Some finished Repro's

[Sgt Striper]

Finished up some Snook Bait repro's after a busy weekend.
Snook in Allen Stripey, A Jointed in silver flash and Blue Mullet which I posted last week (doing another, didn't like how the paint came out) and my buddy was looking at the pic's from Plugfest and liked Paul's Freedom popper so I had to make a version for him, but nowhere near as good as Paul's.

Going to work on some Goo Goo's, 6" and maybe try the smaller one and take a shot at a Weasel about 6" but it's a little tough now to get in the building and painting mood.
I'm grateful that I can go out to the shop and get my mind off some problems the family is having or I think I'd go crazy. Relaxing and gets the blood pressure down.

Hope you like them and thanks to all who have helped me out, great bunch of guy's here!

Also, nice to finally meet some of you: Ben, Ted, Bill and and everyone else I talked with this weekend and forgot to mention

[ProfessorM]

they all look great . Like the red one, paint job, especially. Nice colors.

[blondterror]

Wow they look great and the paint is exceptional... after seeing the weasels @ PF I need to try one as well after I finish up some Musso Srs and Jrs and a few small basswood darters

[numbskull]

You guys are going to have a lot of fun fishing this stuff this year. A real lot of fun.

[Sgt Striper]

Originally Posted by blondterror

Wow they look great and the paint is exceptional...

Chris, Paul
Thanks for the compliments but after seeing a ton of plugs this weekend I think my paint is only average compared to what I saw. I try my best and some day's are good and some are horrible. Have about 6 plugs that have been sanded and re-primed because I just wasn't in the painting mood at the time. I guess I'm to critical of my work and shouldn't be since they are gonna get fished and beat up.

[Sgt Striper]

Originally Posted by numbskull

You guys are going to have a lot of fun fishing this stuff this year. A real lot of fun.

Fun part will be fishin them In front of guys (collector's especially) who think they are the real thing!

[BigFish]

You have a great eye Sarge...and a real talent for painting plugs!

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by Sgt Striper

I guess I'm to critical of my work and shouldn't be since they are gonna get fished and beat up.

This is a trap. Most of what you see people buying at Berkley is poor man's "investment art".

Nothing wrong with building beatuiful plugs to admire, but I think the real beauty in a plug is how it fishes, and the fancier the finish the less likely to get fished.

It is the hit, set, and big thrashing at 2 am in October, not the ooo's and ahhs online, that makes plug building worth it. It enhances your fishing experience greatly.
Copying old stuff is teachs you a lot, and when that learning results in a big fish, the feeling is intoxicating.

[BigFish]

I agree with you George......I for one like to go over the top! Half the fun is building them right and building them well.....to catch fish! The other half is beating the snot out of them on fish, after fish, after fish!!!

[ProfessorM]

I have pretty much given up with those time consuming paint jobs that always fall short of what I want them to look like. I just haven't got the time to practice to get very good at painting. By the time I get around to painting my stuff I am usually in a rush as the season is usually close by. I accepted that a few years ago. I just go with what I can do and leave the really pretty stuff to the artist's, which a do enjoy seeing. I shoot more for nice blending of colors than the scales and gills and other assorted effects. I just suck at them. I like to spend more time on the fit and finish part although the way my epoxy has looked this year the finish part has gone out the window too. I do enjoy looking at the guys work that can do them though, but no envy. I want mine to be fished.

[BigFish]

If used Paul....they will all look the same in the end!

[mfm22]

Really nice stuf sgt. .
Paint is great .. and as numb said ..finish is what catches fisherman not fish .
I find myself second guessing my paint work [not that talented] and keep saying stay basic -catch fish .

Agree with shop time reducing stress ..works for me big time

[Sgt Striper]

With out a doubt it's great to take my plugs out and swim them and see that I did get it right and they swim to my expectations. I plan on using nothing but my plugs this year and hope to get the thrill of catching on them. Even more satisfaction if the plugs I made for friends produce for them. I was very happy last fall when I built up some for my buddy and met him on the beach one early morning, and him telling me he just lost a nice fish (and the plug)! I'm just happy to get time on the beach and just throw my stuff.

[ecduzitgood]

Very nice!

[bennyraw]

Nice meeting you this weekend Lou, your plugs are really top notch.

Why make anything look nice, I mean a primer white Ferrari is just as fast as a red one