BigRock

Hey brothers, just wanted to say if there is any question about whether a plug was made by me go right ahead and ask me. One recently advertised as mine is not, don't think the fellow knew that, definitely not mine.

Unfortunately that one didn't last very long. One bad fall in Montauk wearing it over a wetsuit and there was a foot long vent in the back...not a good night

When scoping out a new spot, go with 20lb leader and tie on a bank sinker of the same weight as the jigs you will be using, this way you only loose a sinker and some leader material, you will still have the swivel left on the braid. Tie a loop on the end and thread you sinker on the loop, no terminal tackle lost. Once you get it laid out go to 40lb leader tied the way you are doing it now, with the swivel.

So what splash jackets are you guys recommending for the surf? My Grundens anorak has had it, and I almost swallowed my tongue seeing prices for some of the new gear.

Sounds like the plug expanded once you got it wet. What kind of wood, and what kind of epoxy? Bad adhesion as well. Certain epoxies dont stick well to finished surfaces.Was the inside of the plug thouroghly sealed? Red cedar will absorb quite a bit of water and expand, popping the epoxy right off.

Ask yourself this; where are you mainly fishing? Do you need to launch a lure halfway to London to catch or are you in situations where you are pulling big bass out of current? Fast action super slingers will launch lures, but fighting fish on those fast rods will kick your butt pulling a cow from a rip. A Lami GSB practically fights the fish for you. It's a lot of cash to lay out. The new breed of fast rods are very adverse to small nicks and dings, eventually they will fail at such locations, it's the nature of the beast. I've seen $500 rods blow right up from high sticking, something that frequently occurs jetty fishing. These types of rods are very thin walled to facilitate the extreme light weight, I won't say fragile, but far less forgiving.

This topic is tough, there are many mixed feelings. Spirits evaporate quickly and aid in drying time, and promote penetration. There is no level of hardness that can be obtained by this process that will prevent hook rash or teeth marks. The necessity of sealing greatly depends on the type of wood used. I did a season long test with a bare AYC plug a while back, which showed relatively no water absorption during prolonged fishing, and nothing that ever negatively affected the performance of the plug. The same plug turned from red cedar turned into a lifeless turd after an hour in the water because it soaked up so much water. Use a thin epoxy made for sealing rotted wood, it's easier than you think, and hardens the wood dramatically, The lower the viscosity the better it will penetrate, and will give you a well sealed lure. It will flow through the belly and thru wire holes without clogging them as well.

Never liked a folder for the surf, prefer a fixed blade.

So who is still here, it's been a long time!!

Hey buddy

Casts better than most metal lips squids, its shape and the fact its 5" and 2oz gives it some juice to cut through the wind. In the video I was using a 9' spinning rod and had to short cast so I didnt drown the camera man while he was trying to film a splash down...lol:D