Dave, I have voted for your plugs as best in show the last four years. I stand by my vote. To ask if it swims is not a slight on you. I have a number of your plugs that I use (striper sniper is still my fav). I am a traditional guy, if it doesn't have a lip of some kind, a beveled head or some visible means of it swimming I had to ask how.
I am awed how you came up with your entries and the work into it and sincerely mean that.
To me the most beautiful plugs are simple fish catchers in form and function like your Atom.
Some entries don't need a judges panel but some do and the classic division surely does.
Understood. I'm not asking for a pass either, I'm just saying that instead of posing an open question to the world, why didn't you just PM me and ask if my plug swam? I felt like it was hidden stab, trying to point out that all I do is sculpt a fish and stick a hook on it. My favorite thing about building plugs is decoding what it takes to make it look alive and I love the simple plugs too, that's really all I make (except for my plugfest entries). I'm not trying to come across like I'm all pissed off, I'm not, I just wanted to know what you meant and we're all cleared up now.
Tagger, thanks for the kind words, I understand the problem for the vintage restoration, but why wouldn't a photo work? If someone has something to compare to, they should be able to make an accurate judgement right? Either way is fine with me. Just seeking to keep it simple that's all.
As for commercial. No way Jose, I don;t think that's a good idea at all... simple and fun are the words I always want to think of when I think of Plugfest. I see battles in that crystal ball.
-dave
Surf Asylum Lures, Custom Lures for the "Committed"
Official S-B Sponsor
A couple quick things in my mind - I'd like to go into more detail but I'm under the weather/cough medicine at the moment.
What we do/did right:
This is an event of peers. A community event for trading of knowledge and some wood to boot.
The competition is amazing and it does bring out some spectacular work, creativity, and some great humor. People are constantly raising the bar. A highly structured panel of experts, I think, would defeat the grass roots community feeling of Plug Fest.
The voting is done by one's peers. This is not Miss America or American Idol where a handful of people judge. It is the community that judges.
Selling: What Mike & Scott did was perfect. There was not supposed to be any other commercial selling, plugs or otherwise and I don't think anyone else had asked too.
Keep this a pretty much Grass Roots evet.
What we can do better:
Bigger space - that would have been tough in the other hall too
Plan better. Yes, we can plan a bit better and perhaps earlier. The help was fantastic and a team effort, we can a little more help and a little earlier planning.
Document better within some classes of the competition. Maybe next year we have a "form" that people fill out on the classics, better explaining the job and intent. I noticed this was lacking when I was getting handed paper bag after paper bag.
Plugfest has always been about this great plug building community of people in the northeast (and beyond). Lets keep it what it is, a community event, and not over complicate it.
Perfect. Thread Closed
Surf Asylum Lures, Custom Lures for the "Committed"
Official S-B Sponsor
I have a question, is it restoration of a classic or is it representation of a classic? They mean completely different things.
Thanks for all the comments, next year will will try to improve as we try to every year. Maybe I will have more time to set aside to plan this event better, it's not like John,Mike and I get a lot of help planning it. I was very busy with work and that comes first especially in this economy. Hopefully I can find us a large hall where we can possibly assign areas for yearly participants, and have a huge table for the contest and a different one for the raffle. And I'll make up signs also. The voting might be different next year and the ballots will be different. I like it simple, that way there is more chance of it still being fun. There will be nametags and everyone will have one. I will be the first one there and I will man the door if I have to, others will have to do other jobs or it can't work.No commercial selling of plugs, trades only as always.
This year while we were planning, I wanted to go back and re-read threads like this one to get an idea how to improve things, there is only so much time in a day. I make boxes, I am not an event planner, keeping it informal works well for a bunch of whacko fishermen in my opinion.
I'll do what I can next time around.
Having said that, plugfest 2009 was better than mudfest or no fest, atleast we had it,even though it was dissappointing to not have Joe(rockfish9) there
We should make it a 2 day event next time
Steve, we can work on details to make that part of the contest run smoother, but the attendees are the ones who vote. Next year the guidelines will be better thought out.
I have a question, is it restoration of a classic or is it representation of a classic? They mean completely different things.
Thanks for all the comments, next year will will try to improve as we try to every year. Maybe I will have more time to set aside to plan this event better, it's not like John,Mike and I get a lot of help planning it. I was very busy with work and that comes first especially in this economy. Hopefully I can find us a large hall where we can possibly assign areas for yearly participants, and have a huge table for the contest and a different one for the raffle. And I'll make up signs also. The voting might be different next year and the ballots will be different. I like it simple, that way there is more chance of it still being fun. There will be nametags and everyone will have one. I will be the first one there and I will man the door if I have to, others will have to do other jobs or it can't work.No commercial selling of plugs, trades only as always.
This year while we were planning, I wanted to go back and re-read threads like this one to get an idea how to improve things, there is only so much time in a day. I make boxes, I am not an event planner, keeping it informal works well for a bunch of whacko fishermen in my opinion.
I'll do what I can next time around.
Having said that, plugfest 2009 was better than mudfest or no fest, atleast we had it,even though it was dissappointing to not have Joe(rockfish9) there
We should make it a 2 day event next time
Steve, we can work on details to make that part of the contest run smoother, but the attendees are the ones who vote. Next year the guidelines will be better thought out.
Spring is almost here
Absolutely correct
Every year it comes up as , not a problem, but a very looooosely defined event (as it should be). Couple dings:
1st - Rough dates get figured out but some people can't make it (always happens) no matter how much we want them there. Its too late in the season, its too early, yada yada. We can't make it perfect for everyone.
2nd - Couple locations get proposed - some people ask why can't it be closer to them "its not fayah to the Noth Showah guize" (joking ) or its too far from the Cape (ie, over the bridge )
3rd - We try to keep costs tight (we can't afford to lose money for sure). Sure it would be nice to have 10,000 square feet and a stocked kitchen, tables, chairs, etc - but we would quickly price ourselves out of what is reasonable. Or, pray I hit Powerball (reminds me - gotta play). Besides, larger venue would probably mean more for the same people to clean up.
4th - Same people volunteer to help, setup, and it is the same people year after year cleaning up afterward. This year was almost carbon copy of last year in who helped clean up afterward.
This isn't criticism - this is what happens. Plugfest is an amazing thing and has been since day one in Slips garage.
Maybe it is time for a Plugfest Organizing TEAM, working out the details over the course of a year so that when November rolls around, there are no big questions remaining and people already set to help out. Just a thought, but it would be nice to have ballots, categories, date, location, etc - figured out a little before winter rolled around.
Maybe it is time for a Plugfest Organizing TEAM, working out the details over the course of a year so that when November rolls around, there are no big questions remaining and people already set to help out. Just a thought, but it would be nice to have ballots, categories, date, location, etc - figured out a little before winter rolled around.
Absolutely
we can have monthly meetings where we prepare stuff , delegate work to be done etc. starting early fall or late summer. Or we can have a separate forum where we can discuss the planning and not have to have comments from the whole world
we can have monthly meetings where we prepare stuff , delegate work to be done etc. starting early fall or late summer. Or we can have a separate forum where we can discuss the planning and not have to have comments from the whole world
Maybe somebody already said this or this is how it's done. It's too far for me to go if I can't fish too. How about a ticket that you get at the door, it's a raffle for xxxxx and you write on the back your pick for best in show, sort of like best in show at a dog show, car show etc.
Frasier: Niles, I’ve just had the most marvelous idea for a website! People will post their opinions, cheeky bon mots, and insights, and others will reply in kind!
we can have monthly meetings where we prepare stuff , delegate work to be done etc. starting early fall or late summer. Or we can have a separate forum where we can discuss the planning and not have to have comments from the whole world
I would love to be on the committee if you guys need the help.
As far as people selling lures at Plugfest. It did not go unnoticed.
Emails ware sent and some people were not happy. But we do the best we can to avoid conflicts.
i'll take a crack at this. I would ave to say that it is a representation of a classic. A restoration would be taking an old beat up plug and refinishing it( repaint and new hardware). just my 2 pennys
I thought those were 2 separate and different categories. I was hoping to be in the representation of a classic. Who knows. I think Mr. flapgums , as CS calls him, won for best restoration of a classic a few times.
"A beach is a place where a man can feel he's the only soul in the world that's real"
I like the Neighborhood shop friendly atmosphere Plugfest has kept through the years with the hard work and efforts of the originators and organizers of the event. The contest is fun and should be kept fun but I think a few non-participants in the contest who really know classic plugs could pick a winner in that category.
I like "Representation of a Classic" plug because not everyone has access to an old beater to refurbish but anyone could borrow a classic or build from a few photos.
- that would have been tough in the other hall too
) or its too far from the Cape (ie, over the bridge 
Ok Bandsaw
anyone?
, as CS calls him, won for best restoration of a classic a few times.
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