it was 2005 or 6 that we actually got Jim Powers to grace our presence at the plugfest, he has no use for plugs and doesn't know what one is, all he does is jig, I owe a lot to Jim for what he has shown me and what I have experience fishing with him over the years.
Every year we get more newcomers and each plugfest gains momentum it seems. 2 years ago Rockfish9 was there for the first time and he was like a kid in a toy store, he looks so forward to the event now anticipating all year long. We had silent Scottie come and blow everyone away with that awesome pikie he made one year. There are too many to mention but let's just say friendships are made and good times are had by all. What an obsession we got ourselves into :spin::spin:

Looking forward to next year, I gotta start my contest plug soon if I am gonna get one in for next time.
Thanks ThunderRod , and canalman :)