SW Lures Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 I was out yesterday picking up some materials for hard baits. I found some 1/16" lexan in stock. Yippy!!!! Then I went to a tackle store to get some new tackle bags to replace my wore out boxes and get some new line. As I worked my way round and found a show case and lock with baits in it with swimbaits that caught my eye because of the prices and the craftmanship. These were suppose to be high end, I believe hand made. People let me tell you these did not impress me at all. Not from my work necessarily, but from what I have seen here. I was looking at the baits ranging from $30-85. I chuckled and a sales person setting up to run a spool of line heard me chuckle. He ask would I pay that much for one of those baits? I smiled and replied...no. As he filled my order we talked and he introduced me to his manager. I explained that I make cranks, jigs and could not believe the price for those baits. To boil this down, I have to meet him again next week and show him some of mine. I told him straight up that I'm a part time hoppiest. Never the less I showed him some pic.'s and he was interested. I'm more curious about the offer then actually accepting any. Worth just to learn something. I know about the Roman? $500 bait, but dang $85 for a wide open hinge/joint and a ok paint scheme. When I say that I'm impressed....I am. These are not in the ball park with y'all's. I don't know much, but I do know that these are not. Heck I haven't even seen it swim? WOW, Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earthworm77 Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 (edited) Some of what is out there and the prices of it makes me scratch my head as well. I think if an ugly bait catches a big fish in swimbait circles of California, it gains a reputation and that add to its price tag. Again some of the most expensive baits are not the best looking or highest quality crafted ones.....it seems. The Roman stuff might be great, but I can't imagine there aren't lesser costing baits that are equally if not more effective. Edited January 22, 2017 by earthworm77 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 I don't see the price as being out of line to be honest. A 30 buck bait is about what anyone that makes a swim bait should be able to get. At 30 bucks most guys wouldn't be surprised if they chucked the bait in the trash after an outing or two of if they found a gem. Yes you can find lesser priced baits that are as good or better as high end ones...they key for most guys is that the high end bait performs as expected with very little deviation from bait to bait. Once a name gets associated with a bait you can buy in much greater confidence. Of course some guys will buy it just because of the price and it "validates" their angling prowess. The real key to baits is do they catch fish. No way to make a judgement on a bait unless you have fished them. I have bought a lot of hand made baits from guys over the years both hard and soft and can comfortably say I wished photos translated into a good bait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 Here's a facebook li nk to one of the best swimbait fishing teams out here on the left coast: https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=tacticalbassin glide baits They have a youtube site with teaching videos, and they're all free. They recommend the River 2 Sea S waver as a economical glide bait that works really well. I know it does for me. I used to make and sell jointed swimbaits. I had it down to 3 1/2 hours per bait, start to finish, and then another day for E tex top coating on the turner. That was making them in batches of 6 at a time. If you take 3 1/2 hours, and multiply it by the wage you need to make, like $25/hour, you can see that charging $100 for a hand made jointed swimbait is not that big a stretch. If you don't feel like you're getting a fair price for your work, you'll wind up resenting it every time you go to make a lure for sale, and that will kill the fun of lure making. It did for me. I only make cranks and smaller baits now, and only for my own fishing. I like trying to figure out why a bait works the way it does, and trying to improve on them. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earthworm77 Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 What is the body of the Hinkle baits made of, are they wood or resin? Dome of them are selling for over 600.00. And they are normally 300 to 500 each. Is that excessive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 I have to think the Hinkle baits are all hand made, tuned, and tested. They have such a devoted following, they must work! They do get a good price for them. Is the price high? Yes. Too high? I guess that depends on what you're looking for. As a friend said to me one time, if you get what you've paid for, you're not overpaying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 I think another aspect many don't take into account is most guys buying these 200$ plus baits are specialized anglers. Some guys will say 100 dollar reel and 100 rod is expensive. They won't spend more and they will end up with two dozen rod/reel set ups that cost on average 200 bucks... and only use 6 of them and will quickly let you know the guy that spends 400 on his 6 set ups he fishes all the time is a fool for parting with his money. A guy can easily have several thousands tied up cranks, traps, spinner baits, jigs, soft plastics, etc.. to fish and see that as not being excessive but yet the same money into specialized baits is ridiculous. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 I agree with Mark. If I was going to work building and selling baits, I would want to clear a minimum $25ph. With the cost of postage from my location this would price my baits out of the market, so I stopped that idea before even getting started. This is why you will never find a Vman lure out there, I build for my own entertainment, I don't even give them away. Even though I know that $85 for a swim-bait is entirely justified, I would never feel justified parting with that much money for a bait. Dave 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted January 22, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 I should have and may take picture of these. These are not even in the league with the ones Mark referred to. I guess the original purpose of this thread was about those that I saw. I also believe I was wondering where I should hold to in the cost that I want.....really not meaning to. Keep at it, this is interesting no matter which way this will go for me. It does take a lot of time to make a bait. There were more stick, poppers in the case. I fish the rapala, kings, storm, bagley or whatever and I have many of them all. I just was stunned to see those prices for a low grade product. When I see what I see here. Like I say, it what the bait catches, not always what it looks like. These have to have a helluva action or fish appeal. Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted January 22, 2017 Report Share Posted January 22, 2017 First of all, I don't fish large swimbaits. But I've heard of Roman swimbaits on the internet forums and blogs and they have a reputation for catching fish in California, where those babied trout-fed behemoths roam. The bottom line is always - Do they catch fish? if they do, and big ones, and have built a reputation for doing so, there are guys who will pay almost any amount of money you can imagine for them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dink Master Posted January 23, 2017 Report Share Posted January 23, 2017 Roman Made Swimbaits Check this out. http://www.tackletour.com/autopsyromanmademother.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stretcher66 Posted January 23, 2017 Report Share Posted January 23, 2017 and romans are made in japan, so as vman said the shipping is a huge part of the japanese made tackle prices being higher than the domestic tackle. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted January 23, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2017 Tariffs are not that high. Second the Roman is made well, unlike the topic subject product. Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronBass Posted January 25, 2017 Report Share Posted January 25, 2017 On January 22, 2017 at 10:03 AM, earthworm77 said: What is the body of the Hinkle baits made of, are they wood or resin? Dome of them are selling for over 600.00. And they are normally 300 to 500 each. Is that excessive? They are a resin hand pour, when they where a production bait they retailed for around $225 maybe $250. I wouldn't say it is excessive because that is not what the manufacture retailed the bait for, $300 to $600 is what anglers are paying for second hand baits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jigginpig Posted January 25, 2017 Report Share Posted January 25, 2017 Well, kidneys are made out of meat, and they go for a pretty penny. A bait is worth exactly what people are willing to pay for it. That Pat's Perch bait, man, people pay through the nose for that thing. A lot of you guys could make a bait like that with if you were drunk. Yeah, fish eat it. But like I always say, fish eat whatever it is you get wet, not what is in your bag. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.harper603 Posted January 25, 2017 Report Share Posted January 25, 2017 6 minutes ago, jigginpig said: Well, kidneys are made out of meat, and they go for a pretty penny. A bait is worth exactly what people are willing to pay for it. That Pat's Perch bait, man, people pay through the nose for that thing. A lot of you guys could make a bait like that with if you were drunk. Yeah, fish eat it. But like I always say, fish eat whatever it is you get wet, not what is in your bag. This year is my first year that i only fished Swimbaits, id love a pats bait but cant bring myself to afford the $300+ price tag one gets. If you can get one from pat he sells them for $75. I'm quite fed up with a bait I've had in my hands that i know i can make on my own. So that's what I've started to do. I have about what 2 pats would go for into what i needed for tools that I didn't already have. Now if we were talking about 3:16 baits those are some high quality baits right there and Mickey knows how to make some incredible stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jigginpig Posted January 25, 2017 Report Share Posted January 25, 2017 Yeah, Mickey is good at what he does. People seriously pay $300 for a Pat's Perch? Jesus. It is a broomstick. Make it yourself people!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.harper603 Posted January 25, 2017 Report Share Posted January 25, 2017 7 hours ago, jigginpig said: Yeah, Mickey is good at what he does. People seriously pay $300 for a Pat's Perch? Jesus. It is a broomstick. Make it yourself people!!! I know it's hard to believe but the 3 that I've found that people wanted to let go that's what they were asking. There's a pats snake up on swimbait underground and there is no set price just says "pm offers" so it will go to whoever wants to pay the most. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted January 25, 2017 Report Share Posted January 25, 2017 It really doesn't matter what it looks like, reputation is everything. You don't get a rep' unless it catches big time, and Pat's Perch has that rep. I would love to see a video of the swim action but could not find one. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jigginpig Posted January 25, 2017 Report Share Posted January 25, 2017 It's a Slammer copy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.harper603 Posted January 25, 2017 Report Share Posted January 25, 2017 Haha for real. It's a 2x slammer that has a different style joint and usually dives better than it wakes. Yes the bait does have a great reputation but for as simple as the bait is the price tag is a little steep usually. Without doubt it is a great bait and pat definitely knows what he's doing. But he only sells to a select few people who then distribute them to whom they choose and for what price that choose. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northeast_trev Posted January 31, 2017 Report Share Posted January 31, 2017 The price is justified by your style of fishing. As mentioned above, i could have 10 rods tied up on the deck of the boat with 2 compartments filled with cranks and 50 bags of senkos. Or i can have two rods, a box of swimbaits i have confidence in, and a net. Certain baits/baitmakers that gain a following and are more popular than others depending on availability. With limited availability comes a "mystique". To get a brand new Hinkle, the list is years long. Mickey (3:16) does small batch releases which are becoming more frequent but until now his releases have been sporadic causing the hype. And people want the baits, so they wait with money burning a hole in their pocket. Keep in mind that most swimbait fisherman collect the baits as a hobby. Many to never touch water. Pat has his own style of retail as Derek mentioned, making it damn near impossible to get one from him directly. A few years back it was all about Huddleston, Rago, Deps, Castaic, Optimum... Now the smaller makers have taken over the market. Pats, 3:16, Burrito, HPH, Hinkle, Triple Trout 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted January 31, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2017 Northeast you stated the golden word. "Confidence" and I can't explain it. I agree 100% with that. I can throw a bait that has no reason not to catch a fish but I just can't. I can take another and not really like the color or whatever and slay them. Once a few is in the boat, I'm in love. Someone wrote long ago, that we may present the baits we trust different then one we may not have as much confidence in........I don't know. Interesting topic tho. Now your other comment about a bait never touching water. Yeah I'm sure people like to show and tell with baits like them. For me I'll take the two rods and the baits that I'm confident with and what I need. My show and tell is pic's of the fish to family & friends, Yepper! Take care, Dale 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northeast_trev Posted January 31, 2017 Report Share Posted January 31, 2017 24 minutes ago, DaleSW said: My show and tell is pic's of the fish to family & friends, Yepper! Take care, Dale Nothing like sticking a fish on a multi-hundred dollar bait after grinding for a few hours. Especially when people are like "holy crap thats the bait! its bigger than the fish i catch!" Mike Gilbert has a good writeup on his workingclasszero website about the swimbait mentality and how it changes the way you approach fishing. Worth it for anyone curious about how it becomes an addiction Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted February 1, 2017 Report Share Posted February 1, 2017 (edited) Here are two picture of fish that ate big baits I made that shouldn't have eaten such a big bait. One is my buddy with a small largemouth on an 8" trout, and the other is a smallie I caught on another 8" bait. I used to make and sell jointed swimbaits, so I always had several tied on, and fished them a lot. I fish dirtier water now, so I don't fish them as much anymore, but I'm going to throw them more this year. Edited February 1, 2017 by mark poulson 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
