Originality When You Build.

[Slipknot]

I just try to think of how to make plugs better that will catch fish, I don't care about originality.

[Diggin Jiggin]

I'm mostly looking to build plugs that fill specific niches in my plug bag. Sometimes that means you go on your own path, and sometimes you borrow a shape from the past. I don't go out of my way to try and be original in the shape, sometimes they are and sometimes not, I try to build plugs for specific location, conditions, or the rod I want to use... Functionality is much more important to me. I want a bagful of plugs that lets me outfish or atleast outcast the guys that are muggin me

Above my lathe I have 5 or 6 plugs hanging that I draw on for inspiration when I am turning. There is a danny, a pikie, a gibbs bottle swimmer, a polaris, an old screw eye darter, a mag darter and a few plastic minnow type swimmers. I take down the ones that may be similar to what I'm making, and I borrow a curve here, a transtition there, sometimes the way a tail tapers. Thats about as much as I try to borrow when I'm turning, but before I start I definitely have a fishy shape in mind that I'm going for.

Unfortunately I don't know much about the history of old wooden plugs, so I end up winging it a lot...

[NIB]

I just copy what I see on the internet.
For instance i just seen these plugs called woody's.
Nice stuff.Kinda stuff i would do if i was a builder.
He had some kool paint schemes for squid darter's I can't wait to copy.
An i have no shame in sayin it.
When they come around u'll se more of em.nothing goes uncopied.Its the greatest form of flattery.

[thefishingfreak]

seems to be the way nib

[ProfessorM]

I never had an original thought in my life. If I did I am sure it was sh-t luck.

[BigFish]

Paul...I have heard that before so you are right!

[Karl F]

Cavemen Argued over Who invented Fire.

[Jigman]

Originally Posted by Diggin Jiggin

I'm mostly looking to build plugs that fill specific niches in my plug bag. Sometimes that means you go on your own path, and sometimes you borrow a shape from the past. I don't go out of my way to try and be original in the shape, sometimes they are and sometimes not, I try to build plugs for specific location, conditions, or the rod I want to use... Functionality is much more important to me. ...

That pretty much describes it for most of what I do. I borrow some old ideas from time to time, and modify as needed for the conditions where I'll fish them. Pikies, for example, are one plug I obviously borrowed a lot from CCBC, though mine are not clones of the originals.

In my opinion, the best that a garage builder can do is design something to fill a niche rather than make a generic clone of something that is out there already. Yeah, they may borrow some ideas from other sources, but its the combination of variables that makes that plug killer under the conditions it was designed to be used in.

Jigman

[Striperknight]

I just try to have my own paint style and look for new ways to improve.