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My first plugs were squid jigs made from a 3/8 dowel, screw eyes, spray painted white. We used to catch so many squid we'd turn the docks and our clothes black. I was maybe 10 at the time.
When I was in high school (early 80's) my dad got 'taken to school' by a crew from NJ fishing 'needlefish' plugs. No one back home carried them so that winter he bought a lathe and he turned a pile of needles out of pine and birch dowels that lasted him almost 20 years. That lathe gathered dust in the basement until I was down visiting him in 2002 and I lost my last 5 beater pencil poppers in 1 day to some big blues. I went to the tackle shop and they had gibbs for 18$ a pop... Too much money to feed to bluefish... So I brought the lathe home with me and I've been building plugs for the past 6 or 7 years.
I really enjoy learning how different styles of plugs work and how to make the stuff I need to fish. Theres a ton of great information on the net. Sometimes I feel like a mad scientist in the basement.
My favorite part of plug building by far is the turning. I really like shaping the wood. I still do it all by hand although I certainly see the benefit of a duplicator and eventually I will end up going that route.
My least favorite part is either bending hook hangers if I'm doing sealed plugs or waiting for the epoxy to dry so I can see how I managed to mess up this batch...
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