Hi anglers,

I want to let all you buddies know that I will do shows at Surfday in Lincroft, NJ, Feb 25th. I Will also do one other show on March 24 and 25 in Plymouth MA, the MSBA Fishing Expo show. For those shows, will be selling 7"needlefish, 9"needlefish, very very limited amount of jointed needlefish, and several approx. 1 1/2oz needlefish. Will post a few pictures of needlefish before the shows coming up.

The other new that you guys might not like to hear this. I have been thinking about this for long long time. I have decided to stop making plugs after this big batch of plugs. I wont be making any more after this. I only did it to protect my dad's name. I have learned ing and try new thing about the business. This business have been very challenge for me to do, always try to find a way to make it better and keep the quality high. Which I have enjoyed doing.
However, I really want to focus on my career as graphic designer, that's what I went to college for. Initially after graduation I didnt go for it after my dad's shocking death. I wanted to protect his name and reputation.
I cant says enough, thank you very much to all guys who supported me, my business and my family. Salute to you all. Also I want to says thank you to people who help me with my business when I had no clue about it at first. And I want to go back to fishing that I used to do alot of before. Once I started doing my dad's business, I've rarely gone fishing at all. I only fished about 4 or 6 times in 5 years.
Maybe once I get older I can come back and make more plugs, or just make very small amount of plugs as collectables. As I do really enjoy painting the lures.

if you guys have any questions, you can email me to this address, jhabsjr@gmail.com

Thank you guys again very much for your support.:wavey::cheers::fishin:

We are always behind you, dude!

I can only imagine how tough it is trying to juggle plug building with the rest of your life. Good luck with what you do. I hope this last batch of plugs is a big one :) I need to grab a few white needles before the price shoots up 150%.

good luck in your new career

J Jr,

Ya did your dad proud , now ya do whats in your heart ;

Live once & Enjoy CLAMMER :uhuh:

J:
You know I loved your Dad. He's smilin' down on you as you have made him proud. Go do what you want to do. It's something you owe yourself. I too am proud of you.
Don't know if you remember me but you put some A/C vents in my addition long ago.

You are a great young man and we all wish you the best.

Don't forget to save a few to us yourself whenyou can get out an fish. Tight lines an good luck.

Ditto on all the above sentiments, your a good man.

I commend you for all you have done in your dad's name. You know he is smiling down on you. Good luck. And check in here from time to time to let us know how your family is doing. You know the striped-bass community has you guys in our hearts. Thanks.

You had some big shoes to fill and you did it well,,,, Good Luck,,,,

Amen to what they said!

Habs...think about him every single time I tie one on. (Lure that is :) )

It is good to see you moving on to do somethign that you want to do. I have several friends in the graphic design industry and wish I had known about it back when I went to college. I will miss you and your mom at the shows, but I understand why you are making this choice. Besides, there is no reason why you can't come back to spinning wood some point down the road, even if it is just a side hobby kind of deal. Best of luck!

good luck buddy! you made your dad proud. see you soon.

Don't forget to save a few to us yourself whenyou can get out an fish. Tight lines an good luck.

Of course I save good amount of plugs for myself to use later this year!

It is good to see you moving on to do somethign that you want to do. I have several friends in the graphic design industry and wish I had known about it back when I went to college. I will miss you and your mom at the shows, but I understand why you are making this choice. Besides, there is no reason why you can't come back to spinning wood some point down the road, even if it is just a side hobby kind of deal. Best of luck!

It is a little weird feeling for me about this business, however, I felt I made a right decision. I just want to go back to old time that I used to fishing a lot. Also want have jobs as graphic design, which I am working on preparing for it.

Good luck junior your dad would have been very proud of you .

john
Good for you follow your passion . You have always made your dad proud ( I cant tell you how many times he told me so ) and will continue to do so .

You make a very well made and working product . Now go and follow your heart and dont look back .


GOOD LUCK DUDE !!!!

see you on the water soon

Jointed needles ??? Surfday it is!!
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Good luck John!!

Best of luck! Thanks for all the hardwork throughout the years, we appreciate it!

Good luck! I never met your father but am honored to have met one of the habbs legends and to have fished your plugs! I hope you do well in your career!

Tight lines, Matt

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IFG :wavey:

Wishing you the best of luck in your future endeavors!

Best of luck to you in your new career.

Best of luck in your new career man. Your a young guy, now is the time to go get the things you really want in life.

Work hard and keep your head down and you'll do well. Just don't forget to stop and smell the roses once in a while....

You made the right decision when you decided to 'pick up your father's line of business' ...that's part of being a respectful, honoring son. That alone, merits you with a tremendous amount of honor. Not only did you 'pick it up', you didn't skip a beat. There was no failure involved. Although there was a learning curve for you....you adjusted, and quite nicely. Having had known your father, I KNOW, he is looking down upon you and crying tears of joy. Not only that you carried his torch for the time that you did, but that you once again...are making the "Right" decision. Follow your heart as he did, in whichever direction it takes you. It takes courage to stop doing what you think is right, and start doing what you KNOW is right.

You stated that your father's business was "challenging". Do NOT let the challenge of your new career deter you from excelling. You are a determined young man and should never settle for less.

God Bless you for making the right decision, and may He place a hand on your shoulder to help guide you through the difficulties involved in the future ahead of you. Always know your Father is with you...

Hey John - Good luck in your chosen profession as a graphic designer, but now I'll have to be very careful not to lose my Hab's needles in the surf.

I was surprised your family didn't immediately sell it. I don't know any full-time lure guys with the exception of Art from Kastmaster and Steve from Super Strike whom you could say were really successful. Maybe Salty is, he churns out big numbers. Everybody else is either part time or hand-to-mouth it seems.

I was surprised your family didn't immediately sell it. I don't know any full-time lure guys with the exception of Art from Kastmaster and Steve from Super Strike whom you could say were really successful. Maybe Salty is, he churns out big numbers. Everybody else is either part time or hand-to-mouth it seems.

Gibbs?

Maybe for a while, but last I heard even though they were bigger, it was still tough. I really don't know.
It's tough to make business decisions - particularly for a widow - when you're in mourning, unfamiliar with the business, and alone. It's a noble gesture to continue the legacy - but immediately following John's passing, was the best opportunity to turn that name, with the prestige and the established accounts attached, into a pretty fair amount of money - in my opinion.

Oh I agree Joe. I think the Gibbs guys who are in Cumberland now, make a lot of their monies on their custom plexiglass stuff and the plugs are a sideline.

I was surprised your family didn't immediately sell it. I don't know any full-time lure guys with the exception of Art from Kastmaster and Steve from Super Strike whom you could say were really successful. Maybe Salty is, he churns out big numbers. Everybody else is either part time or hand-to-mouth it seems.

how about RM SMITH?

It's a sideline - he does something else real estate related for his primary income. Nobody's getting rich off the plug-building business. The best and the brightest tend to lean to law, medicine, and finance. Plug guys and web retailers like me - not so much.

I give you a lot of credit for picking up the ball and running with it but even more so in deciding to follow your own path. Good luck going forward. I hope to get a couple of your plugs to put to use.

It's a long life when you're still a young man. Your name will be always Habereck. You know how to do it, and it will always be there should you choose to pick it up again - on whatever level you wish. Never say never again. You may find a measure of reward with respect to fulfillment - that can be very satisfying. Life's not all about money.
I made many trips to the Habratory to pick up inventory and had many discussions with him, he had a passion for striper lures unlike anyone that I've met so far, and head full of very original ideas.
Good luck to you. Graphic Design can be very rewarding and the need for content for all the various forms of media is exploding.

Congrats John, great job on keeping the Habs legacy going, and good luck on making your own mark in this world!
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Congrats John, you're on the road to great things! :D
your dad would be proud

Congrats John, you're on the road to great things! :D
your dad would be proud

John,
I second makomania.
Vic