Plug prices going through the roof - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

wahlie · 03-21-2005, 10:17 AM

Visiting many shops over the winter I've noticed that plug prices have gotten to an insane level... Don't get me wrong before I say anything, the plugs are for the most part works of art but how can someone justify charging 35 bucks for a plug? what happened to the days of paying 10-20 bucks for a good wooden plug? It seems as if in the past two years prices have almost doubled... I'd just like to know why? Is it hardware that's used? 2 bucks worth of hardware can't justify a 10-15 dollar increase per plug... Makes me glad that there are places online that you can buy bodies pre-drilled for less than 5 bucks... I feel sorry for the guys that are just getting into this sport... When will this cutoff be that manufacturers will realize that they are shooting themselves in the foot by charging almost 40 bucks for a plug????

fishweewee · 03-21-2005, 10:27 AM

Cuz manufacturers realize there are knuckleheads who will pay $35 for a plug.

bassmaster · 03-22-2005, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishweewee

Cuz manufacturers realize there are knuckleheads who will pay $35 for a plug.

lmao,

Strider · 03-23-2005, 08:00 AM

For me, if I'm paying for a plug in the $30+ range it's going on the wall and not in the bag. It just doesn't make sense (in my wallet) to spend that kind of money when there are plenty of other plugs to throw which are similar and get the same result. Yes, the prices for wooden plugs are up there, but so has the demand and they go hand in hand. Be selective with your purchases to fit your go to successes. Be willing to repair and refurbish beat up plugs. Look for alternatives, experiment and try a little reverse engineering on your beaters.

l.i.fish.in.vt · 03-23-2005, 09:18 AM

i myself would never pay 35 bucks for a plug,but if you can afford that kind of money and the plug is a known fish catcher and is handcrafted like Gary2 and lefties wades etc.they are worth the money and enjoyment they bring to the owner. what gets me is the people who are paying good money for plugs that haven't even caught a fish.

vineyardblues · 03-23-2005, 11:57 AM

First off I need to say hi to John

still got snow lol

Below is a posting from freak-bay ... sounds like a deal to be had out there!

item 7142711936
the guy has a bunch of custom lures El Cheap (all this for 5.99)

YOU ARE BIDDING ON 1 NEW PREMIUM QUALITY PURPLE SPARKLE NEEDLEFISH PLUG LURE.

INDIVIDUALLY TURNED FROM PREMIUM WOOD, WEIGHTED AND BALANCED.

RECESSED MOLDED EYES, SEALED, PAINTED AND EPOXIED (2 COATS FOR DURABILITY)

ALL SS THROUGH WIRED AND HARDWARE. 8"LONG, 1.6 OZ

WITH VMC PERMASTEEL TREBLE AND DRESSED SIWASH TAIL HOOK

DEADLY FOR STRIPED BASS, AND OTHER GAMEFISH

Skip N · 03-21-2005, 10:28 AM

I guess Its because some people will accually pay $30 for a plug. If someone wouldn't pay that kind of money for a plug i dont think you would see those prices. People have way too much money to spend i guess!

I guess if your a collector of plugs thats one thing but i dont think people accually fish a plug that costs $35 bucks do they?

That would suck if a big ole' Bluefish got a hold of that baby!

wahlie · 03-21-2005, 10:30 AM

yeah, if you look at the prices on ebay beachmasters and habs are selling for 30-50 bucks.... i'm not trying to start a witch burning trial here but i'd like to hear from some of the plug makers as to why plugs have gone up so much... it's gotten to a point where myself and a lot of other guys that fish these plugs will not buy them.

Krispy · 03-21-2005, 10:32 AM

Wahlie, I think we're seeing an internet fueled plug bonanza. There arent many large SB specific lure co's out there to keep prices inline.
Some plugs I NEED, so Im glad to pay $20+ for a HABS or ??
Whats crazy are the 3 month builders asking $20 for plugs that they were taught how to build right here. All following the same techniques. Too funny.. And the AP show where 80% of the custom plugs are all the same style and they're all try to outprice each other.
Dont get me started on Ebay

Pete_G · 03-21-2005, 11:50 AM

Beachmasters (not counting Darters) always sell for under $20 at the Edge.

Super Strikes may not be wood but they do catch fish. And they're very reasonably priced. Both bulders make VERY time tested plugs. These days 6 months seem to be "time tested"...

The Edge may be located in Newport, but our prices usually beat Benny's, Wal-mart, and Cabelas when it comes to standards like Bombers and Kastmasters. And you're not going to find Beachmaster or Super Strike at those places.

I think right now there is an awful lot of demand and not enough product, with time it will equalize. Surf fishing right now is saltwater fly fishing 5 years ago. The mentality is you HAVE to have expensive wood to catch fish. Everyone is a surf fishing shop now, and everyone is building plugs. The market will change, threads like this make me think it already is. The cream will rise from the new crowd of builders and/or current builders will evolve and equalize or lower pricing as they add plugs to the market and demand decreases. Imagine if Gibbs stepped up their hardware and didn't change their pricing. On top of that the people who got into surf casting because it was all the rage and bought hundreds or thousands in plugs will be dumping their stuff. Prepare to score when that starts happening...

I've had 2 incidents at the shop in the past few months of people trading in brand new plugs that they didn't even buy here that are going on Ebay for $30+ for Super Strikes.

Lastly, Ebay is evil.

Iwannakeeper · 03-21-2005, 12:04 PM

It has been eluded to or addressed already in here, but my opinion is two-fold

1. Supply and demand. As long as there is a demand, people would be crazy not to supply that demand.

2. There are people that think that more expensive = more fish.

Did anyone see what Al McRenold caught his record fish with? Times haven't changed that much. I am far from an expert, but I have fished along side some guys that catch fish reliably. And they aren't fishing $30+ dollar plugs. they are not using zziplex rods or Van Staals, or Calcuttas.

The flip side of the arguement is you have to have confidence in what you are fishing with. If fishing a custom zziplex and Saltiga with a $35 plug and you are confident or it increases your enjoyment of the sport - than you have done the right thing.

I know I buy the best of what I can afford to buy. Using that logic, if I had more money, I would likely have a better rod and reel, but I still doubt, I would ever drop $35 on a plug.

And lastly not eveyone is using these plugs casting from shore for stripers. If you are trolling some of them in deep water or casting to off shore fish with a lower likelihood of getting snagged or you could chase and retrieve a break-off casting, $35 is not unreasonable. there have been a number of photos posted that show these plugs catching other species off-shore. Ever look at the cost of big-game lures? $35 is not unreasonable - high, but not unreasonable.

-IWK

PurpelNoon · 03-21-2005, 12:20 PM

I've begun picking up doubles on plugs so I can fish one and save one. In other words I've sort of become a collector now. Like I dont "collect" enough stuff already!

What really shocks me about ebay is how a select few are buying HUNDREDS of plugs at premium -no, outrageous prices. Some builders can even stand to profit from a handful of guys, the way they have been buying. I try and pick up stuff at reasonable prices, and sometimes I succeed, but when you have to bid against some of the monsters, you always lose, because they will pay any price!

JohnR · 03-21-2005, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iwannakeeper

I am far from an expert, but I have fished along side some guys that catch fish reliably. And they aren't fishing $30+ dollar plugs. they are not using zziplex rods or Van Staals, or Calcuttas.

I understand what you are saying but some places that I fish, you need a Calcutta, or a modded Abu, or a 704 to fish - and a VS doesn't hurt - really depends on how and where you fish. I don't know what your friends are using or where they are using it but a few trips in some more difficult places to fish and they might see their gear start breaking down. Go run out with a Corsair or some of the other lower end reels and you can melt one in an afternoon. Same thing with spinning. I thoroughly destroyed a Nautil 6500 (black) in four days on 22-25 inch Albies. My Stradic would have been fine. But now if I dunked my Stradic all night it may or may not be fine. So in case I was fishing Albies submerged, I suppose a small Van Staal would have been great.

I also know that in some of the places I fish you can certainly use at least a Tica rod to throw around insteadof the overweight underperforming gear from S.A. and Wally World. Now getting into the higher end gear when applied to a more specialized type of fishing, you will usually reap benefit.

And it is not a money thing, a nice modded ABU can be had for less than a hundred (TCST + Smoothies) and you can get a 704/6 here or on FleeBay for short money and a handful of shops still have new. But it is knowing enough to make the right choices. For rods, you can get a 10' Tica for under $100 or into a custom fit 10 foot Batson or Patriot around $200 and not need to by an off the shelf Arra for $350, but the gear matches the condition. Some people can get along just fine with a Poncho, a Shakespeare or Zebco reel, and a "Blue Runner" or whatever they call those WallyWorld rods - more power to them. As long as THEY are happy. But they might be miserable after a week of fishing that stuff in more demanding conditions. I know I'm usually miserable when someone shows up with last years 3 dollar line on a less than maintained Penn 105 and line winder froze viscious wind knot blocking out everyone else on the drift. Ooopps - rambling...

While I can see issues with buying (then losing) $30 plugs, I can appreciate (but not always afford) the higher end gear. I got a Freak/Mac Flag Pikie this weekend that is PRICELESS. Someone new to fishing would probably be ill suited to an 11.5 Allstar and a Newell reel or for that matter an old Honey Lami and a Sqidder.

Now with plugs, I don't see myself buying $30 plugs for regular fishing. Perhaps if I really wanted one, I might but I'd be scared to fish it until after Clammer depletes the bluefish population. But I will spend $20 and change for the RIGHT plug. I will also be happy with $20 worth of eels for a night (nore to self, fish more eels this year)...

I agree with the Supply & Demand. I also agree with building plugs to catch fishermen. But I also appreciate the work that sometimes goes into these real custom plugs. Besides, when was the last time you could call Gibbs or SuperStrike or Bomber and have them make an adjustment or change for you... Or custom paint some plugs in a different scheme. SWE did that a few years ago with a Bomber color out of production - minimum order was SIX HUNDRED

TheSpecialist · 03-21-2005, 01:33 PM

Quote:

My Stradic would have been fine. But now if I dunked my Stradic all night it may or may not be fine.

Why not buy a Sustain, at least you would'nt have to worry about the drag getting wet. Better yet why does'nt Shimano offer the waterproof drag on the Stradic??

I know I have caught some nice fis on wooden plugs. Do you need wood, absolutely not. I like using them, so I use them. Stetzko's fish was taken on a black teaser fly, McReynolds on a bomber, Cinto's on a wooden plug. I say use what you have confidence in, or what has worked for you in the past. I think the biggest rip were the plugs without hooks, going for close to $20 a plug. Some guys like them that way so they can just put on their own hooks. I think those plugs should go fo $13- $15. just my opinion.

Yes Ebay can suck. I see things on ebay selling for regular price or more all the time.

MartinD18 · 03-21-2005, 01:55 PM

Watching the people line up for certain wooden plugs at the show last weekend kind of reminded me of the ladies lining up to buy Beenie Babies a few years ago.

Skip N · 03-21-2005, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MartinD18

Watching the people line up for certain wooden plugs at the show last weekend kind of reminded me of the ladies lining up to buy Beenie Babies a few years ago.

Saltheart · 03-21-2005, 01:58 PM

Plugs are now Market Priced. that means the price is whatever the market will bear. If people will pay $30 people will charge $30.

the thing I don't get is all the work that goes into the paint jobs. the plkugs are beautiful but a lot of the work is in the flawless 10 coat paint jobs and the sanding etc. I think the plug needs good action but i don't think they need 15 coats of perfect paint to catch fish.

Anyway , market pricing to answere you questions.

What's the answere , well until they are protected and you can't get anymore....eels.

JohnR · 03-21-2005, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheSpecialist

Better yet why does'nt Shimano offer the waterproof drag on the Stradic??

Because you would not need the Sustain

SeaWolf · 03-21-2005, 02:18 PM

if you can't pay, don't play. 'nuff said.

how many times can you beat a dead horse?

Redsoxticket · 03-21-2005, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnR

Now with plugs, I don't see myself buying $30 plugs for regular fishing. Perhaps if I really wanted one, I might but I'd be scared to fish it until after Clammer depletes the bluefish population. But I will spend $20 and change for the RIGHT plug. I will also be happy with $20 worth of eels for a night (nore to self, fish more eels this year)...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete_G

I think right now there is an awful lot of demand and not enough product, with time it will equalize. Surf fishing right now is saltwater fly fishing 5 years ago. The mentality is you HAVE to have expensive wood to catch fish. Everyone is a surf fishing shop now, and everyone is building plugs. The market will change, threads like this make me think it already is. The cream will rise from the new crowd of builders and/or current builders will evolve and equalize or lower pricing as they add plugs to the market and demand decreases. Imagine if Gibbs stepped up their hardware and didn't change their pricing. On top of that the people who got into surf casting because it was all the rage and bought hundreds or thousands in plugs will be dumping their stuff. Prepare to score when that starts happening...

I agree 100%.

We'll you heard of the expression "hook, line and sinker"

wahlie · 03-21-2005, 03:10 PM

Seawolf,
it has nothing to do with not being able to pay at all... It comes down to a limit.... I'm sure that on your budget you aren't shelling out 35 bucks a pop for these plugs. like I stated earlier, I'm glad, i've got my stash of wood.

mrmacey · 03-21-2005, 07:49 PM

maybe a couple colors though $7.00 SMACKITS!!! best plug out there. only my opinion though then its eels.