Perhaps, but the better I've gotten with darters the more I appreciate darters that run shallow................which is something Stan Gibbs seems to have figured out decades ago, but the rest of us have been too foolish to see.

I am certain that Stan Gibbs was a better plug fisherman than Mr Knie (many times better, I'd bet), and unquestionably he was also a better plug designer. The three Tactical angler plugs shown look like coarse copies of Gibb's darter, pencil popper, and polaris. Since the originals were perfected by a better fisherman and better plug builder I strongly suspect the original versions are better plugs for most situations. Time will tell. Just trying to keep things in perspective.

Happy Holidays numbskull,
I used the medium sized ones last year. I used to tie direct all the time but had too many self induced knot failures from tying under less than ideal conditions. They are easy to use and also remain debris free for the most part.

The small one is what I'd use most of the time. I figure if I have a 50lb leader with a knot testing somewhat below that, and a still weaker mainline, something else will fail before the clip. So far that has held true. I use the small breakaways (and have had only one plug/fish twist itself off). I don't like, however, how the knot will often get off center with the breakaways and screw up the direction of pull on the plug's nose loop. I wish someone made a clip with a pinched upper section and rounded lower section.

It's not so much the clip strength that drives me to using the mediums. I wear gloves the vast majority of the time when fishing and the medium sized ones are easier for me to handle. If I was using smaller plugs or jigs, (~1oz.) I'd tie direct or use a Duolock.

Chris,

Looking at the darter I would be suprised if it ran deep given the depth of the plane it looks like to would not catch much water. I figured it would go down 2 to 3 feet and nothing more than that.

Time will tell, I wish anyone in the lure industry luck and hopefully his products produce.

I think no one has a chance in that comparison except maybe Pichney but who knows for Sure. Stan created everything and I have seen some templates of his from stage 1 progressing to final production pieces. We are all not worthy, well maybe some of us are but certainly not me.