Custom bait frustrations

[Mountainryan]

Hey SU. This is a therapy sesh because civilians dont know the struggle. I have several orders out with big bait makers and some garage makers. I have had the WORST luck with the whole custom bait process. Phoney is working it out so that's fine we will get there. The other two I won't name becuase I hope I can do business with them again eventually.

 

So I reach out to unnamed maker several months ago, his website was out of stock so I was asking when they might be back in. He was very nice, explained he was injured and not making baits for a little while. but he asked what I was interested in. I told him and he said no problem he could get that done the next month. I thought that was cool of him. Placed and order and waited. Hit him up to check in at the end of the month he said that they might be completed in (about two months from first contact). He said he was just getting finished on pre injury stuff and would paint next week. So I ordered a couple shirts I liked, paid and waited patiently. After a few weeks with no shirts delivered I asked when they would ship, he said he forgot and would get them right out. After that he sent out the invoice for the baits( one custom painted with blood lines) and I paid up. Meanwhile he would update me every week or so saying he was painting them and they would ship that week. This went on for another month or so.

 

Last week he says "baits are painted how do they look?" The gill bait looked sick but had no blood lines. I said great but when do you add the blood? His response " pending orders are weighing on me I just wanted to get it done so I didn't paint the blood"

 

WFT. So when my order was pending it was no biggie but others orders are important? You didn't feel like painting it the way I ordered it? So I was tired of waiting and bitched out and took the bait. I could have PayPal disputed and burned a big bait maker forever but that's a bad choice in this community.

 

Couple this with a month long wait for in stock shirts and double charged for shipping. Pre shipping he said he would throw in some extras for the double charge. The extras turned out to be two tiny stickers....

 

I can appreciate personal struggles and bait makers are people. What annoys me about the wait it just tell me it wil be 6 months and surprise me early. Don't tell me they will be done and fall through.

 

The last order I have is with a newer soft bait maker. Usually he has a quick turnaround of a couple days. Ordered, paid then heard nothing for a week. Touched base, he said he "totally spaced the order" (grumble grumble). We messaged back and forth about it and it's been dark again so we will see how that works out.

 

On the other hand triple trout and CL8 have been fantastic. Less then a week for a custom painted baby possum. TT sent me a custom painted 8" stubbie in under 2 weeks. So customer service does exist.

 

Thanks for the rant time.

Ryan

[gcopple]

There are some very popular baits on here that I don't even try to getg due to the lists and stories like you have. I seem to.do.just fine on the water with baits from makers like 316, Matt's lures, 22nd century. They do thingz right in my opinion, at least with me they have. Always awesome to work with them.

[Mountainryan]

This was not a maker previously known for this, so that eliminates some of your choices. I do know why peeps buy black market baits for more money.

[C_R_TX]

Hey SU. This is a therapy sesh... The other two I won't name becuase I hope I can do business with them again eventually.

 

I understand this thinking, but putting their name out there would benefit all other buyers. Its not like your burning bridges. You are just stating your experience.

 

If they refuse to sell to you in the future, because of their own lack of performance, thats on them.

 

There should be more accountability among bait makers and sellers. Protecting names with bad business practice only promotes the issue.

[StriperAddict]

I had a similar experiance with unnamed bait maker #1 a few months back. I just gave up and found some from some awesome SU members.

This swimbait game is lots of fun and also frustrating as hell. Guess it just goes with the territory!!!

Good luck bro!!!

[Mountainryan]

If it was a total flake thing I probably would blast them but there are health issues involved, anyone following on instagram will probably know who it's is. It's true it was a decision to keep saying they would be done. Hint he paints other companies stock baits. I'm not doing a review here just seeing if others have issues in this bait game and to vent with people who understand ordering custom baits

[hydrocephalic]

1. If you paid paypal goods for the custom painted lure and didnt receive what you paid for, dispute it.

 

2. Out them. Why protect someone who is screwing you, when you could protect others from being screwed?

[Mountainryan]

Wasn't a difference in price. Not out to hurt his business. Again this is not the review section.

[hydrocephalic]

If honestly reporting on your experience hurts his business, is that your fault?

[Top Ramen]

 

On the other hand triple trout and CL8 have been fantastic. Less then a week for a custom painted baby possum. TT sent me a custom painted 8" stubbie in under 2 weeks. So customer service does exist.

 

 

Clayton is so easy to work with and so accommodating. I asked for a baby possum in a nutria pattern and he did a great job matching the color on the photos I sent him. Even gave it the orange buck teeth they always have.  : )

 

No hassles and no extra charge since the pattern was not too far off what he usually does.

[Mountainryan]

Tap ramen, wait till you see the "lab rat" colored wake I just ordered. No extra.

[HelpMePickABobber]

I feel your pain. Makes me all that much more appreciative of guys like Scott at triple trout. How crazy is it that when a bait maker actually acts like they want your business we jump for joy? Really seems like some of these guys think they're doing US a favor by selling us a lure.

[bigpoppabass]

When u run into alot of problems, you are talking too much risk imo. If a bait maker introduces his personal issues, he/she is not acting professionally....I don't dare do a custom build until ice hits. My issue is they all seem to drop way past tax time when u already spent your refund. I recently bought some woodtails but Joe already was proven to be very cool so I did order after ice out.

[nadinesmom]

Bait makers are sketch.  We get all types from Jerry Rago threatening to sue anyone who makes a rat, to Ken Huddleston shafting the swimbait community on some bunk ass gills that swim sideways, to Randall feeding everyone a line of ish when he can't produce their baits.  Oh and how can we forget the vanilla gorilla and his long history of internet thuggery.  Get used to it, I seldom buy new baits because i feel like my interactions with the guys using the baits is actually more likely to be positive than the weirdos who make them.  

 

There's some good dudes out there, hang in there, it won't likely get better!

[swole_t]

You know why this happens? Because this type of business practice is so accepted and tolerated in the swimbait community. Customers even try to justify these baitmakers shitty businesses practices and make up excuses for why these bait makers do this. It's the same thing that happens in toxic relationships.