Al Gags Needles? - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

tattoobob · 03-24-2005, 08:33 PM

Hi all I wasn't able to see Al Gags last night
did he happen to mention when the needles
were going to be ready to sell to the public?

Thanks

BigFish · 03-24-2005, 09:07 PM

MSBA got the first 58 available....just wired yesterday morning!

TheRattBoy · 03-24-2005, 09:27 PM

I'd move the belly hook up and dress that tail hook, but that's just me, I suppose Al knows what he's doing...

johnny

Karl F · 03-24-2005, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRattBoy

I'd move the belly hook up and dress that tail hook, but that's just me, I suppose Al knows what he's doing...

johnny

Peter Lajoie · 03-24-2005, 09:34 PM

Theres a 9 inchn the making,also I will talk to Al about the hook placements, we expermenting with them a little bit about a month ago, those needles sink vertically while staying perfectly horizontal, they waggle really nice too, they stuby will be a killer when fished like a pencil at daybreak for sure..

Mike P · 03-24-2005, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRattBoy

I'd move the belly hook up and dress that tail hook, but that's just me, I suppose Al knows what he's doing...

johnny

I'd get rid of the Mustad hooks, too

Both the trebles and the Siwash.

mikecc · 03-24-2005, 10:11 PM

Mike
They look like VMC

Mike P · 03-24-2005, 10:19 PM

Siwash looks like stainless

BigFish · 03-24-2005, 10:19 PM

They are VMC hooks.

PurpelNoon · 03-25-2005, 07:27 AM

Just curious, but what is the thought behind the brown one with the yellow butt? Extra work to do it so I thought there must have been a reason?

mikecc · 03-25-2005, 07:29 AM

now that you guys got them what do you think of the quality.
Tell it like it is.

reelecstasy · 03-25-2005, 07:39 AM

I've got the same three as BF, to me they look very well made. I have already swapped out the tail hooks for ones I dressed at my desk

But other than that i see no need to swap anything else out. Like the big man said, VMC..The glow butt one has a sweet paint job on it including a nice blue scale...The 58 were extra fresh, the paint was still drying as Al was handin them out, Phew !!!

Have to wait a few to find out if they catch though...

BigFish · 03-25-2005, 08:37 AM

The quality is excellent, the glow paint on the butt can't hurt! So lets see how they swim, sink and catch fish.

Slipknot · 03-25-2005, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Lajoie

Theres a 9 inchn the making,also I will talk to Al about the hook placements, we expermenting with them a little bit about a month ago, those needles sink vertically while staying perfectly horizontal, they waggle really nice too, they stuby will be a killer when fished like a pencil at daybreak for sure..

I think the hooks are too far back on the belly. I usually like my needles to sink slowly with the but slightly down on an angle. Once you retrieve, the needle will come level. If you watch struggling baitfish they tend to have their nose up.
Waggle is good.

Will there be any at the RI show for sale? not that I need any more plugs

JohnR · 03-25-2005, 10:05 AM

They seem ok. Look like your standard solid plug thru wired with decent hardware. Finish quality is good. We'll see how they swim sink and cast in a couple months...

Iwannakeeper · 03-25-2005, 10:27 AM

RISSA show?

Nebe · 03-25-2005, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikecc

Tell it like it is.

I didnt want to seem like an ass, but i did, so i am deleting it.

RIROCKHOUND · 03-25-2005, 12:07 PM

Put the hook right behind the eye and beef it up at least one size...

And E, you hit the nail on the head....

Bliz · 03-25-2005, 03:24 PM

Hey Guys,

I have seen these needles at MSBA's show and talked with Al about them...

The hook placement is for the purpose of the fall rate and balance of the same plugs that he did in the 80's

There were many bass taken over 50 on them...

The finish on these is so durable it's unbelievable.

If any of you who are doubters about the new product, feel free to call Al at (413) 786-3554 as he is very approachable and has no problem whatsoever explaining the design and quality of the new product.

Al doesn't watch the internet... so why not give him a call?

Flaptail · 03-25-2005, 04:32 PM

I wasn't going to jump in on this one but here I go. First of all Al was making these back in the mid eighties. They are made exactly the way they were then but better. First the hardware is spro swivels, the paint and finish are better. The weighting and hook placement make these plugs sink level in the water something that is known in a needlefish to be very valuable especially when fish are feeding on suspending sand eels in the surf. I looked at them and even brought a vintage 87' chartreuse scale job to the MSBA show to compare so that I would be sure he was making them as he did then, I was impressed. He is making them better. If you don't like the hook arrangement you probably never fished an original. I have and many of my friends have. The Chartreuse w/ silver sides in the larger model and the smaller were killers. The olive scale was so good it should have been illegal some nights. In the eighties there weren't many making needlefish plugs. Boone, Gibbs, Spoffords, Pichney and Musso and Al GAG. I used them then and I will use them again. If you think the hook placement is wrong you still have something to learn about needlefish styles and orientation in the water. I will post some pictures of the 80's jobs. They might be competition for some makers and they may not be but I for one like them and I call them as I see them I don't make them up.

Flaptail · 03-25-2005, 04:37 PM

Here are the pics of the old Al Gags needles.

blue oyster · 03-25-2005, 06:07 PM

i have to agree with eben , i got a couple of the first run gs slammers and they fished like crap , and the worst part was al said they were bad later on but did not offer to fix or replace them , he said get some lead tape for golf clubs and add it to the front till it swims proper

its not like i got them for free , needless to say they went in the trash

jkswimmer · 03-25-2005, 06:57 PM

My two cents, when I started using the needlefish in the late 80's I found the were to far forward on some models. When I set the hook on a hit I came back with only scales. This what led me to make my own. The hooks do look to far forward.

Bliz · 03-28-2005, 10:16 AM

jkswimmer,

You are saying that the belly hooks are too far forward, and others in this post are saying they look too far back...

Do you know what you are agreeing to?

Wherever you have two fishermen, you usually have three opinions...

Try fishing them, and let the Bass decide! ...

DZ · 03-28-2005, 10:46 AM

I agree with Flap. I've been using many different types of needlefish plugs since they became popular in the early 1980s. The Gags Needlefish was one of the first to come out with a thru-wire design and it came out BEFORE even Gibbs went to thru-wire construction. Al heard the feedback and saw the need and then developed a needlefish with many innovations including stronger barrel swivels and the unique concept of enabling the wire to rotate within the plug. I and others used these early needlefish with great results and we put them to the ultimate test out at Needlefish Island. Many guys owe their first 50 to these plugs.
I've not seen the new versions first hand but if they're anything like the old Gag's Needle they will be effective.
That said, I fish all brands of commercial needlefish, Habs, Super Strike, Gibbs, - I like them all and have taken more than my share of bass on each. They all have different and unique applications. Now we have another commercial needlefish on the market, the Gag's, it can only help us - the consumer.

DZ

Bliz · 03-28-2005, 12:30 PM

These will offer the angler another needle that will draw bass with "Finesse" in the water...

They're fantastic!

I was very impressed with the quality, and the cost!...

milo · 03-28-2005, 06:25 PM

so what do they cost?

basswipe · 03-28-2005, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milo

so what do they cost?

Ya what's the cost?

jkswimmer · 03-29-2005, 05:40 PM

I mis spoke or mis typed I WANTED TO SAY I like the belly forward beyond the middle of the lure.

Slipknot · 03-29-2005, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bliz

Hey Guys,

I have seen these needles at MSBA's show and talked with Al about them...

The hook placement is for the purpose of the fall rate and balance of the same plugs that he did in the 80's

There were many bass taken over 50 on them...

The finish on these is so durable it's unbelievable.

If any of you who are doubters about the new product, feel free to call Al at (413) 786-3554 as he is very approachable and has no problem whatsoever explaining the design and quality of the new product.

Al doesn't watch the internet... so why not give him a call?

That's all well and good Bliz, but placing the hook for purpose of balance seems a little out of order to me but what do I know

I would think that balance can be achieved with lead weight after finding a belly hook position first. But if short strikes were only getting scales, then I guess that if that position solved that, then it must be good. There's always room for improvement, just because something worked 25 years ago, doesn't mean it has to be exactly the same now. It can be a good starting point though. I have no interest in calling Al on the phone, thanks anyway. Maybe I will get a chance to speak to him at the show on Friday.

Nobody will answer the 100 million dollar question of HOW MUCH?? so are they gonna cost 12 bucks or what?