Rod Thigpin Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 Hi My name is Rod Thigpin. I make the Stocker Trout swimbaits. Please excuse me if I don't call it the Gigantoid in this post for as I have been calling it my Stocker Giant Floater since the early 90's to my close friends. I designed this bait in the early 90's. Only my most trusted friends were allowed to see it and fish with it. And when I say close friends I mean less than 5 people. There was nothing on the market like it. And I chose to keep it to myself, because I'm a fisherman first and a lure maker second. My brother and I were chasing the world record bass, as were many other respected names in the sport. I had something they didn't have and on some days it got me bites, when my other baits didn't. I came out with a 11 inch Stocker for my first deadstick bait. I caught 1000's of fish on it. I gave a select couple of friends these baits as they made a promise to me to keep them a secret, and they did, and enjoyed the fruits of my labor. As my quest for bigger bass got bigger so did my deadstick baits. So I made a 15 inch monster. There lies the giant Stocker deadstick. This lure I kept for myself, and didn't give to anyone. One of the few people that ever got to see the lure was Mark Rogers. We fished in some tournaments together, where he caught fish using this bait. He also got to fish it with me on non tournament days at Casitas and the Castaic Lagoon. He begged me for one of my 15 inch baits. I declined. Mark had been calling my 15 inch Stocker Trout deadstick the gigantoid in my boat for years. And it annoyed the hell out of me! Because that was not the name I was calling it. All of my baits have carried the Stocker Trout name. All off them!!! I have NEVER called it the gigantoid and will never call it that! To me, it's an insult to have someone else name something you design. Marks trust was starting to be questioned. He has been using my 11 inch stocker deadstick bait for many years with much success! I took him fishing at casitas with the 11 inch deadstick and I showed him a spot I call the elbow. I showed him that spot because I trusted him as one of my best friends. He went back the next day with his dad and got his biggest fish ever on the 11 inch Stocker deadstick, that I made! His fish went 15.2 pounds. I was SOOO HAPPY for him!!!! That is when his begging became stronger in wanting a 15 inch, him not knowing I already had a 17 inch deadstick. He was super lucky I trusted him with the 11 Stocker deadstick, which not only cuaght him his biggest bass, it caught him ton's of fish! When Huddelston came out with his deadstick, Mark was telling people that I had made the first deadstick years before. I told Mark to PLEASE STOP telling everyone that I had deadstick baits. I'm not a glory hound and my baits didn't work the same as the Hudd. I told Mark not a lot of people would even know what to do with the bait anyway. I was right and the bait lasted a short time . Ken moved onto making the great bait he makes today! It was six years ago when Mark told me he and his dad made a giant deadstick. It was because I wouldn't give him one! I knew he and his dad didn't know how to make baits. So, I knew there was no truth in that story. Nothing I could do, But his trust fell off the chart at that time. Then when I saw it, I would describe it as a Giganturd! And it was very poorly made! I actually found it funny! Now here is where it gets interesting. A month ago this great invention Mark said he designed showed up to be a up and coming bait in Matt Lures line up. What the Hell??? Matt put in his post here on Swimbait Nation that he had made the bait for Mark 6 years ago. And Mark called it the Gigantoid. It had the same core as mine. So much for Mark and his dad making the bait. The Ultimate Betrayal! Taking someones design to another lure maker, even worse is to claim the design was his. Straight out dirty!!!! I texted Mark and said what the hell??? I've been very ill the last year and I guess Mark felt it was time to take advantage of me. His exact words were "Matt is in the business of selling baits and you chose not to sell yours". He also said Matt has the molds and he is going to sell the baits. Pretty low life thing to do!!! Mark works for Okuma and I have been promoting Okuma for years for him. I want it known that I have no ties to to Okuma anymore!!! I called Matt, we talked about Mark bringing my idea to him. We talked for hours. Matt seemed to be a pretty good guy, and out of respect for me he said he would only realease the 12 inch? So at that point I sent a photo of my 12 inch Stocker deadstick, so he could know what a 12 inch deadstick looked like. I've been making them for many, many years. Just ask Mark! Matt plans to still release a 12 inch version of my bait. Now he is promoting them and that is a slap in the face to me!!!! I'm clearly putting this out there, if Matt releases them I will pop a mold off of them and put them into production and sell them at a lower rate. It's not stealing when it's your own idea and bait. I already have about three hours of video, and pictures to promote my deadstick baits. So this should be pretty easy!!! I hope this has helped clear up the history of the Gigantic Stocker Trout deadstick, or the Gigantoid as they're calling it! Thank You Rod Thigpin Lucid_Dreams23 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathando23 Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 Dam dude, I know one thing for sure, I want ur deadstick bait. The sad thing is that u never really know who your true friends are. Respect to u dude for steping up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reelfish Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 F'n snakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolley Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 Wow. That's messed up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 HAHAHAHAHAHA.. Mickey invited them over for tea and cracked-heads. Matt is an expert at: Copying ideas Stealing ideas Bed fishing Nice! Hope he stops by. -Ali Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxwell S. Posted March 14, 2012 Report Share Posted March 14, 2012 HAHAHAHAHAHA.. Mickey invited them over for tea and cracked-heads. Matt is an expert at: Copying ideas Stealing ideas Bed fishing Nice! Hope he stops by. -Ali You forgot an expert novelist. Everything he makes and every fish he catches has a big mythical story in attempt to hide something up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Thigpin Posted March 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 Hey Micky, Thanks for the kind words, and for helping us spread the truth! It hurts to put trust in someone, then they stab you in the back like Mark did! My brother and I would like to thank everyone for supporting us over the years and on this topic! We have gave our heart and soul into this sport. And have been blessed to take part in the history of swimbaiting. From the days it started! We have watched the sport progress from the crude baits we started with to the works art that Micky is making these days. It amazing how this sport has progressed over the last 20 years. I hope all of you have a teener on the end of your line in near future!!!! Thank you Rod and Todd Thigpin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathando23 Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 It's all good man, just a question, r u planning to release your bait? Just a question Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRIZZ Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 In a dog eat dog world, there is intense competition and rivalry, where some think only of himself Best of luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadstick13 Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 Crazy stuff! I have been seeing quite a few posts lately on Facebook about the Gigantoid. Cool looking bait, thanks for revealing the truth behind it. I'm kinda perplexed about this whole deal, Matt comes off like a decent guy, I don't know him personally, but I do know that those baits have been catching some bigguns. I hope this works out the right way, nobody likes a thief. Especially not me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Power Swimbaits Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 Is this what we are talking about here? You will have to excuse me for being out of the loop since I am banned from bedshock nation. I just saw this on Matt's facebook a few days back and assume this is the bait being discussed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomah21 Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 Is this what we are talking about here? You will have to excuse me for being out of the loop since I am banned from bedshock nation. I just saw this on Matt's facebook a few days back and assume this is the bait being discussed. Yes that's the one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadstick13 Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 .........................It is bed snagging season so don't believe everything you hear!!! True that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bumpererx Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 Looks like nobody's back is safe in this business too, especially from a "friend". Thats pretty low. I pray your recovery will be fast and whole Rod and you'll be back on the water where you belong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jfish Posted March 15, 2012 Report Share Posted March 15, 2012 I step out for a session and this breaks loose.....only the gentlemen involved know the story and Mickeys account sure backs up whats Todd is saying. I can only add this-back in the day....way back in the day....when we relied on WON and Jim Mattews fish reports you would see the Thigpins and their stocker trout gettin' big fish week after week. It was honestly one of the few lures at that time that wasn't an AC Plug knockoff. On a side note, I was wondering if there will be any further production of the stocker trouts? Its certainly a lure thats caught A LOT of big fish on its own merits. Thanks for the insights, JK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts