Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Well folks, once again we are getting ready for plugfest.
For those who don't know about it, Plugfest goes back more than 10 years. It began as a simple gathering in my home workshop where we had about 18-20 guys including JHabs, and Tattoo who brought a few plug building supplies along with their knowledge to share. We had 3 or 4 lathes going, we had Got Stripers out back pouring Ledgerunner rubba, we had Saltheart tying tailhooks, we had Smokey and Saltheart pouring lead jigs outside. It was quite the day
The next year got bigger so less building going on but still a lot was learned, I think capesams brought a bunch of rod blanks he was getting rid of cheap. The following year year it was clear we had to move to a bigger place so we had it at the Mitchel club where it was for about 3-4 years. Canalman and salty began a contest one year, I also had a smaller gathering at my shop in january where mr.pogie demonstrated how to make a bottle swimmer. It kept on growing from there each year and we had it at different places - Carver, then the last 2 years in Buzzards Bay.
For those who don't know about plugfest, I will explain a little bit. I will also remind others of how things go, so forgive the long post please.
Plugfest is a gathering of obsessed fishermen who craft,modify, or repaint their fishing lures. we get together every winter and trade plugs,share ideas and methods and eat food, usually the eats are as good as the plugs so maybe we can step it up a bit and catch up this year with some great food. We also have some sort of building contest. We also usually have a raffle of some sort where guys can donate plugs etc. to raise money for JohnR for the site or some worthy cause.

It costs about 10 bucks to get in,kids and seniors are free and you'll get a ballot for voting and an entrance ticket for a door prize and a nametag which we would like you to put on please, it helps a lot. We try to raise enough money to cover the hall expenses and winners certificates, etc.

Hopefully we will have some demonstrations going on also if we get any offers, if we don't I will have to bore you all with something. The last few years Joe aka Rockfish9 has brought some killer displays of each step involved in making certain plugs.
If anyone wants to offer to do any demonstrations, please feel free. We can begin another thread about that.
Plugfest is NOT a place to come and sell plugs or buy them, so if that is your intention, please stay home. If you only come to try to ho plugs from guys for nothing, well, you better bring something to trade or forget about it, nobody should be pressured into giving away a work of art which is what these plugs pretty much are. If guys want to hand out plugs that is up to them, if they do it would be nice to give feedback on how you do with it. It's about commraderie and learning and is supposed to be fun.

Usually a sponsor comes and sells plug building materials, so that stuff should be available too.

This year quite a few of us will make contest plugs like I mentioned. I am not sure if you guys want to include the usual stuff or not, like best of show, classic plug reproduction. We can have a category for fishable plugs and another category for novelty or whatever. We can discuss this more.

If we all watch out for each others stuff, there should be no problems of anything mysteriously disappearing. Anyone caught pocketing anything will be promptly tossed in the canal for a swim. I'd like to feel comfortable stepping away from my display and not have to worry about it.

This year we hope to hold it again at the Wareham Elks club. We can start around 8:00 and be out of there by 3 or so.
This place is the largest place we have had it to date, there will be plenty of room for everyone to have a table to display stuff and trade and talk about plugs all day. The past couple years the hall opened the kitchen to sell lunch which worked out great for us to not have to deal so much with preparing food to put out. We can still bring some dishes of food and drink, but this gives us an option since some years not so many have participated in bringing food. It works out better this way. And this hall is plenty big enough.

So get your creative juices flowing and knock out some great plugs and do the best you can. With all the knowledge on this site I'm sure they'll catch fish just fine.
Newcomers are welcome also. There will be something for everyone.
See you all there,
thanks

Bruce

This year the date to be determined