Hawg Hunter Question

[Canalman]

Hey guys.. are they supposed to float arse down with their nose poking the surface or sink? I made a few... will post pics later... The original I have sinks, but it's so water logged that it could have hovered over the water when it was new for all I know

-Dave

[Mike P]

They're supposed to float arse down. Every one that was packaged for sale was tested in an aquarium tank of salt water before being packaged. The ones that sank were seconds. Some were sold, some were given away to "firends of the Hawg-man". I have a bunch myself.

[RI Popper]

Can you post us a pic of what your talking about?? I know I build most of my lures to float with the butt down.

[Canalman]

Thanks I will have to adjust my weight scheme... here is a pic anyway.

[RI Popper]

Very nice, May need to move bellyhook foward a little??? maybe. They look good.

[Canalman]

Possibly... I tried to use the basic layout of the original, although my body style is somewhat different. After I reduce the lead... if it needs further tweaking I will try that.. Thanks for the suggestion.

-Dave

[BasicPatrick]

You guys know that the guys who bought the company from Brad's wife have left the design pretty much intact as original except they have improved the finish....

Come see Guppy Lures at the MSBA Show

[NIB]

TT I have found on the pencils the further back the belly hook the easier to work the Lure.CM nice repo's I like the paint.

[Canalman]

Thanks NIB

-DAve

[Mike P]

On later models Brad moved the belly hook forward another inch or so. For years I told him to use 4/0 hooks but he always insisted on 3/0.

Hawgs were originally designed by a guy named Paul Brunell, who worked for John Gibbs before he sold out to Griecci. Griecci turned out one run of Canal Specials and never did another. Paul was backed financially by a guy from Quincy named Warren Hassey. Paul had a bad accident on Nantucket, where he rolled his truck over and lost his arm, so that ended his plug turning. Warren then went partners with Brad. Brad never used a duplicator---every Hawg Hunter was turned and drilled by sight, and Brad's sight was bad due to severe diabetes. Every one was a little different. He kept tweaking Brunell's designs, making some plugs thinner for guys who wanted that profile, some fatter, some rounded on the bottom like regular PPs, some planed like specials. Originally his Polaris styles had big heads and floated too much on the cast. He tweaked the head down in size over the years so at the end they were excellent casting plugs. He learned as he went and his finishes got better over time. It truly was a pure basement operation---just something to be able to stretch the disability benefits he was receiving and to get a reasonably priced wooden plug into the hands of the Canal guys.

Brad also tinkered with needlefish, darters and bottle swimmers. I have most of the ones he turned, as his semi-official field tester. Except for the needles, they were too time-intensive to produce and he didn't have the right tools to cut the lips of the bottles. I have the only two he ever turned, I think, and they're not very stable.

He also got some pre-turned bodies from Plugmakers' Supply to make some pan swimmers. I have one of the ones he finished a year or so before he died.

[RI Popper]

Hi MikeP. I have to tell you I really enjoy reading your posts. It's like a nice history lesson on local fishing. Please keep it up. My wife and kids do the productions for our business. I help in set up and design. I've had a couple broken vertebre and very bad back pain. So I help a little but It's her business and It is true what you said about learning curves and finish improvements over time. I notice people getting better and better.

[Mike P]

[ThrowingTimber]

I still want that pencil NIB.

I'm diggin the mac pattern goin on.