When picking a plug, the final decision will usually come down to a combination of the purpose, body style, construction, paint pattern, finish and price...

Story by Tom Vassallo

As FishinJersey co-owner Mike Melchionne and I wandered the tables of the Berkeley Striper Club Fishing Flea Market this spring, we were struck by the amount of hand crafted plug makers with their wares on display. Table after table of "Dannys", pencils, poppers and more were there for your review and hopefully...cash! There is no doubt that all of these plug makers put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into their product and so many use the same terminal tackle on their plugs that it is hard to decide which to choose.
As any angler will probably tell you, the final decision will usually come down to a combination of the purpose, body style, construction, paint pattern, finish and price. Other considerations probably will include which of your plugs need replacing and took the worst beating this year! I also find myself inspecting the techniques and workmanship as something I would like to utilize in the creation of my own custom plugs. It is always a good place to get great ideas as well.

In talking to many of these skilled craftsmen, you will usually find them unwilling to share much information on how they create their masterpieces. After all, it is a very competitive business, since the competition is quite fierce for your hard earned dollars. But Bob Brennan from Black Label Plugs was quite friendly and forthcoming in sharing some of his tips with us about what to look for when shopping for some new plugs.

Many of the old plug makers simply screwed some eye hooks into the wooden ends of the plug and along the bottom of the body to create the "eyes" for the hooks and/or spring clips. Although some used various types of glue to cement in the hooks as well, larger gamefish could, and would, tear out the eye hooks. This led to the development and use of through wires. The plug body is drilled so the wire can be fed through the body. Therefore the use of eye hooks are unnecessary as the "eyes" would be formed into the through wire allowing the attaching of hooks and/or spring clips without eyehooks. In this method, there are a few ways that the bottom eyes can be created to attach any bottom hooks. Various types of hangers are used and some use special bending to create a one-piece through wire construction. Bob pointed out that the various techniques of through wire construction are some of the plug makers' most well-guarded secrets.

Unfortunately, when plug makers began using the through wires, the drilled holes that were necessary for feeding the wire and hangers in the body created entrance paths for unwanted water when the plug would be fished. Although head, tail and belly finishing grommets were used to clean up the appearance of the holes, the water could still find its way into the plug body causing swelling and weakening of the soft wood bodies. This led to the use of fillers and epoxies to close up and seal the holes (and sometimes the grommets, too!). These fillers and epoxies would also be used to seal in the metal lips on swimming plugs like Dannys. Finally, plug makers started using the epoxies to seal the plug bodies, foils and paint as well.

In selecting our top three plugs of 2014, it was these production methods that were examined and evaluated. Another consideration was reports we had seen and heard during 2014 displaying the success of the use of these lures. Here are our selections.

Our number three plug is the Black Label line of plugs. These plugs are made in New Jersey right in Forked River, Ocean County. The construction of these plugs is top quality and they use through wire construction, epoxy-sealed holes, and epoxy-sealed lips. The paintwork is not overly detailed, but the finishes are mostly completed with scale detailing and other decorative touches.  Eyes in most models are holographic and not painted. These plugs swim well with the slant nose swimmer one of their most popular builds. Black Label also offers a popular jointed "Chunky Monkey" swimmer.

Our number two selection goes to a plug maker located next door in PA. BCS Custom Baits boast some of the nicest, most detailed finishes we've seen. Brian from BCS also has been delivering some exquisite foil work on his plugs. The epoxy sealing work is top-notch and the success rate on these lures is quite good as well. John Bushell from Betty & Nick's Bait & Tackle in Seaside Park reports that these lures fly off the shelf whenever he gets a shipment in. The one drawback to these plugs is that they are so detailed and well-finished that they command a good price. Anglers purchasing these plugs may have second thoughts about tossing a plug in this price range into a school of hungry bluefish!

Finally our nod for the number one plug maker this year goes to M Fischer Plugs. M Fischer plugs feature a unique recessed area for the eye on the bottom hooks that not only has a very cool look to it, but may also contribute to the great success rate experienced by anglers using these plugs. Check YouTube for videos of these lures mauling stripers in the Jersey surf and clobbering huge gamefish in the canyons. The woodworking and paintwork are not extremely detailed, but the final clear finishes are beautifully done. Best of all, if you can grab a few at a flea market, these plugs don't hit quite as hard in the wallet. At the Berkeley Flea Market in the spring, the editors of FishinJersey.com felt M Fischer was the best value for the quality and economy of the plugs. Check around Facebook to see a load of gamefish that fell victim to these enticing baits.

So if you didn't find enough wooden plugs in your stocking this year or you just have some extra holiday cash laying around, check out these guys on the web. You may find just the right plug to add to your spring collection or to replace one of those old beat-up plugs that have seen better days.

Happy Holidays to All of Our Jersey Anglers and a very happy and prosperous New Year from all of us here at FishinJersey.com!