Plugs that Suck

[WoodyCT]

I'm loving plastic these days.

Super Strike anything
Bombers
Redfins
Atom 40s and Jrs
Doc spooks
Northbar BDs
Daiwa minners
Tsunami Talking Popper
Rapala Xwalk and Subwalk
Yozuri Hydro Pencil


Do love me some old Gibbs pencils, Salty Dahtas, Dr. C darters, Hab's needles and BM dannies however.

[Mike P]

New had much use for the old Yankee Lures plugs. They had the worst swivels of any lure I ever tried---even worse than Gibbs. They had a nice needlefish, but I got sick of having fish break the belly swivel, and it was just too much of a PITA to re-wire them with good swivels. Especially when I have a bunch of Superstrike needles.

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by Vogt

Also, any Gags wood is garbage IMO. The paint falls off very very quickly and the wood splits right away.

Actually, I thought that his Sea Special pencils were a pretty good buy when they were about $13.

Now that they run closer to $20, not so much.

[fishbones]

Boone needlefish. I don't believe they're made anymore, but if you see them anywhere, don't bother.

[Zeal]

Originally Posted by fishbones

Boone needlefish. I don't believe they're made anymore, but if you see them anywhere, don't bother.

They are still around, mostly I have seen them in Sports Authority and other stores like that. Thank God they threw that POS on clearance for like 5 bucks when I was first starting out to surfcast.

No, I cannot be nice about it, those things are useless.

[luds]

I never used one but those interchangable plastic plugs where you could take the head off and switch it from a popper to a swimmer never seemed like a good plug to me. Cool idea but I would say they suck.

[redlite]

Originally Posted by luds

I never used one but those interchangable plastic plugs where you could take the head off and switch it from a popper to a swimmer never seemed like a good plug to me. Cool idea but I would say they suck.

You mean you fish with Lego's????

[luds]

Originally Posted by redlite

You mean you fish with Lego's????

Pretty much Mike

[DZ]

Originally Posted by fishbones

Boone needlefish. I don't believe they're made anymore, but if you see them anywhere, don't bother.

Not that I use them anymore but more than a few guys have mounts on the wall taken with a Boone needlefish. Don't sell them short...

DZ

[fishbones]

Originally Posted by DZ

Not that I use them anymore but more than a few guys have mounts on the wall taken with a Boone needlefish. Don't sell them short...

DZ

I'm sure they were fine plugs back in the day, but over the years I think the quality may have slipped. I have one that's probably 10 years old and from the get go, the paint looked terrible and the screw eyes for the hooks had to be tightened after being used. I can't even figure out how they would become loose from normal fishing. As you know, there are some really great needlefish plugs being made today.

[Raven]

so the plastic plugs according to Woody's comment
only differ in density
correct?

which allows them to be a slimmer profile

which might explain why wooden pencils are more consistent
fish catchers....

just trying to get behind the "science" of shape and density here.

[JohnR]

Joe - the northbars work, haven't used them too often this year but I have caught on them.

[chuckg]

On the Mambos, there's a company in China, probably turns out a billion of them a year, sold under different names. You see them all the time for $3.00 at fishing shows. Netcraft used to sell the 7 inch model w/o hooks for $2.50/plug...

[Just n time]

A dozen new plugs, The salty's needle in various colors looks like a good foundation to start with.Everything is going to be new new new!!!

[joe the plumber]

Northbar Darters....

[t.orlando]

Lemire Plugs jitterbug. Baught 1 to goof around with, made 2 casts, each 1 fouled.

[Fishoholic]

Originally Posted by joe the plumber

Northbar Darters....

Really??

[joe the plumber]

Originally Posted by Fishoholic

Really??

Fishoholic,

I knew I would get a responce like yours....Yes,its true.I just can't seem to catch fish with these plugs and you know what that means....no confidence in it when I do fish it...Thats not the plugs fault.

I am sure it is a fine plug under the right conditions,so I'm not "really" cracking on it.Just responding with my answer to the post.

Joe

[Fishoholic]

Originally Posted by joe the plumber

Fishoholic,

I knew I would get a responce like yours....Yes,its true.I just can't seem to catch fish with these plugs and you know what that means....no confidence in it when I do fish it...Thats not the plugs fault.

I am sure it is a fine plug under the right conditions,so I'm not "really" cracking on it.Just responding with my answer to the post.

Joe

Thanks for the response. You are the first person I've heard knock them so I was curious. I know what you mean with the confidence thing. Until this year I had never caught a fish on a needle and consequently hated them. I'd never give them longer than 5 or 6 casts and I was re-tying.. I'd often think about what I would tie on after the needle before I even tied it on. It took several fish to finally gain some confidence in them.. Now I fish them all the time.. And actually catch stuff

[rizzo]

Originally Posted by joe the plumber

Fishoholic,

I knew I would get a responce like yours....Yes,its true.I just can't seem to catch fish with these plugs and you know what that means....no confidence in it when I do fish it...Thats not the plugs fault.

I am sure it is a fine plug under the right conditions,so I'm not "really" cracking on it.Just responding with my answer to the post.

Joe

The northbars were like a bass magnet for me this year. Best plug as far as numbers and size go. I'm thinking about trying them as skin plugs next year... I wouldn't give up on them yet!

[jimmy z]

Any plug that doesn't swim the way it is supposed to. Or the lack of action, thereof

[BassDawg]

ANY plug with~~~


,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,RHM emblazoned on the side,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

never have swum well,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,prolly never will!



hard tellin', not knowin',,,,,,,,,,,,,,,with Big F Larry's craftsmansheep!
as i haven't had the privelege of sending any of his wood to the sea.

am hoping to win one, shamelessly whore one, or perhaps find one
~~~wedged amongst the bubbleweed and lobster pots~~~

[Clogston29]

gags was able to convince me to buy some crap early on in my surf fishing days (squidzee and slammer). i still like the mambo in the small size, but only in the solid colors (herring is really the only one I use, though I also like the pogie), the flash ones are very inconsistant (some swim and some don't).

i like to think i've become alittle more informed since and tend to buy less crap. a quick walk around rissa or msba shows in the spring and you'll see alot of crap lures. before buying anything, i'd look around for some reviews from people who seam to know what's up. in the end, your probably best off sticking with basic plugs (plastic swimmers, needles, dannys, juniors, shads) in basic colors (white, yellow/white, black/burple, herring) by the established brands / makers (bomber, redfin, habs, afterhours, salty, beachmaster, superstrike) and picking up some different stuff once you really know what your looking for.

[BassDawg]

Originally Posted by Clogston29

gags was able to convince me to buy some crap early on in my surf fishing days (squidzee and slammer). i still like the mambo in the small size, but only in the solid colors (herring is really the only one I use, though I also like the pogie), the flash ones are very inconsistant (some swim and some don't).

i like to think i've become alittle more informed since and tend to buy less crap. a quick walk around rissa or msba shows in the spring and you'll see alot of crap lures. before buying anything, i'd look around for some reviews from people who seam to know what's up. in the end, your probably best off sticking with basic plugs (plastic swimmers, needles, dannys, juniors, shads) in basic colors (white, yellow/white, black/burple, herring) by the established brands / makers (bomber, redfin, habs, afterhours, salty, beachmaster, superstrike) and picking up some different stuff once you really know what your looking for.

ALL good builders,,,,,,,,,,,,

i would ADD these two to the above~~~

Surf Asylum by David Anderson of "The Fisherman". he was building lures LOOONG before editing, and his wood is unique in his interpretation of how best to WORK the surf, from top to bottom. very serious action and well worth the investment, imho. LUV Dave's swimmers, poppers, and WISH he would bring back the Slopey's!!! if they're there, this wood will find them!

Tattoo by Mike Dauphin. excellent darters, and pencils, and jointed eeels, and his 'sea pups' are his version of the spook. good colors and the lures hold-up to decent sized feesh! definitely have one each(sm/lg) of his darters~~ yellow for the B'ways/Ditch, blurple for any holes you might know~~ and at least one of his swimmers. worth every penny and must haves for dahtahs, imho, THEY catch feesh!

[fishbones]

Originally Posted by BassDawg

Tattoo by Mike Dauphin. excellent darters, and pencils, and jointed eeels, and his 'sea pups' are his version of the spook. good colors and the lures hold-up to decent sized feesh! definitely have one each(sm/lg) of his darters~~ yellow for the B'ways/Ditch, blurple for any holes you might know~~ and at least one of his swimmers. worth every penny and must haves for dahtahs, imho, THEY catch feesh!

Are you sure Tattoo makes pencils? I've never seen one anywhere. I love the Sea Pup and Sea Dog spooks, though.

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by fishbones

Are you sure Tattoo makes pencils? I've never seen one anywhere. I love the Sea Pup and Sea Dog spooks, though.

I don't think he ever made them for commercial sale, at least when Habs was still alive. Mike started building with Habs, and when he went out on his own, as I was told (not firsthand) there was sort of an agreement that they wouldn't make plug styles that the other made. Mike made swimmers, darters and spooks, and John made needles, poppers and pencils.

I'm sure that they built plugs for themselves, because I saw John's bag a few times And John did make "show plugs" when he had booths at MSBA and RISAA, including beautiful Atom 40 models. But never for mass distribution, I believe.

But it's very possible that Mike ran off pencils for friends and they got passed around.

[SeaWolf]

Originally Posted by Mike P

I don't think he ever made them for commercial sale, at least when Habs was still alive. Mike started building with Habs, and when he went out on his own, as I was told (not firsthand) there was sort of an agreement that they wouldn't make plug styles that the other made. Mike made swimmers, darters and spooks, and John made needles, poppers and pencils.

I'm sure that they built plugs for themselves, because I saw John's bag a few times And John did make "show plugs" when he had booths at MSBA and RISAA, including beautiful Atom 40 models. But never for mass distribution, I believe.

But it's very possible that Mike ran off pencils for friends and they got passed around.

mike makes walking sticks, 1oz. they are one of the best lures for albies and burritos. it's essentially a small PP.

[BassDawg]

Originally Posted by fishbones

Are you sure Tattoo makes pencils? I've never seen one anywhere. I love the Sea Pup and Sea Dog spooks, though.

ooooops, i may have misspoke! my bad, but ya know how when ya take the plug outta the pkg and it sits in your plug bag forever, and then you're going thru yer plugs and you think this one's a ________ and that one's made by _________??

then that amazing pencil must belong to one of Li'l Rhody's fine independent builders. thanks for clearing that up, bonesy!!

[The Dad Fisherman]

LIFishInVt Dahtahs

[joe the plumber]

Originally Posted by The Dad Fisherman

LIFishInVt Dahtahs

One of the best in my opinion...