What it's all about


Well folks, once again we are getting ready for plugfest.
For those who don't know about it, Plugfest goes back more than 10 years. It began as a simple gathering in my home workshop where we had about 18-20 guys including JHabs, and Tattoo who brought a few plug building supplies along with their knowledge to share. We had 3 or 4 lathes going, we had Got Stripers out back pouring Ledgerunner rubba, we had Saltheart tying tailhooks, we had Smokey and Saltheart pouring lead jigs outside. It was quite the day:uhuh:
The next year got bigger so less building going on but still a lot was learned, I think capesams brought a bunch of rod blanks he was getting rid of cheap. The following year year it was clear we had to move to a bigger place so we had it at the Mitchel club where it was for about 3-4 years. Canalman and salty began a contest one year, I also had a smaller gathering at my shop in january where mr.pogie demonstrated how to make a bottle swimmer. It kept on growing from there each year and we had it at different places - Carver, then the last 2 years in Buzzards Bay.
For those who don't know about plugfest, I will explain a little bit. I will also remind others of how things go, so forgive the long post please.
Plugfest is a gathering of obsessed fishermen who craft,modify, or repaint their fishing lures. we get together every winter and trade plugs,share ideas and methods and eat food, usually the eats are as good as the plugs so maybe we can step it up a bit and catch up this year with some great food. We also have some sort of building contest. We also usually have a raffle of some sort where guys can donate plugs etc. to raise money for JohnR for the site or some worthy cause.

It costs about 10 bucks to get in,kids and seniors are free and you'll get a ballot for voting and an entrance ticket for a door prize and a nametag which we would like you to put on please, it helps a lot. We try to raise enough money to cover the hall expenses and winners certificates, etc.

Hopefully we will have some demonstrations going on also if we get any offers, if we don't I will have to bore you all with something. The last few years Joe aka Rockfish9 has brought some killer displays of each step involved in making certain plugs.
If anyone wants to offer to do any demonstrations, please feel free. We can begin another thread about that.
Plugfest is NOT a place to come and sell plugs or buy them, so if that is your intention, please stay home. If you only come to try to ho plugs from guys for nothing, well, you better bring something to trade or forget about it, nobody should be pressured into giving away a work of art which is what these plugs pretty much are. If guys want to hand out plugs that is up to them, if they do it would be nice to give feedback on how you do with it. It's about commraderie and learning and is supposed to be fun.

Usually a sponsor comes and sells plug building materials, so that stuff should be available too.

This year quite a few of us will make contest plugs like I mentioned. ODMIKE has a thread sticky about a contest. I am not sure if you guys want to include the usual stuff or not, like best of show, classic plug reproduction. We can have a category for fishable plugs and another category for novelty or whatever. We can discuss this more.

If we all watch out for each others stuff, there should be no problems of anything mysteriously disappearing. Anyone caught pocketing anything will be promptly tossed in the canal for a swim. I'd like to feel comfortable stepping away from my display and not have to worry about it.

This year the NEW location is the Wareham Elks club. We can start around 8:00 and be out of there by 3 or so.
This place is the largest place we have had it to date, there will be plenty of room for everyone to have a table to display stuff and trade and talk about plugs all day. The past couple years the hall opened the kitchen to sell luch which worked out great for us to not have to deal so much with preparing food to put out. We can still bring some dishes of food and drink, but this gives us an option since some years not so many have participated in bringing food. It works out better this way. And this hall is plenty big enough.

So get your creative juices flowing and knock out some great plugs and do the best you can. With all the knowledge on this site I'm sure they'll catch fish just fine.
Newcomers are welcome also. There will be something for everyone.
See you all there,
thanks

Bruce

So I guess we'll have have plugs and eggs?

I ❤ plugfest!
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Came to MA Friday 2/3 and early Saturday 2/4 and visited my dad (I have been working in OH weeekdays and living weekends in FL since DEC). He is getting ready as I noted on the thread re the special plug raffle he has a Marine inspired plug in the works and a few other he is working on. After last years Plug Fest his plug building and painting even got better (and it was pretty good before then) including scaling effect in his paint jobs. I caught more keepers on his 9" needle last year than on any other plug. Funny story, last June I was at the canal fishing tri state in the dark, at dawn the fisherman to my right called out, "Bill P is that you?" I said "yes" , it was Big Fish and he said he knew it was me because he could see the action of my dad's award winning flaptail.
Looking forward to Plugfest. Bill

The amount of information that is shared at plugfest is overwhelming, bring a note book and calipers. The quality in my plugs jumped 100 fold just from last years plugfest which was my first.

Rock's jig setup was amazing, i cant remember the. Older gentalmens name, but he had the coolest plug holder made out of stair pieces ( rail caps). Its overwhelming if its your first year as last year was mine and im hooked, just hope to be able to get that sat off...............
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You have to bring your camera, if nothing else. Did Slipknot mention the raffle. Most of the builders throw a plug on the raffle table, and the raffle is held at the end of the day. All the proceeds go to keep the lights on at S-B.ccom. I'll be taking care of that in one corner or another next to Bigfish.

You have to bring your camera, if nothing else. Did Slipknot mention the raffle. Most of the builders throw a plug on the raffle table, and the raffle is held at the end of the day. All the proceeds go to keep the lights on at S-B.ccom. I'll be taking care of that in one corner or another next to Bigfish.

the raffle is amazing and can go on for hours with the amount of donations, its great, and it does help with the site costs, and is always a good cause, that is one thing i like about this site, everyone is always willing to help when help is needed. :uhuh:

I will have a fly vise up for raffle that will also go until too cold to fish nite and be picked there. All proceeds will go to John. I will try and get some pics up soon.

Hopefully a classic plug reproduction category as that is the one I am shooting for as my spare time is very limited this year.

I will have a fly vise up for raffle that will also go until too cold to fish nite and be picked there. All proceeds will go to John. I will try and get some pics up soon.



Will there be progressive ticket purchasing for the vice. 10 for 5 / 20 for 10? Very interested in this, im in need of a new vice
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I think last time it was 5 bucks a ticket. If I had to put a price on it I would have to say 300 bucks as the jaws are 95 bucks alone and I got a bunch of hours into them. It will be a rotary vise. Don't want to hijack this thread. I will put up more info this weekend if I get some time. P.

What it's all about


This year quite a few of us will make contest plugs like I mentioned. ODMIKE has a thread sticky about a contest. I am not sure if you guys want to include the usual stuff or not, like best of show, classic plug reproduction. We can have a category for fishable plugs and another category for novelty or whatever. We can discuss this more.

See you all there,
thanks

Bruce


Bruce,

I like the idea of classic plug, novelty, best of show.

OD

Will there be progressive ticket purchasing for the vice. 10 for 5 / 20 for 10? Very interested in this, im in need of a new vice
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Anyone who gets this vise, I would consider to be lucky!!! Its an awesome vise and has Renzetti master vise head on it, if its the one Paul showed me. Very impressive!!!

This will be my first plugfest I can't wait.

I missed the last 2 but plan on making this one. I have a bunch of my hand carved but none will be painted yet.

Whats the date on this... yes I live under a rock...

I obviously don't know how to build plugs and so obviously don't have anything to trade , but would like to attend and socialize and learn some stuff.
I can bring food if that helps. Let me know.

Whats the date on this... yes I live under a rock...

March 3rd 2012
about 8:00 am to 3 pm
Wareham Lodge of Elks


I got that info from the pinned thread.

Bruce,

I like the idea of classic plug, novelty, best of show.

OD

ok :btu:

I missed the last 2 but plan on making this one. I have a bunch of my hand carved but none will be painted yet.
it will be good to see you
Whats the date on this... yes I live under a rock...

march 3rd Tom

I obviously don't know how to build plugs and so obviously don't have anything to trade , but would like to attend and socialize and learn some stuff.
I can bring food if that helps. Let me know.
see you there Greg, you can learn how to

March 3rd 2012
about 8:00 am to 3 pm
Wareham Lodge of Elks


I got that info from the pinned thread.


Would be nice to see you guys... and I do miss making plugs,,,,....

I obviously don't know how to build plugs and so obviously don't have anything to trade , but would like to attend and socialize and learn some stuff.
I can bring food if that helps. Let me know.

Stick with Tyler for a bit, watch him weasel plugs out of people , the little bastage..

I'll have the darter "how to" display again.. as well as my collection of fixtures and jigs... I have the display of the various wiring methods.. I'll bring that too... I may have "a plug or two " for trade... unfortunatly.. most of what i've made this year is darters.. I'm obseesed with making them.. i've still got time to make some neat stuff.. now that the Pat's .. forget them... I've still got some time...

each year I talk about bringing the twin towers of spinners.. maybe this will be the year if there is room...

Stick with Tyler for a bit, watch him weasel plugs out of people , the little bastage..


Tyler is a master plug ho... he has the innocence thing on his side and everyone wants to give the kid a plug for his collection...

Darn my kids are not cute anymore, although one is kind of intimadating but he won't make it down. Like I metioned I will have some plugs to trade but none are painted but they are all hand carved. See what kind of time I have and I will see about some moose something or other.

Stick with Tyler for a bit, watch him weasel plugs out of people , the little bastage..

I'm bringing my kid this year and he better be able to get me some plugs. If not, I'm bringing his Lego sets and Nintendo DS games to trade.

Last year, I made out really well thanks to OD Mike.

Tyler is a master plug ho... he has the innocence thing on his side and everyone wants to give the kid a plug for his collection...

Collection NOT, Tyler is sure to give any plug a thorough testing and if he can't make it work then time for that plug to go to the scrap heap!

Collection NOT, Tyler is sure to give any plug a thorough testing and if he can't make it work then time for that plug to go to the scrap heap!

True Phil, he likes to catch at least one fish on them before he puts them in the "collection" ..I can't blame him for that.

a week and a half until plugfest and NO ONES talking about it... whats the gig no one working on anything?
I've been turning and burning for three nights just to have a few "extra " things for display..

I'm going to have my display ( upgraded) of how to make a 2 hook darter...

I'm also going to have a bunch of jigs and fixtures, this year I'll have self expalanatory ( yea right) pictures so i dont get so many "what's that for" questions...

I'm going to have the rigging display.. showing some common ( and uncommon) methods of rigging..

I'll have a display of various jointed plugs including my giant jointed jitter bugs.. as well as a "few" plugs for viewing and or trading..


I know Professor M has ALOT of neat stuff he usualy brings..

Numbskull always has fascinating dispalys as well..

so.. who's got what?

Been working on various batches steadily for awhile. Should be ready to rig some tonight and be epoxying tomorrow.Playing with some color shifting paint... Making adjustments on some newly made profiles for the vega, and hope to get some others done before next Saturday.

Making up a number of masters with hook, eye, and weight markings, right off the lathe with the ends on. I've set up a few trades of these with folks as opposed to the finished plugs.

Still trying to perfect the cutting of a popper and pencil mouth. Need to get a Kudzall ball rasp I guess. Questioning if a cupped mouth even affects anything on a pencil....

Anyone bringing AYC for sale?

yes I'll bring all my neat crap:) Probably not a lot of plugage as I have had limited time this year, I'll have some stuff though.

I changed the Date to my plumbing class, so I can go to this (not that anyone cares) I'm not bringing anything I'm just going to follow tagger around and nod my head alot when he talks to people

Of course we care Bob, see you there.
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It looks like I'll be making this years Plugfest. Limited building compared to other years. I would like to know if anyone would like FREE rock maple. I do custom baseball bats and I get many broken bats ( from other manufactures) from players. I inspect the breaks, grain, dryness etc. for my own knowledge. I was thinking about cutting the broken bats into usable lengths( barrels & handles) for those who would like some. They will have to be either ripped thinner for usable pieces or trimmed. I can bring in a box for those who want some. I assume there would be a few. If there is an interest chime in and I will start culling through the broken bats and cut them up to bring. I do also have a request: Will there be anyone selling AYC ballisters 1 1/2" & 2"?

I have a ton of wire coat hangers if any builders need any, free. If they are needed let me know, I'll bring them.
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I'd like some of that maple. Not ash bats anymore?

I'd like some of that maple. Not ash bats anymore?

I do ash & canadian yellow birch. #1 grade maple is $$$$ and very brittle. I like the resilience of ash & birch. I'll bring the maple.

I'd like some of that maple. Not ash bats anymore?

That's why they keep breaking.. the new trend has been towards maple.. ash bends when it meets the ball... les splinterd bats.. but the ball doesnt go as far..

I'm looking forward to Plugfest and I'll have plugs done this year. I've done 3 batches of epoxy so far and about to do a fourth in a few minutes. Hopefully, I'll be able to finish a bunch up in time for plugfest.

I hate you Dan. This working days and full time and other assorted projects has killed my completion rate. I have yet to epoxy anything yet but still got another week. Got plenty ready for paint but many will not make it to finished stage for plugfest Oh well got to keep it fun
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I hate you Dan. This working days and full time and other assorted projects has killed my completion rate. I have yet to epoxy anything yet but still got another week. Got plenty ready for paint but many will not make it to finished stage for plugfest Oh well got to keep it fun
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I hear you Paul. Last year I didn't get anything finished till middle of April because I was so busy with work. This winter with no work I've been pretty productive. I did just got some added motivation this morning to get my plugs completed in the form of a job offer. So I'm going to push it to make sure everything I have started is finished before plugfest or otherwise there is a good chance I won't have time too.

I have a ton of wire coat hangers if any builders need any, free. If they are needed let me know, I'll bring them.
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Great I will have a place to hang my coat

Questioning if a cupped mouth even affects anything on a pencil....


I never found it made any difference.

me either. Just for looks IMO Ross.

Hmmm Maybe I'll try a convex nose with a flat canal belly and see how that swims.

Depending on the float attitude and whether it's a floater or sinker, the cupped face has no effect. If you give it a slight angled cut and cup it like a little neck it will save the messy angle under the nose gormmet.
If it's a canal style and is fished in fast current the nose it high out of the water anyway.

I hate you Dan. This working days and full time and other assorted projects has killed my completion rate. I have yet to epoxy anything yet but still got another week. Got plenty ready for paint but many will not make it to finished stage for plugfest Oh well got to keep it fun
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geeze Paul.. not like you... I epoxied 24 Saturday after I got back from the PISC fund raiser and painted 50 yesterday... I'll be epoxy coating the next few nights.. of coarse all are not for P.F. .. I just need to get it done..... I expect you to pick it up a notch!

LoL spinner was going all weekend
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LoL spinner was going all weekend
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NICE :jump1: :soon::rotf2::soon::grins::soon::):soon:

spinning right now and every nite this week most likely.

spinning right now and every nite this week most likely.

I knew you had it in ya!