Alliance of Independent Tackle Craftsmen - Mission Statement

[Tally]

WOW!!!!!!!

I have a couple of baits in my tackle box that draw eeoowws and awhs from whoever looks at them --" thats magnificent did you really make that" or "oh what a beautiful lure I wish I had something like that" then I have an old beat up bait that nobody comments on--the paint is worn off it is chipped and there are hook rakes 1/4 inch deep cut into it. The difference in the baits? Yes that's right the beat up one that looks like crap has caught over 200 muskies the other two well to date they haven't caught a thing. Now tell me which bait would you rather have.

I am sure that everyone has plenty of store bought lures in their tackle box that have not caught fish or not as many fish. I don't think guaranteeing catching fish is a good road to follow. I think quality of the craftsmanship and meeting standards of the association is. If I had a lure I could guarantee would catch fish every time I threw it, I would not need an association!

This could be a hardship to some baitmakers. Some of the guys have baits that take weeks to make. I have seen some prices over $100 or $200 for these baits and for the amount of time and effort it takes to make them I can understand the high price---you really can't ask these guys to send a half of dozen baits to panel members for testing then keep the baits.

I don't think the association will be asking anyone to send their lures for testing unless they want to be part of the association and have the seal of approval!

Another problem---A guy manages to create a good looking bait that runs

good in the water. The panel gives the bait a high rating, seal of approval, commendation or whatever. The guy then goes out cuts corners and dumps an inferior product on the market, carrying the associations name and seal of approval.

Welcome to the real world, it happens all the time. Only the pride of the maker and his loyalty to the association can stop that. Let's face it, who ever joins the association is doing so because they would like to sell their lures and if they produce junk after the seal of approval they won't be selling many baits anyway, seal or no seal!!!!!

A guy cuts the end off a broom handle puts a Cisco Kid lip on it and sends it in for approval saying it doesn't look real fancy but really catches muskie. The panel tests it and send back a letter " You must be kidding that is a piece of junk" Later that month a headline appears in newspaper--NEW BROOMHANDLE BAIT MAKES KILLING ON THE ST. LAWRANCE-- hmm maybe the panel should have approved that bait?

Take a ride to Nashville and talk to record labels, 2 quick examples are Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn, how many record labels passed on these 2 stars and have kicked themselves in the rear end. This could and probably would happen with a few lures. Come on guys, this is not a perfect world.

The more and more I read, the more and more I like the eBay rating system the best. The customers are the ones who should judge the final product. They are the ones forking out the dough, getting the customer service and fishing the lure/bait.

You are absolutely correct about the customers being the final judge. Maybe on the associations site under the lure there can be a place for customer feedback. This would also keep the association informed on the lures they have giving the seal of approval to.

After reading everyones responses, I have a question. If the association is supposed to protect the buyer from buying a sub-standard bait and paying top dollar for it, then (as Muskie Magnet said) how can you/we attest to its preformance? Are we just saying the bait is "constructed" to our standards but as far as preformance you are on your own. If thats what we're saying, then I think we should either address both aspects of a bait or none at all. Does that make sense?

Are you really going to spend your time making a lure that does not catch fish? I don't think so. The only thing I see the association can do is to say it has met the standards of the association.

No matter how the ground work is laid out, you will be able to find fault. No one is holding a gun to any ones head and saying you must join. Nothing that is being said here is written in stone, it is just ideas on the association's direction. It is pretty easy to sit back and criticize, but where are the suggestions to improve the plan? Banks were built to protect your money, yet they get robbed. Prisons were built to keep criminals out of the general population, yet they escape. This is all just a starting point so we can move forward and granted, there are plenty of challenges ahead.

Tally

[Mojo]

Interesting read. Lots of good and not-so-good suggestions.

For the naysayers, maybe this will help.

Think of the association's seal at a UL Listing. I may buy a blow dryer, but I won't use it in the tub unless it's UL Listed.

[basskat]

I sell very few baits now. There's just not enough time in the day for it. I still make LOTS of baits for myself and sell to a select few. For people like me, we wouldn't care if we had a rating. I'm not against it, I'd send baits in for approval although I have no plans to sell them.

If this thing gets off the ground it could have many benefits for ALL baitmakers. If you wanted your baits to have the AITC seal send them in, if not don't. Just because you don't have the seal doesn't mean you can't sell them or that they want catch fish!

People are getting worked up over this stamp of approval thing way too much.

[SpoRoller]

Just now getting time to read all this information and I think that an Association is a good idea. There could be areas that cover the range of people here on the site, from the craftsman to the artists (for all types of baits) and from the hobbyist to the ones that want to sell their products. I agree about not having a rating for an individual but rather to have one for the lure itself. However, I am not entirely opposed to a rating system for individuals or companies. If we all are involved in the process of forming an association then the end result should be one that we all accept as our own. So far I have not seen anything mentioned that would cause me not to join this association.

We all must remember that you can't please everyone all the time but can strive to please all most of the time.

[earthworm77]

As a manufacturer, I expect to become more involved with this association as time progresses. I do see the potential for it benefitting us in the long run. I don't want to see this become a circle jerk where every guy slaps the other on the back just to be nice, there is no doubt that standards must be defined and spelled out and ultimately followed. I've had correspondence with Nathan about a few things. Initially the rating system was my greatest concern because I could not see a clear cut fair way to do it. Should I submit my baits to a group of guys who may have some type of allegiance already formed and have them put my work down publicly??? Can this be done fairly? I'm hoping that a feedback type of venue like Ebay would be the meter because in truth, although we are striving towards a unified goal, we are all very much competing for the same pool of cash. Could someone who was my competition judge my work honestly. There is just no credibility there.

I have no problems sharing info with guys but some things will remain sacred and I expect that from everyone. Everyone who is going to get involved with this needs to ask themselves a few things.....1-What do you hope to gain from it? 2-What do you have to offer? 3-Are you really cut out for this? By that I mean do you produce baits commercially or for profit?

For those of you who know me and have read my articles on various other sites, you will know that I don't beat around the bush, I'm not politically correct and I do not say things just to be nice. Not that I try to be insensitive but I like to think I am blunt, and to the point. I will continue that direction with this. I do not mean to offend anyone but my main question about an association is credibility.

I initially thought that the association should be made up of legitimate builders who have their own businesses, on the books and recognized by the gov't. Afterall, these guys are the guys who should benefit from any buying power that this association may have. Should a guy who makes baits for himself be able to get the same discounts that someone who has gone through the trouble of obtaining a tax ID and has paid his dues to the gov't financially?

The rating system is likely hogwash as some have pointed out. I however believe that a set of standards has to be maintained and checked at any time by the association is a better measure of the consistency of its members in the long run. Kind of like random tests for steroids. Let the customers speak about the quality but at the same time, how would that information be translated to the association? These are just a couple of things on my mind.