damian_mb Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Yeah I fished the Baitsmith Hitch a lot because even though he ripped off the hudd tail, it was a great bait that Hudd didn't offer. I still think it is a better bait than the 6" or 6-8 hudd but I can't bring myself to support them anymore. Gotta support the original whenever possible. And just to set the record straight, this copy cat crap isn't just found in swimbaiting. KVD has his name on more blatant rip offs than anyone in the business. You can throw Rick Clunn into the mix too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronzeback Bomber Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Yeah I fished the Baitsmith Hitch a lot because even though he ripped off the hudd tail, it was a great bait that Hudd didn't offer. I still think it is a better bait than the 6" or 6-8 hudd but I can't bring myself to support them anymore. Gotta support the original whenever possible. And just to set the record straight, this copy cat crap isn't just found in swimbaiting. KVD has his name on more blatant rip offs than anyone in the business. You can throw Rick Clunn into the mix too. Remember when Rick Clunn was on the cutting edge, working with poes to create a particular crankbait just for one lake so he would win the classic? That wasn't about selling baits.... now his name is all over knockoffs with the only intent of selling baits. Lesson.... money makes people do stupid things and often at the expense of others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reelfish Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 I just want to be clear there was absolutely no bad blood that day with allen. It was the coolest thing I have seen to be there with 2 of the best swimbaiters jockeying for a good spot. We just got lucky to get there first and catch those fish. I he would've caught them we would've laughed too. I want you all to know that without allen, we aren't here talking swimbaits today...period end of story. He blew this whole thing up with the fish he was catching on his baits. Allen Cole really deserves alot of the credit for what has happened over the last 20 years. I know that day allen had an 18, 15 and a couple other big fish. We watched as he took pictures of them. Thanks to you all for listening to what Rod has to say. I hope you all learned a little about this sport, good or bad. Its days like that one on the river where we all win that makes it soooo cool. In reality it is just fishing. A stupid green fish that drives us nuts. Mostly for the guys learning, I hope you learn what you truely need to know, mostly how to locate and understand what the fish are doing. My learning curve was stupid and simple because the best in the business showed me. I know alot of you don't have that luxury. Please spend all the time you can on the water and learn everytime you fish. But mostly find your own bites. Figure out what works for you and don't fall in love with the idea that there is some magic bullet bait that you need. The best guys in the business only have a few baits but have mastered them. Please do the same. It's prime time guys! middle of march, get out there and stick a Bomb! Brian Mr Thigpen and Dick Thompson (Brian) please post more often. I love reading these stories and learning about the history of big baits. wallyc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali Posted March 16, 2012 Report Share Posted March 16, 2012 Mr Thigpen and Dick Thompson (Brian) please post more often. I love reading these stories and learning about the history of big baits. Agreed! It is these kinds of stories that make me want to get out and throw swimbaits all day and night. Good stuff guys. Please keep them coming -Ali Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evans_usmc69 Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 My favorite threads are about the history of swimbaits, wish someone would write a book on this stuff so I could get caught up! Being on the east coast, it takes a few years to make it's way over here. I was really looking forward to a release on 3/16, REFRESH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmkiernan Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Just so you know, I was friends with one of the owners named Rich. This was years ago, And I made a deal with him that I would sell him baits as long as TW didn't turn into another knock off central... Needless to say that concept didn't last long.. Hudd stopped selling to them too because the knock off stuff, but the pressure to make money caused Ken to start selling to them again. I don't sell bait to stores that carry knock offs!!If that means I sell all my baits my self then so be it. I pretty much do that now anyway.. Why does Fishermans Wharehouse still carry 3:16? Alan Fong straight stole the triple trout to make his Al E Baby..they are right next to the long row of mission fish. Maybe you weren't aware Mickey? Knowtheledge 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bass Addict Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Just so you know, I was friends with one of the owners named Rich. This was years ago, And I made a deal with him that I would sell him baits as long as TW didn't turn into another knock off central... Needless to say that concept didn't last long.. Hudd stopped selling to them too because the knock off stuff, but the pressure to make money caused Ken to start selling to them again. I don't sell bait to stores that carry knock offs!!If that means I sell all my baits my self then so be it. I pretty much do that now anyway.. Why does Fishermans Wharehouse still carry 3:16? Alan Fong straight stole the triple trout to make his Al E Baby..they are right next to the long row of mission fish. Maybe you weren't aware Mickey? He said tacklewarhouse, not fisherman's warehouse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmkiernan Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Just so you know, I was friends with one of the owners named Rich. This was years ago, And I made a deal with him that I would sell him baits as long as TW didn't turn into another knock off central... Needless to say that concept didn't last long.. Hudd stopped selling to them too because the knock off stuff, but the pressure to make money caused Ken to start selling to them again. I don't sell bait to stores that carry knock offs!!If that means I sell all my baits my self then so be it. I pretty much do that now anyway.. Why does Fishermans Wharehouse still carry 3:16? Alan Fong straight stole the triple trout to make his Al E Baby..they are right next to the long row of mission fish. Maybe you weren't aware Mickey? He said tacklewarhouse, not fisherman's warehouse. I said Fishermans Wharehouse not Tacklewhorehouse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jmkiernan Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 I figured it was something weird like that. That guy is a tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Thigpin Posted March 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Hey Dick Thompson, You don't know how hard you made me laugh, when you talked about me pulling out that chewed up piece of crap and tied it onto your line. I can only imagine what was going threw your mind? That poor bait had probably had a 150 fish on it. It looked like it had been in fight with a pitbull then fed to piranhas. HA HA. As you've grown to know me now, you know I don't retire a bait until it dies a tragic death to a cold hearted largemouth Who would have known a chewed up chunck of rubber would've resulted in us becoming best friends. I've been very lucky to have found friends from all over the world from the sport of fishing! Also reminds me of my good buddy Doc Holiday, he has been a great friend to me for many, many years. And was one of the pioneers of swimbait fishing. I have a ton of respect for the guy!!!!! The first day he ever fished a wormking swimbait, way, way back in the day he caught a 14 pound bass out of Casitas. Came back the next day and he had a 13.9 and a 11 1/2. Lets just say he was hooked on swimbaiting. We were all learning how to fish these baits. Because there were very few guys out there doing it! I think that's why it made it so much more fun, because it was new and inovative. Doc and I live two hours away from each other and was still able to become best of friends! Purely just from chasing a big green fish and having the same passion for the sport. Doc about four years ago, had one one of my 10inch Stocker Trout swimbaits that he had caught so many fish on that he had lost count of fish on it, he also had nicknamed it swimmy He would call me after a day on the water telling me he was hot knifing swimmy and patching her up for another day on the water. Once again the fish had given her a beating. I would tell him, you have 6 other brand new ones in your tackle box why don't you use a new one? He said he and swimmy had been to good of friends to put her away!!! LOL So, one day I get a phone call from Doc, in a upset voice Doc tells me he has really bad news for me? As you can imagine my heart sunk. I was thinking the worst. Then he tells me SWIMMY IS DEAD!!! I told him what the heck and started busting up laughing. I said you scared the heck out of me. He just laughed. He'd just left lake pyramid and had caught a handful of big stripers. He was swimming swimmy in about 30 feet of water when he got this big thump, the fight was on. When the fish got to the net it was a 22 pound striper and it had killed swimmy All he had left was the front half of the bait. We got a great laugh out of it. I told him I'm sorry to hear about his loss. I guess you'll have to break out a new buddy to fish. But he is like me, they get fished until they die a horrible death from a crule, green, slimmy sucker. I've made a lot of good friends in this sport over the years and hope to make more in the future! I hope all of you are lucky enough to find the same enjoyment and make great friends like I have through this sport! This was fun taking a trip down memory lane! When I get a chance, I'll post up some photos of some old school baits that helped pave the way for all the new swimbaiters out there today. Hope you guys are out on the water today catching fish! I'm sitting on the couch watching it rain Thanks Rod Thigpin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke V. Posted March 17, 2012 Report Share Posted March 17, 2012 Hey Dick Thompson,You don't know how hard you made me laugh, when you talked about me pulling out that chewed up piece of crap and tied it onto your line. I can only imagine what was going threw your mind? That poor bait had probably had a 150 fish on it. It looked like it had been in fight with a pitbull then fed to piranhas. HA HA. As you've grown to know me now, you know I don't retire a bait until it dies a tragic death to a cold hearted largemouth Who would have known a chewed up chunck of rubber would've resulted in us becoming best friends. I've been very lucky to have found friends from all over the world from the sport of fishing! Also reminds me of my good buddy Doc Holiday, he has been a great friend to me for many, many years. And was one of the pioneers of swimbait fishing. I have a ton of respect for the guy!!!!! The first day he ever fished a wormking swimbait, way, way back in the day he caught a 14 pound bass out of Casitas. Came back the next day and he had a 13.9 and a 11 1/2. Lets just say he was hooked on swimbaiting. We were all learning how to fish these baits. Because there were very few guys out there doing it! I think that's why it made it so much more fun, because it was new and inovative. Doc and I live two hours away from each other and was still able to become best of friends! Purely just from chasing a big green fish and having the same passion for the sport. Doc about four years ago, had one one of my 10inch Stocker Trout swimbaits that he had caught so many fish on that he had lost count of fish on it, he also had nicknamed it swimmy He would call me after a day on the water telling me he was hot knifing swimmy and patching her up for another day on the water. Once again the fish had given her a beating. I would tell him, you have 6 other brand new ones in your tackle box why don't you use a new one? He said he and swimmy had been to good of friends to put her away!!! LOL So, one day I get a phone call from Doc, in a upset voice Doc tells me he has really bad news for me? As you can imagine my heart sunk. I was thinking the worst. Then he tells me SWIMMY IS DEAD!!! I told him what the heck and started busting up laughing. I said you scared the heck out of me. He just laughed. He'd just left lake pyramid and had caught a handful of big stripers. He was swimming swimmy in about 30 feet of water when he got this big thump, the fight was on. When the fish got to the net it was a 22 pound striper and it had killed swimmy All he had left was the front half of the bait. We got a great laugh out of it. I told him I'm sorry to hear about his loss. I guess you'll have to break out a new buddy to fish. But he is like me, they get fished until they die a horrible death from a crule, green, slimmy sucker. I've made a lot of good friends in this sport over the years and hope to make more in the future! I hope all of you are lucky enough to find the same enjoyment and make great friends like I have through this sport! This was fun taking a trip down memory lane! When I get a chance, I'll post up some photos of some old school baits that helped pave the way for all the new swimbaiters out there today. Hope you guys are out on the water today catching fish! I'm sitting on the couch watching it rain Thanks Rod Thigpin I'm right there with you on the couch watching it piss down, luckily I got to go out yesterday and stuck 6 good ones. I really enjoyed reading that, as I have all your posts. Keep em' coming! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knowtheledge Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 ^^^ for a good history lesson. northeast_trev 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Power Swimbaits Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 Just for the record since I have already had a couple people ask me about it this morning. I talked to Matt and others after this thread and apologized for some of my comments on this thread and for listening and associating with some of the people in it. I still don't know what happened with all of this but learned right after this there are crazy people in this swimbait world with very serious mental problems etc. putting on an act for the world. Learn from my mistake. There is a good lesson to learn here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBaitStripers Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 And some on lithium that are even crazier Randall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samrussell7 Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 so is matt's deadstick the knockoff? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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