plug prices

[zimmy]

I guess it is just the way things are... supply and demand. Hand made, hand painted, high quality components, hand assembled in the US in small batches. They are probably way underpriced to start with... If you are lucky enough to be in a shop when they come in, you get em at a reasonable price. Some guys who can't get em will pay a premium. So then you get guys who will take advantage of it. I jsut try to control my desire for them... Do I need a troublemaker surfster or a jointed RM to catch fish? No, so I try to prevent the "I need it" urge and be happy with what I have. I think I have a very small supply compared to most guys, but I still have way more than I need.

Thing that gets to me is that I become afraid of using certain plugs since I know what they are worth. Does it make sense to throw a $50 needle or danny with the chance of losing it on every cast? I could sell it and buy 3 others that probably work about as well and not have to worry about it... Then I get into not wanting to feed the fire.

[zimmy]

oh I forgot... if you are buying em with the intent to resell at a profit, you are scum

[riverrat2]

If people bought them strictly to fish and not hang on the wall and post pictures on the internet of their "collection" they would not be as expensive.

[sapo]

It seems like some of these "resellers" are making more off the plugs than the plug builders themselves. Now that's just not right!

Cheers to M & D's, and TimS for limiting how many plugs people buy from them.

[BigFish]

TattooBob is right! Man it is running rampant on SOL! You can say to folks..."Hey don't pay that" but there will always be the opportunistic scumbags who will be right there looking to make a buck off someone else's sweat!

[MikeToole]

I think the re-sellers are just practicing the American way. They are buying the plugs and taking a chance on being able to make a profit. The stupid ones in this practice are the buyers. I keep seeing people willing to pay $50. for a plug that retails at 18. This practice is being driven by the buyers not the re-sellers. I hate to tell you, at least in my opinion, a beach master is not worth 50 when there are other plugs out there that are real close in performance for 20. People just need to get their heads screwed on right. Even if 50 means nothing to you put the money to better use, help someone who needs it rather than hurting other fisherman.

[wheresmy50]

Originally Posted by sapo

It seems like some of these "resellers" are making more off the plugs than the plug builders themselves. Now that's just not right!

Cheers to M & D's, and TimS for limiting how many plugs people buy from them.

Conversely, I don't think plugmakers do much to stop this by producing plugs in such limited quantities and releasing them in such a way that there is perverse incentive to 'hoard'. Not that I fish BMs and other rare stuff, but if I did, I'd have to hoard to have enough. As far as reselling for profit - I really don't see the argument against it - unless you want to get away from the free market, comrade.

The worst thing about the behavior is that it creates an incentive for the makers to raise prices, but I guess this would only happen until the price gets to a point where they're not fished anymore. Anway that hasn't happened yet as the makers keep the prices pretty steady despite market pressure to raise the price. Also, as long as there are low-cost high-quality alternatives, I can't get that mad. A $50 needle would only be necessary and therefore tragic if there wasn't a $15 Superstrike, for example.

Another unfortunate thing is plugs that sell for >$50 probably don't get fished (at least not much), and that's a shame. Especially when the plugs are available in limited or finite quantities.

[BigFish]

Originally Posted by wheresmy50

Conversely, I don't think plugmakers do much to stop this by producing plugs in such limited quantities and releasing them in such a way that there is perverse incentive to 'hoard'. Not that I fish BMs and other rare stuff, but if I did, I'd have to hoard to have enough. As far as reselling for profit - I really don't see the argument against it - unless you want to get away from the free market, comrade.

The worst thing about the behavior is that it creates an incentive for the makers to raise prices, but I guess this would only happen until the price gets to a point where they're not fished anymore. Anway that hasn't happened yet as the makers keep the prices pretty steady despite market pressure to raise the price. Also, as long as there are low-cost high-quality alternatives, I can't get that mad. A $50 needle would only be necessary and therefore tragic if there wasn't a $15 Superstrike, for example.

Another unfortunate thing is plugs that sell for >$50 probably don't get fished (at least not much), and that's a shame. Especially when the plugs are available in limited or finite quantities.

Now its the builders fault??? Thats a funny one!

Builders want them fished...not hung on the wall! We want them beat up, broken and lost to fish! Flattered when they hang on a wall but I would rather mine hang on the lip of a slob!

[fishaholic18]

Originally Posted by wheresmy50

Conversely, I don't think plugmakers do much to stop this by producing plugs in such limited quantities and releasing them in such a way that there is perverse incentive to 'hoard'.

I can tell you're not a builder. It's pretty much impossible to produce mass quantities of "hand made" plugs. Not the builders fault at all..

[BigFish]

I just painted a dozen and a half "Bunker" colored "Prey" swimmers.......you should see what I go through to paint those!

[wheresmy50]

Originally Posted by fishaholic18

I can tell you're not a builder. It's pretty much impossible to produce mass quantities of "hand made" plugs. Not the builders fault at all..

Well, you're right that I'm not a builder. I'm not talking about all hand-made plugs, but look at the way some are distributed, and tell me the builders aren't at least aware that the way that is done leads to hoarding or reselling at high prices. Now I'm not talking about some guy with a lathe in his basement - I'm talking about professional operations with packaging, distribution, etc. Maybe that wasn't their goal when it started, but if the product is released in a certain way, and you don't like what's happening, why keep releasing it in the same way?

And it's clearly not impossible to make usable quantities of hand made lures. Afterhours, Tattoo, #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&, certain RM Smith (but not all) are pretty much available, Habs were as in demand as anything and even they were pretty much available (needles anyway).


With all that said, I still don't see how you can fault someone for reselling a plug that he has bought. These plugs that are flipped are sold at less than market value in extrememly limited quantities. What do you think is going to happen?

[fishaholic18]

Originally Posted by riverrat2

If people bought them strictly to fish and not hang on the wall and post pictures on the internet of their "collection" they would not be as expensive.

AMEN!!!!!! What the F^%$# is the purpose of hanging a plug? They are made to be fished for cripes sakes... I used to build I'd be pissed if my plugs weren't fished... They were made to be fished..Not collectors items..

[Pete F.]

Well they were a lot less expensive then. But jigs were one side or the other of $2.
I think they have the Danny pictures mixed up

[BigFish]

And gasoline in 1980 cost about .75 cents a gallon. How much is it now?

[Pete F.]

Originally Posted by BigFish

And gasoline in 1980 cost about .75 cents a gallon. How much is it now?

4x as much
It's not a comment that the price of plugs is incorrect, in fact if you look at it that way the Gibbs are just about the same now, adjusted for inflation.
I thought it was interesting that jigs and redfins have only doubled in price.
Myself I would like a Beachmaster Cowboy but I will not pay $50 for one.

[BigFish]

You get what you pay for. Gibbs are very good.......customs cost more because alot more goes into them.

[Skitterpop]

Plugs have been collected long before all of us were born and I`m 54 now.

How can you take advantage of fellow fishermen when its their decision to buy a plug?

Don`t want them don`t buy them .