2009 fish on custom plugs

[Diggin Jiggin]

A couple teens on top and a 21 that inhaled a darter pre dawn. I may retire that one and use it as the standard to judge my others by. Most of my decent fish this year have been on that plug.

[scottw]

I love seeing these fish on homemades!

I got a fatty on my flat bottom pencil this morning, the fish was in the rocks the entire time and my biggest concern was losing the plug as I felt my line dragging across the structure it seemed to keep finding ...it's the only one I'd made...got em' both out of the surf safely

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by scottw

..... the fish was in the rocks the entire time and my biggest concern was losing the plug as I felt my line dragging across the structure it seemed to keep finding ...it's the only one I'd made..

Originally Posted by Diggin Jiggin

I may retire that one and use it as the standard to judge my others by. Most of my decent fish this year have been on that plug.

It is amazing how valuable a home made plug becomes, when it is your only prototype and is working better than anything else in your bag. You start trusting it so much and fishing it so often, surviving the season becomes unlikely.......yet taking it out of the rotation deprives you of your most useful tool. I've gone both ways (got the same dilemma right now with the yellow bottle). What I try to do is measure it, weigh it, get a profile, float it to record its waterline, and record its balance point.........then I keep fishing it and hope for the best. I think you learn more by fishing a plug through its lifespan, than by quitting while you are ahead.

[Slipknot]

Originally Posted by Diggin Jiggin

A couple teens on top and a 21 that inhaled a darter pre dawn. I may retire that one and use it as the standard to judge my others by. Most of my decent fish this year have been on that plug.

Nice Dave, I think I have one of your darters, a squid colored one, I intend to try it shortly.

[numbskull]

Here is one I wasn't expecting. Walking the dog, tide too high and I was too tired (after spending myself for naught last night) to fish the jetty I wanted so I was tossing a toy donny (5" 1/0s) on a small rod along a featureless swimming beach to amuse the dog when BANG this showed up.

[scottw]

Originally Posted by numbskull

Here is one I wasn't expecting. Walking the dog, tide too high and I was too tired (after spending myself for naught last night) to fish the jetty I wanted so I was tossing a toy donny (5" 1/0s) on a small rod along a featureless swimming beach to amuse the dog when BANG this showed up.

"honey, I'm taking the dog for a walk"..."why do you need your rod and camera to walk the dog?" very clever...I'd never get away with that great to see the bass appreciating your plugs as much as we do!

[BigFish]

Ask the Professor how HE got out yesterday morning with his daughter!! Pretty funny story!

[Lower]

Great pictures guys! Always fun seeing everyone's works of art throughout the winter...but nothing is better than seeing them actually produce!

Here's one from 2 weeks ago. Nice topwater bass from the yak!

[numbskull]

Beautiful fish and on light tackle to boot. That one must have been a thrill.