Where did all the OLD Plugs go? - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Tattoo · 10-01-2001, 06:58 PM

With BCY's recent question in regards to the reverse ATOM, where have they all gone? You know the ones I'm talking about, Bob Hans, GooGoo Eyes, Eel Skin Swimmers, and the like.

Do people now favor the castablitlty and durability of hard plastic that look so lifelike rather than the effectiveness of a Danny Swimmer?

It just seems like these are hard items to fins now a days, and they shouldn't be. If your going to pay 17.99 for a Yozuri something or other, why not wood?

JohnR · 10-01-2001, 07:28 PM

Tattoo - half the battle has got to be economics. Guys like Johnny Habs and the Beachmaster guys could never produce their quality stuff in high volume and at such low prices to compete with a $6 Mambo Minnow or Striper Swiper. 18 smackers for a yozuri is a lot of coin for any plug regardless of the materials used. When you're average Joe walks into Walmart - he's not looking for dani swimmer to drape an eelskin on. He's going to grab some 6 buck piece of plastic that has a decent margin for the shop and a production cost arouns a buck. How many of those 7" swimmer bodies can you buy for twenty bucks at the Worcester show just before spring starts - 6 or 7 maybe??

I know that a guy down in Westport or Dartmouth is making the GooGooEyes again but I don't know the quality or if they are as good as the old ones were (I've only had one and lost it quickly

)

There are some that may say that the quality of several current makers of wood plugs aren't what they used to be (mentioning nobody in particular so as not to receive a nasty-gram

)... I had a few old Danny Swimmers that had a great wobble but I've stopped getting the new ones in favor of the Beachmasters. Plus I wouldn't be suprised to see another vendor or two come out with some wobblers out of wood...

What's your average price today for decent wooden storebought plugs 13 bucks or so? The plastic stuff is half the price with much streamlined manufacturing processes with quality control which is generally easier (certainly should be) but less of an art than making plugs from wood. Gotta be dollars and cents...

BTW - that got me thinking, what's in my quick/light South County bag? 2 Hab's needlefish, 2 gibbs stubbies, 2 beachmasters, and 2 7" olive mambos 3-1 wood over plastic. Of course, I mostly just fish the eels

Mike P · 10-01-2001, 09:05 PM

Plug Makers' Supply makes a nice metal lip, with an eel skin groove cut behind the head. Also, some low volume shops might still have some old Cap'n Andy swimmers on the shelves, and they also have the skin groove already cut.

Patrick82 · 10-01-2001, 09:16 PM

It looks like the wooden plugs are dying out. Really sad. I haven't used wood too much but there is something about them that I love.

Just that solid feeling they give you, not to mention the big casting distances.

IMHO, it's people like yourself who make plugs is what keeps it alive. These big companies have either moved to molded plastics or their quality has gone down and their prices have gone up.

Personally, I can't spend 13-16 bucks a pop for a plug. And I will NOT spend that money when those plugs constantly fall apart. I won't mention names because I don't want anymore emails from them lol.

Wooden plugs are dying because there's only really one or two major manufacturers. Everything else is small production.

Nice Squid plug

bassmaster · 10-01-2001, 09:44 PM

Dude what!! It aint diein out. its takin off, wood is good if you know where to toss it and what to use. Patrick Im a plug $lut so dont gimmie ya stuff about wooden plugs. i toss plastic to
I have a brand new YELLOW L COOPER GOO GOO EYES TATTOO.
BUT I HAVE A HANS SWIMMER FOR YOU THIS WEEK.
Hay how about my darters??
how about some stubbies just the blanks ill do the rest , im gonna be puttin skins on em short.
gettin cold out fer the belt thingy.
this twinkie came on a wooden plug, it puked when it seen my plug bag. im a freak,i need help. im mental did you know that??

JohnR · 10-02-2001, 08:27 AM

I agree with the wooden plugs taking off - we're seeing a big grass roots effort in plug making and tweaking that's been around for a while but more people may be doing it. I'm just guessing, but I'd say that the internet is helping stir that part up a bit as a lot of the guys & gals with time on the water are getting in with some of us newer folks and reintroducing the are of the tweak. Plus this sharing of knowlege going on.

Will that happen for the Wal-Mart tackle maven? Probably not. Will it influence some of the plug makers with a lot of recent criticism of their product to shape up a bit? Hopefully.

Mike - how do you get in touch with Plug Makers Supply??

Slipknot · 10-02-2001, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by John R

Mike - how do you get in touch with Plug Makers Supply??

Plug Builders Supply and Tackle Co.
87 Cottage Dr.
Holliston, MA 01746

(508) 429-6561

there ya go John

Marc Z · 10-02-2001, 10:02 AM

My grandfather who was a big fisherman from way back recently gave me a box full of old plugs, I hit the jackpot!

Several L Cooper Goo Goo's in 2 sizes, Gibbs darters that were never used and still in the cardboard box that I guess they came in back then, and many atom 40's in weird colors like blue swirl, red swirl, green swirl

As BM says, wood IS still good, but maybe people don't use them as much now is because there is no big bait around like bunker and herring????????

MZ

JohnS · 10-02-2001, 10:35 AM

Hey Marc, ole buddy ole pal, if those GooGooEyes are cloggin up your house you could store them at my place....for no cost!

Marc are the GooGoo's in the original plastic package as well?

Seems to me like you hit a couple of GrandSlams. But YOUR an eel guy gimme those plugs!

JohnS

Tattoo · 10-02-2001, 12:44 PM

BM, where you hiding that GooGoo Eyes? At least let me touch it.

Seems to me you pay for what you get. A quality wooden plug is no doubt more moeny that a cheap plastic knock-off, but they are much more effective. I mean how many LARGE have you heard about being caught on a 6" Windcheater, rather than a Wooden Danny? If you going to fish, why not fish with the most effective lure epossible. I mean you don't throw poppers in May and early June do you?

Patrick, You may want to think about your plug purchases. Buying a vast number of plugs is great. They all have there moment. But, purchasing a 15 dollar Danny, Needle, or Popper will allow greater success with those plugs in the long run. So it does equal out.

John, do you have contact information for that guy in Westport?

Patrick82 · 10-02-2001, 01:03 PM

One day I will make my own. I just have other things to worry about before I get a lathe and all. Just lures for my needs and if someone wants some, they are for sale too.

Hey, check out tag sales and flea markets. They let some old stuff go for dimes and nickels because they just don't know the value.

I picked up a blue over yellow darter that must be 2.5 to 4 oz for 2 bucks I think. Haven't used it yet. Looking to break it in up in RI.

JohnR · 10-02-2001, 02:07 PM

Tattoo - Cuttyhunktackle.com - GooGooEyes - Red Gills

- Eddystones

....

Don't know how good they are but the guy doing them seemed to be a fisherman first and a salesman second (he stumbled on the "sales" things but was pretty fluid when talking about fishing them)... He said he tried to keep them as honest to the originals as he could... I think FW & Baitcaster picked some up but not sure if they had fished them. They're over at the DERBY right now so we won't hear from them for another week plus...

JohnS · 10-03-2001, 02:07 PM

I bought one last year from cuttyhunktackle (he was at a club meeting) and I caught a couple of bass on it at Cuttyhunk. I think the Danny swimmer is a lot better in gentle surf but in a little chop the Goo Goo seems to dig a little better.

JohnS

Plug · 10-03-2001, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tattoo
...they are much more effective. I mean how many LARGE have you heard about being caught on a 6" Windcheater, rather than a Wooden Danny?

One

Slipknot · 10-03-2001, 04:48 PM

You read my mind Plug

Tattoo · 10-03-2001, 04:49 PM

bassmaster · 10-03-2001, 05:29 PM

wow he is hansome, do you think that guy holding the fish is single

bassmaster · 10-03-2001, 05:30 PM

sick aint i

Tattoo · 10-03-2001, 07:12 PM

10x10 · 10-03-2001, 08:01 PM

wood plastic metal don't matter i catch on all of it store boughts homemades and ones I find on the beach.Bass are stupid and greedy they'll eat anything.I catch'em on alka seltzers after they get dun piggin out.

LINESIDES · 10-04-2001, 07:30 AM

What happened to the wooden plugs is? Sorry but Folks like me gobbled them all up in the late 80s and early 90s. “10x10” Make no mistake about it when wood is properly applied, it produces quality fish.
Not in inches but in pounds.
Later.

10x10 · 10-04-2001, 11:56 AM

Don't matter...I like fishin wood too. down here guys catch'em on chicken livers.Best a my knowledge bass don't eat chickens.(Probably would if they could get one)My best bass was on a chicken scratch bomber.It was not small.The fish I mean,duh.You know why I got it on a chicken scratch bomber?CAUSE THAT"S WHAT WAS ON THE END OF MY LINE!!!!One a my best bass this year was on a big hopkins,right in the middle of a line of 50 guys all fishing top waters.And these were some pretty sharp anglers too.The next night I got in to the same school of fish down the beach on an old sixties Gibbs bottle plug('til one straightened out the hooks anyway.)Meanwhile my buddy is gettin on 'em little metal right next to me.You know who was there besides us?NOBODY!!!we got fish for two hours straight every cast from 10's and 12's up to 30 and I ain't talkin inches either bubba.Bass are pigs,greedy pigs.You find'em on the feedbag you'll catch 'em.
That's 99% of striper fishing right there.Duh.
The only lure they absolutely will not eat is one of those stupid ugly green Boone needlefish.Never saw one of those things catch anything.Not even sea robins.