bladesandbaits Posted May 20, 2005 Report Share Posted May 20, 2005 A recent thread on Bill Dance Outdoors caught my attention.You can read it at the link posted below. I call your attention to the 14th or 15th post in that thread. Please correct me if I am wrong! If we follow the logic in that post,does this mean that 99% of us here at TU are not Lure Makers? I have only been at TU less than a year but noticed this guy named Carolina Chip must have been a big influence to alot of people here according to his claim. I was wondering with his 31 years experience how many of you at TU he influenced.I remember this guy being around on TU when I first joined but he dissapeared. Does anyone know why?Were we just amatures in his veiw? As of 5/23/05 this thread was deleted. http://www.billdanceoutdoors.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=6;t=007251 Thanks B&B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Posted May 20, 2005 Report Share Posted May 20, 2005 This is a can of worms I'd just asoon keep a lid on...alot went on behind the scenes here that only the staff members are aware of,and we want to keep it that way.As for his comments...NO COMMENT..Nathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeminoleFan Posted May 20, 2005 Report Share Posted May 20, 2005 Well said Nathan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LedHed Posted May 20, 2005 Report Share Posted May 20, 2005 Read the posts and you know what they say about opinions..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redg8r Posted May 20, 2005 Report Share Posted May 20, 2005 His mention of a site wanting money from him wasnt us. Chip is an agressive self promoter & a dedicated luremaker. I dont agree with his opinions on promotion & prostaff, but hey, he could go big & I wish him luck. Just because Ive only sold 2 lures doesnt mean Im not a "custom luremaker" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tally Posted May 20, 2005 Report Share Posted May 20, 2005 Blades, I was directed to that link just last night . I can honestly say that he was not the influence on me. I might have picked his brain a time or two, but that was only because I was new and he had been making lures for some time. I never really had an opinion about the man one way or another until I read that post. It must be awfully lonely at the top and I hope I am NEVER in his position. Maybe he will see this post and then go back and read his post and apply some form of apology. I am sure that before he became rich and famous and had no "pro-staff" (let alone someone who fishes his baits and qualifies for the classic) he still called himself and custom lure maker. Chip if you are looking at this post, a custom lure maker does not even have to sell or give any of his baits away. just my 2 cents, but someone needs to tell him, his s@*#! STINKS too!!!!!! Tally one more thing: who ever kicked him off of TU, thank you!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaPala Posted May 20, 2005 Report Share Posted May 20, 2005 SUCH ARROGANCE!!!! I'm glad he's not with us in TU anymore. Anyway I believe a true Custom Lure Maker are those who don't do production runs. When it comes to Lures for $$ it has to be a trade off somewhere. When someone does lures one by one & every one is weighted individually, tune & tested then painted with limited edition paint schemces then it is custom lures --- bringing it closer to art than product. (Just my passion & 2 cents ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeeter Posted May 21, 2005 Report Share Posted May 21, 2005 His opinion does not matter. Chip is a lure maker like the rest of us. To me a custom lure maker is someone that modifies a lure from its original state. Just like Calvin Johnson when he makes changes to Bagley or Rapala lures. Other than that you are a bait maker. That is what I am. I am not a custom crankbait maker. I am a crankbait maker that takes alot of pride in his work. I work very hard to make a precission crankbait. I do not need a pro staff to tell me if my lures are good or bad. I AM a crankbait fisherman and I know for myself if a lure that I make is good or bad. Most of the pros out there do not know what the properties of a good crankbait are. Because a person fishes for money does not mean that he knows crankbaits. You can put the best crankbait in the hands of a "pro" and if he can't find the fish then it does not matter. Either your baits produce when put in the right hands or they do not. It is that simple. Some folks just have to make themselves feel better. I have taught quite a few folks to make crankbaits myself. But that does not mean that I make a better crankbait than they do. Personally I do not care if someone has alot of money to throw on promoting themselves. It does not mean that they are good at making crankbaits. That is true for anyone. None of his pro staff are crankbait fishermen. Big deal if they use his baits. I for one am not impressed. I have two sons. They are 20 and 23 yrs. old. I have taught them how to fish crankbaits. I would put my two boys against any of the pros on his staff anytime, anywhere. They are that good. No brag........ just fact. Skeeter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mylures Posted May 21, 2005 Report Share Posted May 21, 2005 I agree 100% with you Skeeter. Tell it the way it is. I don't have any pro staff and I catch fish on my crankbaits. I also agree with LaPala big time. I'm not saying the guy isn't good at what he does, its just the way he come across and most people don't like that. I wouldn't even want one of those baits in my tacklebox and I'm sure I am not alone on this one. Just my opinion. Ken Schmitz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mojo Posted May 22, 2005 Report Share Posted May 22, 2005 I am a custom luremaker. It says so right on the back of my TU t-shirt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyncke Posted May 22, 2005 Report Share Posted May 22, 2005 My son-in-law makes crankbaits, top water, and saltwater lures. He's earning a pretty good reputation with area fishermen. I really believe his humility completes the package. So. . . . . what Skeeter, Mylures, and Mojo said, AMEN! Lyncke Make a fishin' pact - don't ever stop! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lure--Prof Posted May 22, 2005 Report Share Posted May 22, 2005 Amen guys... Most of us here, if we had to have a pro staff to tell us whether or not our lures were worthy simply wouldn't be doing this to begin with. We wouldn't have either the knowledge, and more importantly the desire to pursue our craft, which is the same desire that drives us to fish. It is more than a little ironic that by his definition, none of the original fisherman/craftsmen whose work Chip emulates were custom lure makers. Probably half the bass i've caught on surface since I was 13 have been on my own lures and I'm 52. I was fortunate to have a great fisherman/lure carver for my mentor, but my learning curve simply took off after joining this site. So did Chip's. Dean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodieb8 Posted May 22, 2005 Report Share Posted May 22, 2005 self promotion and egos. i have been at it a very long time. i have learned long ago never get up on the soapbox. there always someone to kick it out from under you. this site and all of its luremakers are a very iniative group of adventerous people.. we do production and customs and believe mei would rather be a custom adventerous person as all on this site. remember where did the wheel comefrom guys. keep on and thanks for the info and the sharing of many GREAT ideas. george woodie b8s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benton B Posted May 23, 2005 Report Share Posted May 23, 2005 I could be wrong, but to me a custom lure maker is one who cuts, carves, or paints a piece of wood or plastic and uses it to catch fish. It does not matter how pretty or flashy the lure is, or if you sell 1000 baits per year, only if it works. C. Chip is a nice person that has answered alot of questions about making crankbaits but that post has really shaken my opinion about him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeminoleFan Posted May 23, 2005 Report Share Posted May 23, 2005 hmm.. Deleted out of respect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richoc Posted May 24, 2005 Report Share Posted May 24, 2005 I have a pro-staff....$240,000.00 Won on my baits in the last 2 years. All walleye fishing. FLW,PWT,MWC,WAT, and MWS all circuits most of you guys may never have heard of, but you will. I design products from scratch, make the molds, test the product, and sell to a few limited fisher persons. There is a patent one of my products. I paint and modifiy existing market lures. I am a Bait Maker. I will be going self promoting and doing it for money big time soon. (need to make money some way) Own Website and all.( nothing like this) I hope I will not lose any friends I have made here when this happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lure--Prof Posted May 24, 2005 Report Share Posted May 24, 2005 Richoc, When I was tournament fishing hot & heavy I always said that all the BS stops at the weigh-in. Congratulations on the success your lures are having. Sounds like the time is ripe for you to take it to the next level. Good Luck :!: :!: Dean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redg8r Posted May 24, 2005 Report Share Posted May 24, 2005 Rich, Dont misinterpret the discussion. The issue isnt about going big, MANY users would love to see thier efforts rewarded by going big, but one shouldnt crap on thier collegues by saying if you dont have a prostaff & sink thousands into promotion, then youre not a true "luremaker". thats nonsense, Im sure youll agree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tally Posted May 25, 2005 Report Share Posted May 25, 2005 Here is a simple answer to the question. You have to be a TU member in good standings. Sorry chip ...........you don't qualify Tally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mojo Posted May 25, 2005 Report Share Posted May 25, 2005 I do have to say one thing about this site and it's moderator. I'm VERY impressed with the response to this topic. This board has always been very mellow and the subject of luremaking is essentially all that has ever been discussed here, as far as I remember. The fact that this subject has been allowed to remain (thanks Red!) is impressive in itself. But the main thing has been everyone's definition of a luremaker. If I pour a bait, with plastic that I bought, into a mold that 100 other people have, using the same glitter, scent, etc that everyone else uses, IT'S STILL CUSTOM! It's the fact that I poured that makes it unique. It isn't like all the other machine produced lures on the market. 5 batches of the exact same bait will come out different because there are slight variations of plastic to softener to salt to glitter, etc. The same can be said of cranks and spinnerbaits that are made from scratch, or repainted. They're all custom. So, THANKS RED! Great site and I'll keep coming back for as long it's the TU is around. And I do wear my TU t-shirt with pride because it's CUSTOM! Around my town anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redg8r Posted May 25, 2005 Report Share Posted May 25, 2005 Great site and I'll keep coming back for as long it's the TU is around. And I do wear my TU t-shirt with pride because it's CUSTOM! Around my town anyway. Thanks, Thats a custom shirt, cause I silkscreened it myself, on my handmade screen press, but I dont make a 1000 run batches, so Im not a "custom tshirt maker" I saw the post in reference has been edited out & replaced with his portrait over at BDO which is typical of him, when he left TU the first time he edited all his posts, replacing them with remarks to the TU mods. I knew he would & have a copy of the original post, but I wont post it. The fact of the matter is, that many luremakers do it for the enjoyment of doing it, many will supplement thier income by offering thier work, maybe a couple baits, maybe a couple thousand, some like Richoc & chip will pull out all the stops & go for the gold, some wont even sell a bait & prefer to actually make a few to fish themselves. We're all luremakers & shouldnt be held only to a business type standard, or numbers period. If you wanna compare numbers it should be whats in the livewell & not whats on your sales report. We wish everyone looking to make luremaking a business, the best of luck & a positive learning experience. & we hope TU can be of some help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onlybass Posted May 25, 2005 Report Share Posted May 25, 2005 If a lure is built/modified to a customer's specifications,not "off the shelf" that is a custom lure.Thats all semantics and really not the main issue,but I think Red has said it quite well and I will add what he didn't,do you like your lure? And what he can't,someone has a Chip on their shoulder and it is from a Cow not Carolina. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mojo Posted May 25, 2005 Report Share Posted May 25, 2005 And what he can't,someone has a Chip on their shoulder and it is from a Cow not Carolina. DOH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
