lure experience & production - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

SeaWolf · 02-07-2003, 01:45 PM

i've been watching these lures boards a lot in the past year or so and have watched them grow fast. lots of guys have become facinated w/ the thought of making lures and have started to go into building them. many already were making lures and have come to give advice. i'm curious to know how many people build lures, the level of experience you have, the quanity you can produce over a period of time (say a week or month), and whether you sell commercially, to friends only, or just for yourselves.

Krispy · 02-07-2003, 03:05 PM

Somehow I dont think youll get an answer. I hear you make nice TROLLING LURES

Tattoo · 02-07-2003, 03:30 PM

Damn good question, I'd like to hear some responses.

Slipknot · 02-07-2003, 03:37 PM

Oh, you were asking a question? I thought you were just sharing with us why you read the lure forums.

Yep, it is an interesting observation following this recent surge of plug building craze. And the internet helps to speed up the learning curve no doubt about it. Just like the learning curve on learning how to fish and gaining info from the net.

The money spent on plug building hobby is amazing if you keep track of it and you really get into all phases of it. But in the end the rewards are great when you or someone else catches fish on your plugs.

Sea Wolf, show us your plugs

and Krispy, bring some of your latest plugs to the gig Sat. night, I'd like to see them too. I might bring a couple.

Krispy · 02-07-2003, 03:50 PM

Here you go.
Ive started building 2 yrs ago, after following the SOL forum. (the reason I registered there) Since last March I have been focusing on refineing the lure building process with aspirations to build for small production, hopefully by spring. I have spoken w/ many and gotten insight from several prominent commercial builders. Almost a full year of research, where I havnt built anything other than for testing/self.

I think Ive found the best products for use in my plugs, so Ill go from there.
Ive never sold a plug built by me yet, and maybe I never will. Im not sure the market will bear lots of garage builders.
I have the machinery to lathe several hundred bodies per hour. I prefer my standard duplicator, though.

SeaWolf · 02-07-2003, 04:03 PM

slip, i don't make lures. never said i did. i am a buyer though. i buy my share of commercial lures from builders, such as beachmaster, ss, and habs. i know what i like and expect in a lure from experience on the water and what produces. that's where i put my .02 on this forum. lure companies like feedback on their lures and expectations in general, and that's what i give. i just see a lot of lure builders posting on lure forums and i wanted to see where their experience lies. many of these builders are selling lures to people to start a business possibly. i want to see what their experiences are if i or others are to buy them. also, wanted to see of those that do post, if any just do what i do and post from experiences and are not lure builders.

so, yes, my original post is a question. no, kris, not trolling. i think it's a legit question.

Krispy · 02-07-2003, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Damn good question, I'd like to hear some responses.

Im sure you have a good reply yourself

TheSpecialist · 02-07-2003, 05:11 PM

I have been making plugs for about a year. I learned alot on the internet, and at get togethers, and from trial and error. I have never sold a plug. I have given plugs to friends. they have caught fish on them, ask Redcrabber, GB Outdoors, and others. I enjoy building them, them catching on them. I have had many requests to sell to people, but there isn't any money to be made. It takes alot of work to make a wooden plug. Any monies would just cover the material, and not my time. I have alot more respect for Habs, Gibbs, Lex, Tattoo and the others. Before I would'nt pay top dollar for a wooden plug, today I would.

Christian · 02-07-2003, 06:12 PM

i have been making plugs for a little over a year now. i have caught fish with them both blues and stripers. nothing bigger than about 24" but plenty in numbers. i too have never sold a plug but i think i am going to start selling a few to pay myself back for all wood bought and other supplys bought. i do give them to my friends and family. i have also taught one of my friends how to make lures and he occasionally comes over and works with me. he stinks though.

i havent boght a plug in a really long time, at least a year now. its definitly worth buying all the stuff to do it, and when you do catch fish on your own creations its great. once my friend tied on one of mine and i didnt notice. we both cast out and began popping. the lures were working side by side. i was using one of his skitter pops and he was using one of my poppers. we both saw a bluefish hanging right in back of both of our plugs and the fish choose the one i made. i knew then that i had begun something very cool

l.i.fish.in.vt · 02-07-2003, 07:58 PM

i have been making plugs for about two years now. spent a good part of my life living and working on the water. when i could no longer make a living on the water i started to do woodwork. my father was a fishing nut, i started fishing at an early age.to me making plugs is just agreat way to do the things i love to do, fish and work wood. at some time i will get in to making plugs for sale.i have keep track of each step in the process and know what it would take to make a profit. and yes my plugs have caught fish.i

vineyardblues · 02-08-2003, 09:27 AM

seawolf, send me your email address and I will send them pic's off to you... vineyardblues@juno.com

VB

Mr. Sandman · 02-08-2003, 01:26 PM

IMO 90% of they fellows building don't have any intention to sell them. Its more of a indoor fishing hobby. WHY? I have offered to buy them several times and few have responded. (the offer is still open)
Also, some of the plugs shown here had some serious man-hours that went into it...I doubt they could be reproduced at that level of quality for a profit in this country.

Some of you guys have shown some great work, but commerical production is another matter altogether.

chumbucket · 02-08-2003, 04:58 PM

I agree with the Specialist. After building a few plugs you really appreciate the work that goes into building a quality wooden plug. I've bought more quality wooden plugs now that I know what goes into them. I have never sold one of my plugs but I have traded and given them away.

Jigman · 02-08-2003, 09:45 PM

I've been turning plugs for around 18 months. Made a bunch in that time. Some sucked, some worked well. Learned a bunch of things from posts on boards like this and experimenting to see what worked and what didn't. Took pretty good notes on those that worked well. Have a few styles of plugs that I do pretty well now. Have caught plenty on them as have a few friends. Have never sold a plug or tried to sell one. Traded or gave away a bunch. Jigs and flies I've been doing on and off for 25 years or so. Have not done that many flies on the last few years. In the last five years or so I've made a whole lot of jigs. Ahhh, just love the smell of melting lead in the morning

Jigman

Young Salt · 02-10-2003, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jigman
Ahhh, just love the smell of melting lead in the morning

Mmmmm.....Brain Damage

Fishpart · 02-11-2003, 12:50 PM

I like tinkering...... I make a few when I get time. Will I ever sell them, don't know I might but I prefer to trade/give away for the time being.

I've been woodturning for quite a few years so I decided why not try plugs

harder than it looks........

JohnR · 02-12-2003, 08:16 AM

I'm perfectly willing to test them for the time being. You guys make so many plugs that you need a QA guy such as myself to help you out

...

I'm amazed by the level of detail and enthusiasm displayed by you all about building these plugs. I also have a lot more appreciation too for the work you guys do!

Clammer · 02-12-2003, 09:21 AM

Johnr ==I should be the QA guy
I,ll test them in the water/ where the fish are//
verses the backyard or the streets of Boston ///////

Charlie M · 02-12-2003, 01:40 PM

I have been building for 4 or 5 years I guess and currently I am not selling anything. I am gonna build a mess of plugs in the near future and see how the consistency and quality is, and then decide if I should be selling them and determine their value. If not, I will not have to build anything for a while.

Charlie

JHABS · 02-12-2003, 02:33 PM

charlie, MAYBE get....... 35.00 A piece....... that was the going rate a while back remember

Bernzy · 02-12-2003, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JHABS
charlie, MAYBE get....... 35.00 A piece....... that was the going rate a while back remember

$35.00 a piece, yeah, that's it

Bernzy

Charlie M · 02-12-2003, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JHABS
charlie, MAYBE get....... 35.00 A piece....... that was the going rate a while back remember

One can only hope.

vineyardblues · 02-12-2003, 03:21 PM

John, John, John,,,,,,,,, Get painting will ya

JHABS · 02-12-2003, 03:45 PM

VB, Can't a guy have a COFFEEEEEEEEE BREAK.. Hey you want that 45inch NEEDLEFISH be GOOD............

Krispy · 02-12-2003, 03:48 PM

Yeah, but each costa $34 in parts and takes 4hrs to make

RI Popper · 03-08-2003, 04:36 PM

In response to the origional question on this thread, I have been building my own lures for about 5 years or so. I used them primarily for blues when I started. Friends and relatives wanted some from me and it turned into a business a couple of years ago and it's growing faster than I would like. My wife is the owner of the business and it is a family affair. the kids pitch in. The day it stops being enjoyable. Time to stop it. If you want to take a look, email me armandt@bsn1.net

Now Respond to J.Habbs. Sir I'm a big fan. your stuff is just great. I wish i owned a lot more of them. $35.00 each. If anyone wants to go back to the good old day's I'm willing.

I hope we can get together some time. I would love to pick your brain

MAC · 03-08-2003, 05:25 PM

I've been building plugs for....a whole 3 1/2 weeks now. But I have been a carpenter for going on 20 yrs. Why I never built them before this I have no idea. Like Slip said the money that can be involved can really get up there. This forum has been very helpful ( I've been lurking for a while) and informative. Have I ever sold a plug No, will I ever sell a plug or plugs, probably. Not to make a living though just for something to do on the side. My hat is off to guys like J. Habs and others who do this for a living, it has to be long days.