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Posts: 114
Location: New London, Wisconsin | After reading the article concerning Lindy-Little Joe being pulled out of MN got me thinking a little bit.
In the musky arena of fishing I find myself most loyal to the small tackle munufacturers more so than other types of fishing I do. For example, my favorite bucktails are made 15 minutes form my house and some of my favorite cranks are made 20 minutes the other way. Even the heavy hitters in musky fishing are not multi million dollar subsidiares of some mega company. A month ago I shook Steve Suick's hand and bought a new top water from him. Even Mepps, although not strictly a musky company, has held tight to it's roots in Antigo, WI (probably within a mile of Suick). I find this unique and refreshing in this day and age and I hope this never changes in my lifetime. I know there are some mega companies producing musky gear but I know I don't have any in my boxes. Maybe I'm old fashion.
On the other hand, walleye and bass lures are dominated by mega companies or divisions of mega companies up and down the board. I guess the best explination of this is musky fisherman are probably out numbered 25 to 1, or better, by bass and walleye guys (and gals).
Just an observation as I have to wait another month before the musky hunt begins again.
Good luck,
Labs |
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Posts: 1529
| unfortunately mega companies look at the hard line dollars. unfortunately some have gone offshore to asia. poorer quality. i am a firm believer in buying north american musky lures.. theres something about wooden handbuilt lures.
some say they have magic. |
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Posts: 529
Location: Not Where I Want To Be | Like Labs said the Bass and Eye industry Swallows up the majority of fisherman in North America. That's why i think Musky fisherman are very unique based on a percentage of overall fisherman. I say support the small lure builders that stick to there roots and don't over produce. There's something about holding onto a Handcrafted Wooden Lure that you know alot of time and effort went into. And chances are it's the builders hobby on the side.
Just my Opinion |
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Posts: 114
Location: New London, Wisconsin | Great point concerning wooden lures. I can count my plactic lures (minus Dawgs) on one hand. I may be missing something by sticking with wood but that's OK, it's a hobby of mine not a living.
This also got me thinking of our loyalty to the specialty shops out there (Rollie & Helen's, Thornes, Smokeys, Eagle Sports, Tad Poles and MTO and in my neck of the the woods The Sportsman in Appleton). All of my gear for musky fishing comes from these shops rather than Bass Pro, Gander, Cabelas and Fleet, for the most part. Mostly because of their selection but also want to see these guys succeed and stick around. Without them, where would we be?
Thanks for your thoughts...
Labs
Edited by Labs 4/23/2009 11:36 AM
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Posts: 956
Location: Home of the 2016 World Series Champion Cubs | Was Lindy Sold??? Bought Out???? My point is that a vast majority of poeple go in to business to make money.....support their families and lifestyles. If I develop my business to a point to where someone wants to buy me out and the numbers are feasible or favorable so as to facilitate an equal or better quality of life for my family you better believe I'd think about taking the money. If lure company X gets bought/sold, I doubt that a single angler's true quality of life will depreciate at all if lure X is no longer available. The greatest and/or most immediate impact would be felt by any employees of lure company X. Beyond that I stand on my original statement. I can already hear the arguments but really think about it???
Case in point, Local family bakery here in Chicago where I grew up made no bones about the importance of family and regular vacations. Shutting down the bussiness for two weeks at a time several times throughout the year. BIG signs in the windows would always say "GONE FISHING", "GONE SKIING" A few years ago word got out that there was an interrested buyer for the bakery though it was not "For Sale" to make a long story short, the bakery was sold and the sign in the window said "Permanent Vacation, Come fish with us any time. Thankyou to the best cutomers in the world" The guys in all reality were years from "retirement age" but try and tell that to the family of an old school baker....they've paid their dues. And so do the people in Lure company X.
You can better believe that I have have visited them on more than one occasion as they now have homes in both Delevan Wi. and Cable Wi. Do I miss their products????? HELL YEAH. nobody can do it like they did. Has MY quality of life been adversely affected......no because I can always think about how my relationship as a local consumer has benefitted a local entrepenurer. He didnt sell out. He didnt walk out on his customers. I wish him well and still thank him every time I head back home to Chicago from his place after a day/weekend of fishing
Edited by KARLOUTDOORS 4/23/2009 4:20 PM
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Posts: 1901
Location: MN | It may change in the future, but I don't think we have to worry about anybody in the musky bait business getting uber-rich anytime soon. And thankfully not many are in it to get rich, it's usually an extension of their love for the sport, and just trying to make a living. It's tough out there... But I appreciate that almost to a person, they're all looking to help somebody out, innovate new products, teach new methods...most are just all-around good guys. |
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Posts: 692
Location: Pelican Rapids, MN | Like woodie said, the only qualm besides loyalty is quality of materials - Example - Look at M/G Spiinerbaits... To a musky fisherman the old ones are priceless, but since Lindy took over manufacturing they are cheap and easily broken. Look at double 10's, the mass produced bucktails can't touch the quality of the DCG or other independent lure makers models. Mass production often leads to a mass of garbage. |
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Posts: 1901
Location: MN | I agree, lots of knockoffs, many lacking the quality of the original, all trying to cash in on a new craze. Most aren't made deliberately cheap, but there are often differences. I usually patronize the original guy. |
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Posts: 408
Location: Omaha, Nebraska | Jsondag - 4/24/2009 9:37 AM
Like woodie said, the only qualm besides loyalty is quality of materials - Example - Look at M/G Spiinerbaits... To a musky fisherman the old ones are priceless, but since Lindy took over manufacturing they are cheap and easily broken. Look at double 10's, the mass produced bucktails can't touch the quality of the DCG or other independent lure makers models. Mass production often leads to a mass of garbage.
Yes M/G sold out but the owner is till making spinners under a new name that are just as killer
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Posts: 34
| I'm really happy that it's still easy to find made in USA lures. I check every thing I buy to see where it is made from snap swivels to rods. |
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| DEMolishedyou - 4/26/2009 7:16 PM
Jsondag - 4/24/2009 9:37 AM
Like woodie said, the only qualm besides loyalty is quality of materials - Example - Look at M/G Spiinerbaits... To a musky fisherman the old ones are priceless, but since Lindy took over manufacturing they are cheap and easily broken. Look at double 10's, the mass produced bucktails can't touch the quality of the DCG or other independent lure makers models. Mass production often leads to a mass of garbage.
Yes M/G sold out but the owner is till making spinners under a new name that are just as killer
What's the "new name" ? I'd like to check them out. |
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Location: SE Wisconsin | I want to change the pace a little here and talk about reproductions. Lax and Fittante lead the forefront of this industry around Wisconsin and Minnesota. . . Does anyone compare? Who have you had work done by and how did it look? Pictures?
I just came across this website by accident and was wowed!! This is not an advertisement, I just wonder, has anyone had work done by these guys? Expensive? How is it? Blah blah blah. . .
http://www.advancedtaxidermy.com/fish-repro.html
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| Guest - 4/27/2009 12:54 AM
DEMolishedyou - 4/26/2009 7:16 PM
Jsondag - 4/24/2009 9:37 AM
Like woodie said, the only qualm besides loyalty is quality of materials - Example - Look at M/G Spiinerbaits... To a musky fisherman the old ones are priceless, but since Lindy took over manufacturing they are cheap and easily broken. Look at double 10's, the mass produced bucktails can't touch the quality of the DCG or other independent lure makers models. Mass production often leads to a mass of garbage.
Yes M/G sold out but the owner is till making spinners under a new name that are just as killer
What's the "new name" ? I'd like to check them out.
Steve now manufactures under the name of muskie machinery. He has a pretty cool website set up too. It is www.muskiemachinery.com Check it out. |
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Posts: 3147
| Dave Stanoch at one time also owned M&G,,,,theres a good chance he will have spinnerbaits 'fresh tied' for sale at the TC chapter swapmeet in June,,,its hard to beat these baits for quality!!!
also has a sidenote Ive posted this before,,,but a couple years back Rappala which is HQ'd here in the twin cities came has our guest Speaker to our Twin Cities chapter Muskies inc meeting one month,,,they sent a couple of their muskie tackle reps they remarked that they had it pegged at about six thousand bait ceiling for baits,,,Our members "begged,pleaded" for them to make a bigger muskie size Husky Jerk model but the reps were quite honest and said that the company just will not retool for a six thousand bait market has compared to 250 thousand risto raps that were sold in the first 3 months of release. |
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Posts: 692
Location: Pelican Rapids, MN | Advanced taxidermy does some awesome work - Their muskies are a bit weak though - The molds, paint job, teeth, everything are sweet - It's just the color is off - They're pike are second to none though! Here is a replica of my 49.5" manitoba pike they did.
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | triton1,
You link doesn't work. |
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Posts: 126
| I forgot to log on too. I'll double check that.
Sorry. www.mmbaits.com
Edited by triton1 5/11/2009 6:37 PM
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Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | There you go. |
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Location: Sawyer County, WI |
Those are certainly nice baits. The website appears to be very "beta", but it's nice to see what is (will be) available. Now, where can they be purchased ?
Thanks in advance. |
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Posts: 910
Location: Hastings, mn, 55033 | I thought the original M&G guy was named Marv something? |
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Posts: 4343
Location: Smith Creek | Marv Kiley? He used to make spinners and guide out of Witch Bay. Not sure if that's the guy. |
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