New commercial plug maker

[Swimmer]

At the Standish Show in East Brdigewater last weekend there was, besides all the usual suspects, a guy whose last name must be Hogan, because he calls his plugs Hogan's Hookers. Didn't say hello, but I did glance at his stuff. Didn't recognise him either. It almost looked like he bought kits and painted them. Little oversprayed for my liking. Anyone heard of him.

[chefchris401]

wonder if its the same guy whos been selling on ebay from Newburyport?

calls his stuff Bass Lander Custom Baits on ebay, and its all salty's kits, even uses the same descriptions and actual names of the plugs. Looks nice on online, but tough to tell in the pics, getting $18.99 a finished plug.

[Swimmer]

This guy was selling them in the twenties. He had knockoff Sebile, bought clear on Ebay and painted by him for $24.00 bucks. Ten to twelve more than what Mike sells them for

What Paul said below, good luck to him. Even selling at shows just too add to a hobby/obsession can be fun. Hey even booger started in his cellar.

[stripermaineiac]

I wonder if he realizes just how much work you really have to put into a plug to get one that last more than 1 fish an and works consistantly. LOL No easy thing that.

[onecastmike2003]

Shame on him.

[ProfessorM]

I am sure as with all guys that try this venture it will weed itself out and probably will not see him next year once he sees what he is up against. Maybe just a part time venture which probably could remain a little fun. I am not wishing this on him it is just a very tough biz to take on. Good luck to him but the odds are against him, but who knows. Fisherman are always looking for the next best lure and flip flop back and forth from the newest greatest lure to come along and then back to ones they used in the past. Makes it tough to stay on top and to make it a decent venture, plus there is just too many guys doing it with too many options for the fisherman. This is the reason I have liked to keep it a hobby and to try and keep most of my plugs replications of the old school lures, stuff I will be happy with and time proven. Have fun but I doubt it will remain fun if you have to make lots of them. Believe me I know how un fun making things can be after a while. Been a long time since I got excited about the parts I make day in and day out and I get a lot of variety compared to most in manufacturing. Good luck. P.

[Jackbass]

^what he said. I was considering making it a cottage industry for me. But it is far more fun to make 20-100 a year time permitting for me.
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[eskimo]

Over saturated for sure. I think many start selling to justify the money they spend on building. Most of my friends that are my age spend more at the bar on any giving week then I spend on wood to waste all year.

If you start building to make a business of it then your better off buying a screen press for the same price as a lathe and screening ten $20 dollar t-shirts in the time it takes you to turn and drill one plug.

[seabuggy]

I was at the tackle shop yesterday, and was told that plugmakers are popular for maybe a year. They all have pretty plugs, but as already said "how do they fish and will they last ?" Some of these guys want $20=$24 for pencils. I get emotionally attached to my creations especially when they catch fish. I can give them away, trade them, lose them, and use them, but not sell them.

[afterhours]

It's a tough way to earn a living. Pretty paint is just one of many faucets of plug building. In order to to have any longevity in this business you must build a plug that catches, swims, casts , and holds up to the saltwater environment.

[Charleston]

Some guys do it just to see their name in print. There used to be a guy around here that went after all new plug builders who sold!

[Pete F.]

Why would you ruin a perfectly good hobby by making it a job?

[johnny ducketts]

My plugs suck, I couldn't bring myself to fleece some one with them. I love them though.
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[Rockfish9]

Originally Posted by Pete F.

Why would you ruin a perfectly good hobby by making it a job?

exactly the way i see it.

[The Dad Fisherman]

When someone pays for a plug....now they can bitch about the plug. I'm all about the Peace and Quiet myself.

[stripermaineiac]

Doing anything commercial with sportfishing-chartering or tackle has to be somewhat an act of love for the sport.You get to live your passion year round. it's a lot of work an not a load of money but you really get to meet some fantastic people along the way an have a load of fun along with the work you do.The hardest part with any of it is that you get to feel all the new toys and it's very hard to execise self control.Rod builders have loads of sweet rods,plug builders can cover their walls with all the ideas and if you own a shop and fish well you will always have the best an newest. LOL Even as a hobby it's very addictive. If your a hardcore well look out LOL

[mag minnow]

Give the guy credit for making a go of it. Time will tell if he succeeds commercially but he may just be happy doing what he's doing...and that's all that may matter to him.

[Pete F.]

Hey, everybody starts somewheres. I remember he who must not be named getting picked on. I like making a few plugs and probably will make a few this winter, but it's not a job I want.

[Dr.fish]

Originally Posted by stripermaineiac

Doing anything commercial with sportfishing-chartering or tackle has to be somewhat an act of love for the sport.You get to live your passion year round. it's a lot of work an not a load of money but you really get to meet some fantastic people along the way an have a load of fun along with the work you do.The hardest part with any of it is that you get to feel all the new toys and it's very hard to execise self control.Rod builders have loads of sweet rods,plug builders can cover their walls with all the ideas and if you own a shop and fish well you will always have the best an newest. LOL Even as a hobby it's very addictive. If your a hardcore well look out LOL

Stripermaineiac kind of say a lot about building...even building to sell. The part that I think is best is that the season never ends. When the game you're watching sucks or the weather has you home bound, I find it more than relaxing to spend a few hours in the Mini man cave cranking out a few fish dupers. The guys that you meet, the camaraderie...Priceless! The guys that go about trying to "reinvent the wheel"...more power to them...that's what made the tried and true plugs that we use/build today.