2 Pre-production Habs Needles
 

These have never been seen by anyone but Habs, myself and my fishing partner in 1988. These were pre-production and we (Habs and I) used nail polish to cover a yellow needle because the Bass were hitting anything purple.

Very nice pieces of history there Paul
Thanks for sharing the pics
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Thanks, Slip.
Almost 30 years hanging in my office. I just can't fish them .

Of course, you know what John's response to that would be.:whackin::smash:

F I s h. T h e m
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I think I recall DZ telling me that that early Habs style was his favorite needle and that Habs went to a simpler shape because of production concerns.

Dennis, if you read this and are able maybe you also could post a picture of the one you have?

George, I have a couple of early production Habs that I'll post pics of. I also had 4 Habs jointed, metal lip swimmers that he NEVER put into production unfortunately, a friend of mine, George Hevey, who took over Murats when Dave Hammock died, bought all 4 and lost them promptly after I sold them to him.

Two top needles with painted eyes are Habs first run of needles which he sold unpackaged at a few RI shops , then he went to stick-on eyes, and eventually to dolls eyes.

Incredible... love the history. I wish there was a history of surfcasting museum in new england somewhere... like the smithsonian of surfcasting

There is it's at Vineyardblues house. .
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It's called VineyardBlues house ;)

Very cool picture, thanks Dennis. I like the shape of the green-yellow one. Was it tail weighted or two belly weights? Did you have any experience fishing that version?

I fished them all with success but really liked his oldest versions which I only had in solid black including an old "footer" I had which was very effective on Block. When John changed the design I couldn't believe it and was dissapointed but obviously history has taught us that he had success with his eventual final design. I can't remember how the green one is weighted. I'll check when I get home.

Dennis, your yellow one and one of my purple ones are almost identical.

Yes - they are. Not many of them still around.

The Hab'negger never caught a fish for me.... he needles were deadly in deep water fished off the bottom. Count downs were the secret to not loosing them to snags
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Yea, the egg was a novelty to me also. John kept telling me; "The guys on the Vineyard are killing them with this plug!" He always had the right sales pitch but at my age it took a lot to pull the wool over my eyes.

Here's a Habs Stubby but not a Nite-n-Gale. Loaded under the eye and right near the tail.

I had a dark copper colored Nite-N Gale John gave me on The Block one year. Damned if I can find it. It was also pre-production. DZ, it was the year of Jeanne's lasagna at Neptune.

How about this one Paul or DZ or anyone else in the know? I've had it for quite a few years (I actually have a couple in two different sizes). Much like the Gibbs Cast-A-Lure Poppers, but there are subtle differences. Hard to see in the pic, but they are stamped HAB on the top backside before they were painted.
Are these true Hab's? I was told they were, but never any definitive confirmation.
https://i.imgur.com/wpK94gW.jpg?1
https://i.imgur.com/kEV5XLa.jpg?1
https://i.imgur.com/Spsv94A.jpg?1
https://i.imgur.com/qF10z8g.jpg?1

I have one of the small needles, skinny, not the stubby, in copper. Love that plug for dark nights on the inside...

BigBo yes those are Habs
I have a bunch of those

Thanks Bruce.
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Hi Bob!!!:kewl:

Lawrence! I know, I know. I owe you a cup of coffee. :hidin:

Were the little poppers called troublemakers? I seem to recall that when i bought a handful of them ages ago.

are those made out of maple??

Great question! I never asked John but they were either maple or birch.

I think for the most part , the modern version was birch.
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I believe early on John and a friend made a company called JNT lures. They made this exact Gibbs popper. Maybe this is from when JNT lures turned into very early Habs.

yeah, it was John and Mike D or as he was later known....Tattoo.

Thus the name JNT.