Off-brand lures

[Geezle]

Does anybody out there regularly fish with off-brand lures?

Like I know for spoons, most people are probably using Len Thompson spoons, for spinners, it's usually Mepps or Panther Martins, and for plugs, I'm pretty sure almost everybody has a Rapala or two in their tackle box.

Now in my travels I've come across some items that either seem inexpensive to begin with, or have gone on sale for quite cheap, but even if inexpensive I'm not sure these things may be worth my money.

For example, last week I saw a package of 5 Lucky Strike spoons that looked decent for an okay price. I've also seen a 5 pack of spinners (might have been Blue Fox brand) that looked okay. See all sorts of random plugs on sale at The Wal regularly as well. There's also a big rack at The Fishin' Hole that has all sorts of spoons and big spinners on there for pretty reasonable prices.

So does anybody ever buy this stuff, or is it more about marketing? Like I said, some of it seems like okay stuff. I noticed the spoons on the rack at TFH were made of material a little lighter/thinner than a Len Thompson, and the shape was a little different, so I wasn't sure.

[JessePat]

I am by no means a serious fisher at all. I just like to catch fish whatever size and have a good time. If I see a spoon or rapala that is not a name brand and a better price I will definitely get that one. With some exceptions of course. If the paint job is horrid or not glossy when it should be then I will pass it up. I know I have bought both Len Thompson and Lucky Strike and have both in my tackle box, but without the packaging I can't tell which one is which. I am sure that there are hard core fisherman on this forum that will only buy the best and in all reality I am sure the name brands may have a little more action or a better quality hook, but for me, if I can save a couple bucks here and there I will. The good thing about fish is that they don't check to make sure it's name brand before they bite :lol:

[Geezle]

I am by no means a serious fisher at all. I just like to catch fish whatever size and have a good time. If I see a spoon or rapala that is not a name brand and a better price I will definitely get that one. With some exceptions of course. If the paint job is horrid or not glossy when it should be then I will pass it up. I know I have bought both Len Thompson and Lucky Strike and have both in my tackle box, but without the packaging I can't tell which one is which. I am sure that there are hard core fisherman on this forum that will only buy the best and in all reality I am sure the name brands may have a little more action or a better quality hook, but for me, if I can save a couple bucks here and there I will. The good thing about fish is that they don't check to make sure it's name brand before they bite :lol:

That's kinda where I'm at too, I only have a small handful of lures right now and would like to get a little more variety for different situations...just curious to see if I can maybe save a few bucks, or if in the end I'll just be throwing my money away :)

For example, something like jig heads I'm sure a person could buy in bulk cheap somewhere, as long as the paint is decent there's not too much that can be messed up with them.


edit: and with something like plugs, I'm curious about action

[tuckman]

I have found that with the cheaper lures you are getting lower quality hooks. They will either break and or rust much quicker than the more expensive ones. I have spent a few extra bucks on Len Thompson and Rap's and over the years they last longer...most of the time. But hey a guy can stock up on cheaper stuff and buy hooks and lure paint every few years and make your stuff last a long time too. The nice thing about the cheaper stuff, is that you can let the kids use it and not worry as much about losing a lure (my kids have a takle box of the cheap stuff and they catch fish at the same rate I do)
Either way you are catching fish.

[Geezle]

I have found that with the cheaper lures you are getting lower quality hooks. They will either break and or rust much quicker than the more expensive ones. I have spent a few extra bucks on Len Thompson and Rap's and over the years they last longer...most of the time. But hey a guy can stock up on cheaper stuff and buy hooks and lure paint every few years and make your stuff last a long time too. The nice thing about the cheaper stuff, is that you can let the kids use it and not worry as much about losing a lure (my kids have a takle box of the cheap stuff and they catch fish at the same rate I do)
Either way you are catching fish.

That's one thing I didn't think of...the quality of the hooks themselves. I'm sure it wouldn't take too much to replace them with better quality ones.

As for the paint, well I've never really come across lure paint in my travels, so I hadn't even thought of that. I don't think I could paint a lure and make it look proper anyway...I think when the paint starts wearing off it's just time to retire it. I'm not *that* broke! :)

[tuckman]

That's one thing I didn't think of...the quality of the hooks themselves. I'm sure it wouldn't take too much to replace them with better quality ones.

As for the paint, well I've never really come across lure paint in my travels, so I hadn't even thought of that. I don't think I could paint a lure and make it look proper anyway...I think when the paint starts wearing off it's just time to retire it. I'm not *that* broke! :)

Dad used to use nail polish when I was a kid, he recycled lots of tackle that way for me. When I was a kid I always had a FULL tackle box, my friends loved coming fishing with me.
If you go to The Fishin Hole they have the actual lure paint I am speaking of. Yes the hook are rather easy to replace.

[Geezle]

Dad used to use nail polish when I was a kid, he recycled lots of tackle that way for me. When I was a kid I always had a FULL tackle box, my friends loved coming fishing with me.
If you go to The Fishin Hole they have the actual lure paint I am speaking of. Yes the hook are rather easy to replace.

I'm going to check into the paint next time I hit TFH...I was looking through my limited tackle selection and I noticed I have a couple jigs that are losing their paint...heck, even I could paint a jig!

If I could find an airbrush at a reasonable price, it might be fun to mess around painting some spoons too :)

[Cal]

I used to have some lucky strike spoons and also some other no name ones as well, they worked ok but rusted much faster than len thompson spoons. Another problem with cheap spoons is that often instead of flipping back and forth they will just spin and twist your line up. Spinners are spinners, I cant say I've noticed any difference between cheap ones and brand name ones, ditto for spinner baits. For plugs it is kind of hit and miss, some cheap brands seem to work and others dont. some of the cheaper plug brands that have worked well for me are rebel, lucky strike, storm, strike king. I'm sure there are others that work as well but I cant remember them.

[Geezle]

I used to have some lucky strike spoons and also some other no name ones as well, they worked ok but rusted much faster than len thompson spoons. Another problem with cheap spoons is that often instead of flipping back and forth they will just spin and twist your line up. Spinners are spinners, I cant say I've noticed any difference between cheap ones and brand name ones, ditto for spinner baits. For plugs it is kind of hit and miss, some cheap brands seem to work and others dont. some of the cheaper plug brands that have worked well for me are rebel, lucky strike, storm, strike king. I'm sure there are others that work as well but I cant remember them.

With the spoons, was it the spoon itself that you found rusted, or the hook?

And the spoons just spinning and twisting up the line...that's something I was concerned with. Not so much the twisting of the line, but just the different action. I guess a person would just have to try a couple different ones out to see what works and what doesn't.

[DarkAisling]

We've got some "no name" spoons . . . they definitely rust more quickly (hooks and spoons), and the paint chips off really easily.

[Geezle]

We've got some "no name" spoons . . . they definitely rust more quickly (hooks and spoons), and the paint chips off really easily.

Any idea about the action of said spoons? Aside from not lasting as long, do they seem to do the job?

[FishinFreak]

quality counts and quality costs; plain and simple
my kids bought Daddy a mega pack of jig heads and grubs from walmart last year and I lost 3 BIG Jacks and 2 walleye with those stupid cheap hooks cause they broke in half :mad3:

[DarkAisling]

Any idea about the action of said spoons? Aside from not lasting as long, do they seem to do the job?

The action actually looked pretty good. The water was very clear where we were using them, and at times we were fishing from the top of a houseboat which gave us a really good view of the spoons as they were coming close to the surface.

The ones we were using were the cheap packs of 8 (I think it was 8) spoons from Canadian Tire. Half of the pack were 5-of-Diamonds and the other half of the pack was Red Devils. I think the pack was around 5 or 6 bucks.

[jeffrey929]

They cost a little bit more $ but my wife and I have fallen in love with the spoons made by Pelican Lures

[Tweedsider]

Caught my biggest Pike to date last week on a Pelican spoon, with the Maple leafs all over it, the one I chuckled at when my girlfriend picked it out! :o:lol:

18lbs 8oz

[Cal]

With the spoons, was it the spoon itself that you found rusted, or the hook?

And the spoons just spinning and twisting up the line...that's something I was concerned with. Not so much the twisting of the line, but just the different action. I guess a person would just have to try a couple different ones out to see what works and what doesn't.

I never bought cheap red devils or five of dimonds, the ones I used to buy had no packaging but hung by their hooks from racks and were quite inexpecive. I think the brand may have been "strike king" and you had to go to an actual tackle store to find them as canadian tire did not have them. The best colors for me were chartruse, orange and yellow, and brass with black stripes painted across it which was an awesome patern that I have not seen any in any other brand. It was the spoons themselves that would rust, not that this is a huge issue, I dont think shiny new ones work any better than tarnished ones with the paint all chewed off. They caught fish pretty good, though they were a bit lighter and ran shallower than len thompsons.

As for spinning many brand name spoons have a tendancy to spin as well unless retrieved at a very precice speed as well. One oddity I have found is that with some brands of spoons different sizes of the same spoon are more or less prone to spinning, the large size of meps cyclops for example likes to spin while the slightly smaller size runs true better. In my experience Len Thompson spoons are the best for running true and the fish like their action, therefore that is all I use for what little openwater spoon fishing I do. Any spoon I own that is not a Len Thompson has been retired to the ice fishing pail.

[WayneChristie]

I like to have some of the cheap no name red devils in my gear, just replace the hooks with better ones. When the weeds are almost at the surface you can retrieve them a lot closer to the surface and keep over the top of the weeds because they are a lot lighter than the brass name brand spoons. If the pike wear the paint off with their teeth, oh well :D pike like silver spoons too. or repaint them.

[Geezle]

quality counts and quality costs; plain and simple
my kids bought Daddy a mega pack of jig heads and grubs from walmart last year and I lost 3 BIG Jacks and 2 walleye with those stupid cheap hooks cause they broke in half :mad3:
And here I thougth jigs would be the one thing you could get away with cheap! Never even thought about the hook breaking, and with jigs you can't replace the hook.

Any idea if the bulk jigs at The Fishin' Hole are any good?
Caught my biggest Pike to date last week on a Pelican spoon, with the Maple leafs all over it, the one I chuckled at when my girlfriend picked it out! :o:lol:

18lbs 8oz

I've seen those, and I always just kinda thought of them as a novelty, but now that you say this, I may have to pick one up :)

I like to have some of the cheap no name red devils in my gear, just replace the hooks with better ones. When the weeds are almost at the surface you can retrieve them a lot closer to the surface and keep over the top of the weeds because they are a lot lighter than the brass name brand spoons. If the pike wear the paint off with their teeth, oh well :D pike like silver spoons too. or repaint them.
Good tip on using lighter spoons to get over weedy spots :)

[jrcw]

You can save a few dollars by making your own jigs. It's easy, fun, and you can customize your sizes, shapes, colours, hooks etc. Pick up a mold (available from Bass Pro for example), some hooks, and paint if you want colour. You can buy lead or use old wheel weights. You can usually get them for free from your local tire shop or scrap yard. You can buy a melting/pouring pot or just use some type of container (I use a small cast iron pot) and a camp stove. Put your hooks in the mold, pour in your lead and you've got a brand new set of jigs. You know you're going to lose jigs, especially if you're fishing heavy cover or with kids so it's nice to have lots.

[jeffrey929]

Trust me, the Pelican Lures are not a novelty, they are the real deal.... Walleye like them too. Caught my only legal Walleye at Fawcett on Saturday trolling a Pelican spoon that looks much like a clown fish

[Cal]

I like to have some of the cheap no name red devils in my gear, just replace the hooks with better ones. When the weeds are almost at the surface you can retrieve them a lot closer to the surface and keep over the top of the weeds because they are a lot lighter than the brass name brand spoons. If the pike wear the paint off with their teeth, oh well :D pike like silver spoons too. or repaint them.

In this situation I would just switch to a spinner/spinnerbait or shallow running plug.

[Geezle]

Trust me, the Pelican Lures are not a novelty, they are the real deal.... Walleye like them too. Caught my only legal Walleye at Fawcett on Saturday trolling a Pelican spoon that looks much like a clown fish

Well, I was thinking of the ones with the Canadian flag as being more of a novelty...didn't really know much about the rest of their products.

Actually I'm not even sure about the price point on them...are they fairly inexpensive?

[jeffrey929]

At The Fishin Hole and Wholesale Outfitters run about $5.99 regardless of size. If you go to their website, price varies, depending on the size... My wife and I both love using them... Big fish seem to like biting them

[WayneChristie]

You can save a few dollars by making your own jigs. It's easy, fun, and you can customize your sizes, shapes, colours, hooks etc. Pick up a mold (available from Bass Pro for example), some hooks, and paint if you want colour. You can buy lead or use old wheel weights. You can usually get them for free from your local tire shop or scrap yard. You can buy a melting/pouring pot or just use some type of container (I use a small cast iron pot) and a camp stove. Put your hooks in the mold, pour in your lead and you've got a brand new set of jigs. You know you're going to lose jigs, especially if you're fishing heavy cover or with kids so it's nice to have lots.

smoke your molds with candlesmoke to make them release easier, and whatever you do dont sweat, if a drop hits the lead you will wear it, or a runny nose if you are doing it outside in the winter, (Voice of experience) and pain :lol:

[Geezle]

At The Fishin Hole and Wholesale Outfitters run about $5.99 regardless of size. If you go to their website, price varies, depending on the size... My wife and I both love using them... Big fish seem to like biting them

Seems like that might even be a touch more expensive than the trusty ol' Len Thompson's...also sounds like they may have a quality product worth checking out :)

[WayneChristie]

In this situation I would just switch to a spinner/spinnerbait or shallow running plug.

Ive caught pike on those too, but Im at least an hour from a fishing store and rather be fishing than driving, besides I have watched 3 pike jump my light spoon at the same time, never seen that with one of the other lures. I just make do with what I have with me, and have fun :D

[jeffrey929]

They seem to be very durable.... Painted on both sides and the paint seems to be baked on and then glazed... We haven't scratched one yet

[Geezle]

Also, does anybody have any experience with Blue Fox products?

I've noticed they have a different selection of spoon patterns than the standards, and I do have one that I bought that seems to be of decent quality, but I haven't had a chance to use it yet.

[WayneChristie]

Also, does anybody have any experience with Blue Fox products?

I've noticed they have a different selection of spoon patterns than the standards, and I do have one that I bought that seems to be of decent quality, but I haven't had a chance to use it yet.

havent used their spoons, but I do like their minnow spins, trout love them.

[Geezle]

havent used their spoons, but I do like their minnow spins, trout love them.

That's good to know...I'd been looking at some of their spinners as well, but right now I don't really have anywhere to use them

[Deano85]

I've used blue fox spoons and i like them over len thompsons.

[Deano85]

I've used blue fox spoons and i like them over len thompsons. Only thing is they are not as heavy.

[FishinFreak]

I have a few Blue Fox spoons; they seem to do the job well. A good place to get brand name gear at reasonable prices is Ebay, Kijji, or right here in the buy and sell section. If you are going to try some cheaper stuff maybe invest in a hook sharpener as cheaper hooks just seem duller to me out of the package. Also be careful when squishing the barbs, I've had the odd hook break on me; something thats never happened with my more expensive stuff. A nd oh yeah one more vote for the CDN flag spoons; Pike love them :love: they must be a very patriotic fish :lol:

[Geezle]

I have a few Blue Fox spoons; they seem to do the job well. A good place to get brand name gear at reasonable prices is Ebay, Kijji, or right here in the buy and sell section. If you are going to try some cheaper stuff maybe invest in a hook sharpener as cheaper hooks just seem duller to me out of the package. Also be careful when squishing the barbs, I've had the odd hook break on me; something thats never happened with my more expensive stuff. A nd oh yeah one more vote for the CDN flag spoons; Pike love them :love: they must be a very patriotic fish :lol:

I usually keep an eye on the buy and sell, and will definitely continue to do so :)

As for the hooks, I think if I buy anything questionable I'll just replace the hook right from go and play it safe.

I don't have a hook sharpener yet, but I do have a dremel...well a Princess Auto rotary tool...anyway, I use that to take care of most of my barbs, unless I happen to take something out of its package when I'm out, then I pinch them. I've sharpened a couple hooks with it, but you've gotta be careful not to overdo it. I'll probably get a hook sharpener in the near future :)

Might pick me up one of those Canadian flag spoons too...wouldn't mind doing some pike fishing if I get the opportunity!

[BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES]

Does anybody out there regularly fish with off-brand lures?

Like I know for spoons, most people are probably using Len Thompson spoons, for spinners, it's usually Mepps or Panther Martins, and for plugs, I'm pretty sure almost everybody has a Rapala or two in their tackle box.

Now in my travels I've come across some items that either seem inexpensive to begin with, or have gone on sale for quite cheap, but even if inexpensive I'm not sure these things may be worth my money.

For example, last week I saw a package of 5 Lucky Strike spoons that looked decent for an okay price. I've also seen a 5 pack of spinners (might have been Blue Fox brand) that looked okay. See all sorts of random plugs on sale at The Wal regularly as well. There's also a big rack at The Fishin' Hole that has all sorts of spoons and big spinners on there for pretty reasonable prices.

So does anybody ever buy this stuff, or is it more about marketing? Like I said, some of it seems like okay stuff. I noticed the spoons on the rack at TFH were made of material a little lighter/thinner than a Len Thompson, and the shape was a little different, so I wasn't sure.

I don't think its the brand , But the more known brands have been in the business most likely a long long time , Like Len Thompson , Lucky strike , Rapala , Lindy , ETC ETC ETC , A hook isn't going to guarantee you catch fish . But with some skill and technique you can catch them on other things aswell . There is so much information out there now indays to help out the everyday angler , just gotta do the work to find it and give those slight hints .

[Cal]

bluefox and pelican spoons are not realy cheap alternatives to Len Thompson, nor do I concider them to be "off brands". I have caught many large pike on blue fox double and single hook bucktails though. For plugs and bucktails I can see cheaping out, the are pricy. But with spoons $30 should buy you as many Len Thompsons as you will need for a summer or two, after that your just replacing a spoon here and there as you lose them. So pretty much skip a case of beer and your covered for spoons. A couple evenings at boston pizza cost more than what you would need to buy a good selection of plugs, bucktails and jigs.

[Jack&7]

I'm kinda with Wayne on this one. It's been my experience that you can pretty much tie anything to a line and the pike will attack it. Heck...even tie your watch and a hook on there and I would bet you would get something.

If you are fishing at a spot that has heavy cover or submerged trees, logs, etc., save a few bucks and use the el cheapo spoons. I have spent way too much time and money cursing snagged "expensive" spoons!

Like it was said earlier, the pike don't care if the spoons are brand name or not.

That being said, the better quality spoons do last longer...so you do get what you pay for. So I have a selection of both better and lesser quality spoons in the tacklebox with similar patterns so that if you think chances are high that you will lose a few, switch to the knock-off versions.

[Cal]

If your fishing around submerged logs and in thick weeds use a spinnerbait or a texas rigged plastic and you will barely lose any hooks at all. True with some lures like jigs you are just going to have to loose alot of them in order to fish them properly, but spoons are not one of those lures.

[Jack&7]

Good point, Cal. I forgot to mention the texas-rigged plastics. Definitely an effective method in heavy cover.

[DarkAisling]

Is this what you're talking about? http://www.catcherman.com/features/rigging/texasrigging030602sportmn.htm

I've never seen or heard of this before.

I don't have any plastics, but it looks easy enough, and plastics are pretty inexpensive. How's the rest of the info in the article: accurate or no?

[Jack&7]

DA...I didn't read the article, but the pics pretty much spell it out. That's what we were referring to. You can see how that would be almost totally snag-proof...except if you get wrapped in a tree and pull hard enough to expose the hook. Otherwise, it will bounce across weed beds, etc.

It works with jig heads and whatever plastic body you want...doesn't necessarily have to be a bullet weight and a 6 inch worm.

Give it a try and good luck!

[Geezle]

That being said, the better quality spoons do last longer...so you do get what you pay for. So I have a selection of both better and lesser quality spoons in the tacklebox with similar patterns so that if you think chances are high that you will lose a few, switch to the knock-off versions.
I'm thinking this is the route I'm going to head...seems to make good sense to me.

Hopefully I can get a couple good deals at TFH's sale this week!

[Unregistered user]

How much do you save per year buying cheap knock-off spoons made in Shanghai over good quality made in Lacombe Alberta?

[JessePat]

[QUOTE=Cal;375843So pretty much skip a case of beer and your covered for spoons. A couple evenings at boston pizza cost more than what you would need to buy a good selection of plugs, bucktails and jigs.[/QUOTE]


Skip a case of beer? Are you serious? I say skip taking the old lady out to Boston Pizza is a better idea.... skip a case of beer... I am shaking my head :lol:

[JessePat]

So pretty much skip a case of beer and your covered for spoons. A couple evenings at boston pizza cost more than what you would need to buy a good selection of plugs, bucktails and jigs.

Skip a case of beer? I think skip taking the Old Lady out to Boston Pizza is a way better idea....skip a case of beer... I am shaking my head :lol:

[DarkAisling]

There's also a big rack at The Fishin' Hole that has all sorts of spoons and big spinners on there for pretty reasonable prices.

I had a good hard look at these today at the Calgary location, and my impression is that they're junk. They didn't seem to have much weight to them, and many of them had the paint chipping off and/or scratches in the paint.

[DarkAisling]

Skip a case of beer? I think skip taking the Old Lady out to Boston Pizza is a way better idea....skip a case of beer... I am shaking my head :lol:

:lol:

I need to get the other-half to chat with you. He frequently chants "a happy wife equals a happy life" (this is when I'm being particularly difficult). Skip the beer and take your lady out. When you think about it, what are the chances that someone else would be willing to put up with you the way she does? ;)

[DarkAisling]

How much do you save per year buying cheap knock-off spoons made in Shanghai over good quality made in Lacombe Alberta?

That's interesting. I didn't know that Len Thompson lures were made in Lacombe. I lived there for a year in '93/'94 and have no idea where the plant is. I think their "platinum" series are great, and I'll probably purchase them over everything else in the future since I now know that they're made here in Alberta.

[Unregistered user]

Here's their address and website,please excuse the flag waving.
http://www.lenthompson.com/

[Geezle]

I had a good hard look at these today at the Calgary location, and my impression is that they're junk. They didn't seem to have much weight to them, and many of them had the paint chipping off and/or scratches in the paint.

Duely noted.

I noticed that they were definitely as heavy as they could be, but I didn't take that close of a look at the paint jobs. I think I'll just be staying away from that rack in the future :)

[Geezle]

How much do you save per year buying cheap knock-off spoons made in Shanghai over good quality made in Lacombe Alberta?

Nothing yet, just bringing it into the discussion :)

[Geezle]

So I've been thinking...

So far I've decided that for the most part I'll stay away from cheaper spoons...seems that for the small savings it's just not worth it.

For plugs I'm still up in the air. Right now I'm shorebound and don't really have anywhere to use them anyway, so it's almost a non-issue.

I'm still not sure about jigs and plastics though. I've learned to avoid the really cheap jigs as the hooks can break, but what about plastics? And are the bulk jigs (and plastics) you can buy at The Fishin' Hole decent? Seems like a good way to get a variety of sizes and shapes without breaking the bank.

[DarkAisling]

Admittedly, I know very little about jigs and plastics. I did have a good look at them (though I didn't purchase any), and I couldn't see anything that was obviously wrong with them.

[Geezle]

Admittedly, I know very little about jigs and plastics. I did have a good look at them (though I didn't purchase any), and I couldn't see anything that was obviously wrong with them.

That's kinda where I'm at too.

I've learned from this thread that the hooks on cheap jigs can break, so of course I don't want that.

As for the plastics...I have no idea. Today I was at The Wal and took a look through their fishing section and picked up two packs of 15 single tail plastics for $.97 each, one pack of black and one pack of yellow. I think the brand is Rattlesnake? I have no idea if they're any good or not, but I have lots of 'em now!


As a sidenote, I see you on here a lot, and you remind me a lot of me. It's too bad you're down in Calgary, I'd like to meet you some time...you seem like cool beans :wave:

[DarkAisling]

As for the plastics...I have no idea. Today I was at The Wal and took a look through their fishing section and picked up two packs of 15 single tail plastics for $.97 each, one pack of black and one pack of yellow. I think the brand is Rattlesnake? I have no idea if they're any good or not, but I have lots of 'em now!

My best guess is that the worst that will happen is that the cheap ones will tear easily. That's a guess, though.


As a sidenote, I see you on here a lot, and you remind me a lot of me. It's too bad you're down in Calgary, I'd like to meet you some time...you seem like cool beans :wave:

:lol: Yeah, my notebook sits on the kitchen table and I've usually got a bunch of tabs open. At least one of those will be AOF. As I'm doing the stay-at-home mom thing right now it provides ample entertainment (with a heavy does of good knowledge) for those free moments, which are frequent but short (except for this time of night, when the other-half is watching TV, the teenager is playing video games, and the little one is sleeping).

Well, at the next mixed AOF gathering in a central location we'll have to have a beer and talk about everything that we don't know about fishing. :lol:

[Deano85]

How do you guys find cheap plugs vs. expensive ones?

[Geezle]

:lol: Yeah, my notebook sits on the kitchen table and I've usually got a bunch of tabs open. At least one of those will be AOF. As I'm doing the stay-at-home mom thing right now it provides ample entertainment (with a heavy does of good knowledge) for those free moments, which are frequent but short (except for this time of night, when the other-half is watching TV, the teenager is playing video games, and the little one is sleeping).

Well, at the next mixed AOF gathering in a central location we'll have to have a beer and talk about everything that we don't know about fishing. :lol:
You're definitely a busy character! And when I'm not at work and actually have time to be at home I've almost always got an AOF tab open in my computer/lizard/personal living room.

I'd definitely love to make it out to one of the AOF gatherings as I'm fairly new to the board and would like to get to know some of the people I'm talking to. So far I've only met BBJ and I had a good time out with him :)

I can't speak for your knowledge, but if we're having a chat about what *I* don't know about fishing...well...I hope there's an abundance of beer around because it'll be qute the chat!

[Geezle]

How do you guys find cheap plugs vs. expensive ones?

I'm curious about this also since I don't currently own any plugs, but I'm sure sooner or later I'll find myself in a spot I can actually use one! :)

[DarkAisling]

We have a bunch of old plugs. I think they're "Canadian Wigglers" but I'm not 100% sure of that. They were used by my mother-in-law for years and she's now passed them onto us. They look "seasoned," but they're holding together very well. We haven't caught anything with them, but she was a very skilled and successful angler in her day. These are almost all she used.

[DarkAisling]

Sorry the pic is fuzzy (took it on my BlackBerry in bad light), but these are the old plugs I'm talking about. These things are 15-20 years old, and were heavily used by my MIL.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_bKySdrQ8G1M/SpX3yvPxr-I/AAAAAAAAA_w/X1zauSI0naE/s640/IMG00145.jpg

[Geezle]

Sorry the pic is fuzzy (took it on my BlackBerry in bad light), but these are the old plugs I'm talking about. These things are 15-20 years old, and were heavily used by my MIL.

[IMG]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_bKySdrQ8G1M/SpX3yvPxr-I/AAAAAAAAA_w/X1zauSI0naE/s640/IMG00145.jpg[/IMG

Given the age those look to be in great shape :)

This makes me think of my grandma. She lives in Meadow Lake (well, on a farm just outside of ML) so location might be a factor here...but I digress. Last time I was up there I was hoping to do some fishing with her, but things just didn't work out. We were going to do some river fishing, but after heading out all the places we stopped at the water was WAY too high and there wasn't any shoreline to fish from.

I did take a look in her tackle box though, and basically it was an old tool box with some random junk in the bottom, and a few rusty spoons and some brown old jigs with ancient plastics on them that look like they've seen better days. I was really shocked because I know of many times she's caught her limit within an hour or two (during the right time of the year) many many times with this gear.

I guess it just goes to show that looks aren't everything! I'm sure experience plays a part here too. Hopefully I'll be going there again around the end of next month...if I think of it I'll try to take a pic of two of the tackle in question just so you can really understand how bad this stuff looked.

[4D7]

Dollar stores sell the red devils for 1 dollar and i've caught lots with them, again they arent as heavy as the name brand lures.

[Cal]

I used to have a bunch of those plugs that you have pictured DA, I had some realy old ones that were made of wood. They caught fish very well, didnt dive very deep but they had a weird zig-zagging action and made alot of noise if you fished them like a popper. I think plastic versions are still popular with sal****er fishermen. And those cheap spoons that you were talking about that you see hanging on racks do work, when I was a kid I used to buy them as I had little money and my parents rarely bought me fish hooks.

[RedHeadedFisherman]

[QUOTE=Geezle;377010]That's kinda where I'm at too.

As for the plastics...I have no idea. Today I was at The Wal and took a look through their fishing section and picked up two packs of 15 single tail plastics for $.97 each, one pack of black and one pack of yellow. I think the brand is Rattlesnake? I have no idea if they're any good or not, but I have lots of 'em now!

I also picked up some of those (yes brand is Rattlesnake) in white 3' curlytail.. works well out at PCR for the 'eyes :D

[impatient_hunter]

Caught my biggest Pike to date last week on a Pelican spoon, with the Maple leafs all over it, the one I chuckled at when my girlfriend picked it out! :o:lol:

18lbs 8oz

There is a Len Thompson spoon that is a canada flag. When I got it I thought that was a hook that looked good but wouldn't work. I have now gone though 3 in the last 5 years and by the time I had lost them there wasn't much paint left.

[RedHeadedFisherman]

There is a Len Thompson spoon that is a canada flag. When I got it I thought that was a hook that looked good but wouldn't work. I have now gone though 3 in the last 5 years and by the time I had lost them there wasn't much paint left.

i have that spoon, still in original pack lol got it for a B-day present 18 years ago lol:D

[Geezle]

I also picked up some of those (yes brand is Rattlesnake) in white 3' curlytail.. works well out at PCR for the 'eyes :D

Good to know :)

Given the lousy luck I've had fishing the NSR around here, I'd really like to hit PCR some time for some more guaranteed action

[DarkAisling]

Well, I was wrong. Those plugs I posted the pick of aren't Canadian Wigglers. They're manufactured by a lure company in Kelowna, which is apparently still in business but is pretty low-key. My MIL can't remember the exact name, so I'll refrain from posting it.

Those $1 spoons might be worth checking out for the kids I fish with. I don't normally buy from dollar stores, as I'm very suspicious of the manufacturing practices involved in producing items for that cheap, but it is hard to pass of a Red Devil for a dollar!

My MIL's tackle was full of stuff that sounds like it fits the description of Geezle's grandmothers tackle box . . . with the plugs I posted the picture of being the rare exception. The rod my MIL gave us was "junk" too. According to the stories we hear, it certainly didn't limit her in her fishing.

Maybe there's something to the saying that the size of an angler's tackle box is an inverse relationship with the skill of the angler? If these seasoned ladies can catch their limits on what appears to be junk (for the most part), maybe we just need to improve our skills and buy the cheap stuff.

[WayneChristie]

you might want to check out some of those old lures your relatives have online, some old original fishing gear can be worth big bucks to a collector, especially old wooden plugs ! might have something worth enough to pick up a whole new outfit. Id have a really hard time selling something like that though, especially with the sentimental value. but they do catch fish!

[Geezle]

Those $1 spoons might be worth checking out for the kids I fish with. I don't normally buy from dollar stores, as I'm very suspicious of the manufacturing practices involved in producing items for that cheap, but it is hard to pass of a Red Devil for a dollar!

Well, I was just at TFH to check out their sale, and I actually grabbed two spoons off that rack. They're in this pic just below the Len Thompson's I picked up .

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii181/GeezleHerps/s6301472.jpg

They're hammered nickel and hammered brass, so no paint to wear off, and they were definitely heavier than the painted ones on the rack. For the price they're disposable.

I also got a few random bulk jig heads, just to see what they were all about. Some of the types seem better than others. I noticed on a couple of the round heads I got, you can see marks on them from the casting. We'll see how they hold up :)



My MIL's tackle was full of stuff that sounds like it fits the description of Geezle's grandmothers tackle box . . . with the plugs I posted the picture of being the rare exception. The rod my MIL gave us was "junk" too. According to the stories we hear, it certainly didn't limit her in her fishing.

Hah...you should see the old beat up rod my grandma is still using!

For as technically advanced as fishing has become, sometimes you just can't beat the basics!

[Geezle]

I forgot to ask earlier, does anybody have experience with the BangTail spinners? :)

[DarkAisling]

I forgot to ask earlier, does anybody have experience with the BangTail spinners? :)

I don't . . . but I'm sure you'll review them for us :)


They're hammered nickel and hammered brass, so no paint to wear off, and they were definitely heavier than the painted ones on the rack. For the price they're disposable.

It looks like you made your money stretch pretty well. I didn't see the hammered ones when I was looking. The would certainly solve the problem with the paint.

you might want to check out some of those old lures your relatives have online, some old original fishing gear can be worth big bucks to a collector, especially old wooden plugs ! might have something worth enough to pick up a whole new outfit. Id have a really hard time selling something like that though, especially with the sentimental value. but they do catch fish!

I don't know if these are old enough to have any collector value. I'll try checking into it though. We've gotten over "sentimental value." We took two loads to the dump earlier this year: they were full of stuff we've been hanging onto for sentiment. Sentiment can turn into clutter really fast! We have a serious clutter problem in this little house, and have a couple more loads to take to the dump. If it hasn't been used in a year . . . off to the dump it goes (unless it is worth selling). We haven't used those plugs . . . but maybe we should have when we were fishing out at Koocanusa as they have caught Kokanee in the past.

[Geezle]

I don't . . . but I'm sure you'll review them for us :)

It looks like you made your money stretch pretty well. I didn't see the hammered ones when I was looking. The would certainly solve the problem with the paint.

I'll definitely review the BangTails...just gotta locate some fish to try them on first!

And I'm all about stretching the money...if you knew my wife you'd understand :innocent:

[Geezle]

So what about "Budget Line"?

A while ago I was at CT and needed some line for tying on weights. After a quick look through what they had, I grabbed a spool of Red Wolf brand "budget line" that appears to be made by Pure Fishing (Berkley)

Now I'll probably never put this stuff on my spool, just because I'm really unsure about it, but it's handy for when I need to tie something up.

Oh yeah, this stuff was $3.99 for a 600yd spool of 10lb test.

[WayneChristie]

Ive used budget line in the Bow for years, with whitefish under 5 pounds you really dont need to be too fancy, and its cheap to replace a few times over the summer. wont perform as good as big name, but if you change it every few weeks who cares? Ive also left it on the reel for 3 or 4 years, never did have any major issues with it. Im not a fishing gear snob, just someone who learned to make do with what I had. still using the cheapo spoons, this one caught me 21 pike today for a dollar, can you really complain about that? and its till in my tackle box for next time, if the fish arent fussy why should I be??? :D
http://i787.photobucket.com/albums/yy156/rollinghillbilly/September%203%2009/DSCF7618.jpg

[Geezle]

Ive used budget line in the Bow for years, with whitefish under 5 pounds you really dont need to be too fancy, and its cheap to replace a few times over the summer. wont perform as good as big name, but if you change it every few weeks who cares? Ive also left it on the reel for 3 or 4 years, never did have any major issues with it. Im not a fishing gear snob, just someone who learned to make do with what I had. still using the cheapo spoons, this one caught me 21 pike today for a dollar, can you really complain about that? and its till in my tackle box for next time, if the fish arent fussy why should I be??? :D
http://i787.photobucket.com/albums/yy156/rollinghillbilly/September%203%2009/DSCF7618.jpg

Yikes, that spoon has definitely been chewed on!

I won't say I'm a fishing gear snob either...I grew up using whatever my dad passed down to me for the most part, and always had a good time at it.

The main point of this thread is to see what's worthwhile and what's not. I like to stretch my dollars, but I don't want to just throw money away on 'crap'...I guess I'm trying to find somewhat of a middle ground :)

Good to see that the budget line isn't complete garbage. Now that I know this, I'm sure some of that line will end up on my spool at some point...especially since I have 600 freakin' yards of the stuff! I'll probably pick up another spool only lighter...around 4lb test for when I try using a fly with my spinning setup :)

[WayneChristie]

if I was going to use 4 pound, or 2 pound which I do sometimes, Id spend a bit more and at least get trilene or another name brand. the crappy stuff is ok since if you buy 10 pound it should be at least 8 or so , but I wouldnt trust the lighter stuff that much. I always used 8 pound knockoff for whitefish, I figured worst case it would be at least equal to 5 or 6 pound of the good stuff.

[Geezle]

if I was going to use 4 pound, or 2 pound which I do sometimes, Id spend a bit more and at least get trilene or another name brand. the crappy stuff is ok since if you buy 10 pound it should be at least 8 or so , but I wouldnt trust the lighter stuff that much. I always used 8 pound knockoff for whitefish, I figured worst case it would be at least equal to 5 or 6 pound of the good stuff.

Hmm...more info to chew on...

I'm assuming that with the setup I have in mind I'll be mostly going for goldeye, so nothing too huge.

I could get a decent spool of 4lb, use that to spool up my new light ice fishing setup, and then keep the rest for the fly thing, since I really shouldn't need that much anyway.

Actually that's what I'll probably end up doing.

Thanks for the tips :)

[WayneChristie]

no prob, always happy to throw in my 1/2 cents worth . going to try and get a pike on 4 pound this weekend, on my microlight, will be using trilene for sure :)

[Geezle]

no prob, always happy to throw in my 1/2 cents worth . going to try and get a pike on 4 pound this weekend, on my microlight, will be using trilene for sure :)

Nice, good luck with that! :)

[WayneChristie]

had one on it at PCR but it was way too big, best Ive caught in this local lake is 11 pounds, figure I can handle that or anything less. or die trying LOL

[Cal]

I've used that red wolf line for many years, its kinda like the berkly Xl line that comes in the red package. Its soft and managable but gets chewed up when fishing around rocks and logs. I switched to berkley big game line this year and I realy like it, its not realy pricy as far as line go's but for what a couple hundred yards of it costs you could probably buy enough red wolf line to last you a couple years.