If i can put my .02 into this being there for the first time.I liked all the work and since we are all builders we know the work that goes into these things.I noticed that there were many categories and so many different winners .As for the prizes to me its up to who sets this up to decide what he wants to award.I was looking at all those plugs all works of art ,did anyone notice that kids eyes looking at them ,i did and i don't think he was thinking of anything but WOW.Just the look in a childs face is enough reward but we are adults and its a friendly competition amongts peers.There is nothing more than a friendly competition to push the envelope of creative thinking wherever it make take things.I'm still scratching my head trying to figure out how some of you guys come out with the things you make.I can't break out of the box.

Here, here EE Lou!:kewl:

Awwww, ya ruined my idea for next year ;)
With all the talk of gray squirrels swimming in the canal, I thought of making a squirrel plug next year:hf1:

OK, I'll go back to reading this bizarre thread.

whatever you guys want to do I guess, but like I said before, afterwards all the plugs are mine to keep :D

Canalman.1st off my hats to you..You did a great job!!!.I agree with BBJ...They are just kicking around some ideas...Its hard to improve on an already EXCELLENT Plug fest...I dont build plugs , but it was awesome looking at them all...As far as prizes go..Well I think a certificate that you hang on the mancave wall would be just fine.....Let the money go to this excellent site...Its all in fun....Just my .02 cents

UH UH Slip, ixnay on the quirrelskay. We got big black squirrels all of a sudden down here in Falmouth, Damdest things you ever saw bigger than the gray ones and a little meaner too. The Goodwill Park area is loaded with them.

I wasn't trying to get the sympathy votes here :spin:

I just wish someone had said something beforehand. I don't need prizes I just hate to see something I call fun being picked apart. I think I may have come across like I was mad or peesed even but I'm not. However everyone wants it to go next year will be the way it goes. I had a great time anyway and I hope that doesn't get lost in this. :)

Carry on...
-Dave

Hey Larry empty ya pms

Empty Dave...sorry!:tm:

You guys did a great job. I think the fact that there are other categories built in to the whole thing besides best of show levels out the playing field. :buds:

OK, from what I gather, here is my observations.

1. Next year we need 2 different catagories to judge by = One for serious actual fishable plugs that one would use in their plugbag. and Two- a novelty catagory for plugs that are dreamt up and brought to life by imagination and artistry whether they are handcarved or lathe turned, with crazy paintjobs or realistic ones. Anyone can enter a plug even in both catagories as long as they are present at the plugapalooza.

2. Then we need a long tub of water to test swim the creations in.

3. The prizes are forgone for simple bragging rights and a certificate, therefore there will be no entrance fee in order to submit a plug.

4. The winner from the past year has to organize the whole plugfest the next year :lasso: :uhuh: :p :wave: :nopain:

5. note to self not to eat Flaptails kelbassa next year as it might contain some kind of black squirrel creature meat :sick:

6. maybe more people can step up and help with the planning of the event and we can have it somewhere larger next year as it looks to have outgrown the club where it's been the past 3 years. I have someplace in mind already. I like the freeflow of the plugfest as people can mingle and talk plugs with others that have the same addiction. This year the tools didn't get used as the event has grown past that part of it I guess.

Carry on, I think I'm tired, long day today

Ya Vic, you took that catching cow catagory from me this year , but next year I"LL BE BACK :devil:

As a side bar we need an oxygen tent for BandsawEddy when he goes all woosy:spin:

Maybe the XrayBandit Doc could lend a hand:btu:

Why have a another table full of plugs that will go in your bag? The whole rest of that room is that.

Push the your limits, grow as a builder and have fun with this contest.
I had a blast making the "hunk of wood", and a bigger one looking at that table on Sat. dave/Canalman - - - I had fun.

.
.
.
Yes I plan to fish the bunker head. I created it to fill a niche. I'm gonna have to have someone whip me up one of those chipmonk skin bags to carry it in.:hf1:
I've gotten offers to field test it and request make copies of it. :rotfl:
Only time will tell.

this is how thing's get turned around and people read differently into something that's been printed......everything about the fest was an is just fab..everyone did a fantastic job hands down..things went very well as alway's..........the subject is......."on real working plug's" as stated in the rules....if people want to do something different like making a pair of hooter's with hooks thats all fine an well, but something like that should be placed on another table where their to far out of the box thinking belong's. not in the middle of true working every day user plugs are...this isn't taking the fun out of the contest,,just keeping it in the parameters of the set rule's.....I see two different group's of people working here..one want's something that truly works[standard boring same old stuff] and the other that like's truly off / out of the same old style's...the two won't mix like oil an water....so what will happen is the old gang won't enter for the most part and thing's will start to fall apart...so to solve the hatfield and Mccoy dipute....have two table's...simple...everyone that wants to enter something WILL say I want this on this table.....folks can vote on both table's or one, whatever floats their boat....everyone's happy once again.

Turn it around
 

I envy you builders and your comraderie.
From the outside looking in this Fest was awesome.

Don`t let the politics of winning and losing ruin what was a wonderful event.

You guys rock! :pop:

you wanna win most likely to catch a cow? bring it on:smokin: but your gunna have to beat victor

Lots of valid points here. First, though, let me say that I felt Canalman's plug was a deserving winner based on gut feeling alone..........if I had to pick the one plug in the show I'd want to own, that was it. The shape, paint, detail, and imagination were all first rate. It epitomized much of the reasons we like plugs. Last year it would have been Slip's Tiger needle (which is still the most perfect plug I have ever seen). Both plugs are too pretty to fish, but I think both could be made to work just fine (think of Canalman's plug zigzagging/rolling on the surface, struggling to stay upright, with that big tail flapping................BOOM). On the other hand, I agree that something designed for a laugh, like what I made, shouldn't ( but inevitably does) steal votes from guys who make a serious effort to build a real plug.

So, considering the issues, I'd favor reducing the value of the prizes, maybe making separate practical and whimsical categories, and narrowing the spectrum by specifying a type of plug (i.e., a needlefish, or popper, or darter, etc) for each year's contest so we are all building our own variations of the same thing. That would level the playing field a bit while still leaving ample room for imagination, innovation, and, most importantly, fun.

Scout a location with access to a swimming pool for the plug testing along with the gym for the actual plugfest at the same facility. Those that work for the school department may help achieve such location.
What do you think of this idea ?

Capesams last post rings true for alot of what goes on n this wonderfull thing al gore invented.
He was mearly stating perhaps there could be seversl classifications.which i thought there where.
Some want to make furniture/art an some like to make plugs i can/will fish with.
There are many wonderfull plug builders thats obvious.
One should only expect with all the painstakin details that goes into a top plug that some ego's may be wounded with the suggestion of altering a contest after the event.No matter how u put it.happens all the time. Our brains seem to read between the lines.Looking at the work u guys did its a shame there has to be only one winner.
The way i read into it Steve tried his best to lay out some simple alterations in next yrs event an threw it up there for discussion.
Perhaps twinkies for all is a good option.with a simple raffle for tool or sponsor gifts.Hard to swallow putting lots o time in on a work of art an gettin a box o twinkies that get obliterated with a bottle o beer in celebration.I like the idea of a contest.prizes don't have to be much.its the braggin rights.If I had won I'm sure i would be humble.:hihi:
Look out Freak.U only won because i wasn't there.
lets try not to blow this all out of proportion.

Category 1 - Most likely to be found in NIB's bag
Category 2 - Least likely to be found in NIB's bag
Raffle - one ticket for each entrant (encourages participation)
It could work

Next year the plugs will remain in the bags with your name inside it untill all have brought them or till noon whichever comes first. How's that sound?

Another thought I realized too late was that last year your plug entry fee was your plug itself being raffled off to help with the cost of the prizes, this year the prize money all came from the door entrance fee.
Maybe next year we can change things around a bit and this discussion will help to determine how it will go if we have a plugfest 2007.

Numbskull, you're too kind

I have some big bags.
U better bring plenty o prizes.

For a Numbskull ur not as stupid as I look.Should I be worried we think alike.Or should I just say "I like Numbskull's Idea".

My 2 Cents
 

Firstly Slip, Canalman you guys as usual put together a first class gathering. In which the goal of the SB plugfest was met knowledge was shared, and a great time was had by all. As far as the contest goes cape sams makes a good point, and what everybody's been saying about two catagories makes alot of sense. I understand the considerable cost of the prizes to the site. However, I think everyone can agree that there was one prize we all wanted..... that box of twinkies, so i propose we change all the prizes to twinkies that way we can cheaply acomplish a two catagory system and keep the spirit of the contest alive and well fed.

Happy Turning
Pete

Well said and by the way speaking of two categories, did you know they make chocolate twinkies as well? MMMMM.........