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Lots of valid points here. First, though, let me say that I felt Canalman's plug was a deserving winner based on gut feeling alone..........if I had to pick the one plug in the show I'd want to own, that was it. The shape, paint, detail, and imagination were all first rate. It epitomized much of the reasons we like plugs. Last year it would have been Slip's Tiger needle (which is still the most perfect plug I have ever seen). Both plugs are too pretty to fish, but I think both could be made to work just fine (think of Canalman's plug zigzagging/rolling on the surface, struggling to stay upright, with that big tail flapping................BOOM). On the other hand, I agree that something designed for a laugh, like what I made, shouldn't ( but inevitably does) steal votes from guys who make a serious effort to build a real plug.
So, considering the issues, I'd favor reducing the value of the prizes, maybe making separate practical and whimsical categories, and narrowing the spectrum by specifying a type of plug (i.e., a needlefish, or popper, or darter, etc) for each year's contest so we are all building our own variations of the same thing. That would level the playing field a bit while still leaving ample room for imagination, innovation, and, most importantly, fun.
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