O.K. I'll take it on the chin @ 300% Markup Crack!!

[Guy Kelley]

Maybe I was stretching it a bit at 300 % markup. but how come when i was given rods for donations but when i asked for a reel the merchant would look at me like I had some sort of disease That's how come I figure there was such a large markup on stuff (free rods)

Once I do get set up to trow the heavyweights I will probably cave and buy a shell cracker at $60.00 ea & tie em on with 80 pound rope

But GAWD can anyone blame me for griping about the price of these baits and others, I mean man, talk about expensive. GEEEZ WIZZZZ. I like to make some of my own jigs, and i get a boot out of catching a fish on em too.

But to me trying to make my own shell cracker or something even close would be me trying to paint the Mono Lisa, maybe by numbers
then I hear their tails fall off or the paint chips off. Makes me want to go out with live bait! I just don't get why they have to be so DAM EXPENSIVE. Considering there are no "old shell crackers out there" to see how well they hold up over time

[Steve]

...you are looking at this big bait thing from the wrong perspective.

Big wood baits are indeed exspensive. However, they last a very long time. But heres the thing. If you look at the frequency of "larger fish" that big wood baits catch, vs the frequency that lets say jigs catch, there is no comparison. Dont get me wrong, jigs catch tons of big fish, but not near the frequency that big wood baits do. So, you have to ask yourself what your objectives are. If you want to consistently catch quality fish, and do it with a bait that costs 60 bucks and will last a very long time, then something like a shellcracker is worth it. From another perspective, ask yourself how much each quality fish costs you. Looking at the life expectancy of a jig vs a large wood bait, then looking at the average size fish you catch with a large wood bait, you cant argue that the big wood baits put more big fish in the boat at a cheaper cost. This is fact. So in the long run, its cheaper to buy a $60 bait.

Im not promoting the shellcracker; I dont own one and I likely never will. But I do own alot of very exspensive swimbaits (many of which are large wood baits that do the exact same thing the shellcracker does), and for the size of fish Ive been catching in the last 5 years, its worth every penny. When I first started throwing big baits, I couldnt handle the price. But, after years of throwing the baits and seeing how they "select for large fish", I have no problem paying the price.

So, do you want to spend $300 on plastics to get one fish over 10, or do you want to spend $60 on a big piece of wood and catch 100 fish over 7? Seems like an easy answer to me.

http://calfishing.com/gallery/v/members ... ss-Photos/

[Steve]

Whatever Mark, your missing the point too. Plus you are doing nothing but pushing your bussiness. Big profile jigs, big profile worms, big profile anything still dont have the ability to catch large fish with the same frequency as swimbaits.

[biteme]

Whatever Mark, your missing the point too. Plus you are doing nothing but pushing your bussiness. Big profile jigs, big profile worms, big profile anything still dont have the ability to catch large fish with the same frequency as swimbaits.

I have noticed that
Buying baits like the cracker is more of a hobby for me. BUT they do last a lot longer then soft baits like the hud's. So to me they are worth the price. Different strokes for different folks

[MIKE TREMONT]

Another perspective is the amount of labor that goes into making one of these baits. There a bit to balancing these baits and that paint aint cheap either.

I'm with you though Guy. I bought a Japanese bait a few years back for $60. I almost didn't throw it becaus it was so beautiful. It didn't take long for the paint to chip around the front hook, exposing the raw wood.

As far as catching the big ones-the jury is still out and I'm still the Dink Master!

[BassTraveler]

Supply and Demand...Very Simple.

I don't know these young men who have designed these baits...so if someone knows them please give them a BIG Kudo's for me.

They have decided to provide a product that has already caught many Big Fish, but most of all they have started their own business. The first step to taking control of their lives.
While others dream, they did something about it.

Guy, my friend, let me make a recommendation. There is a book out Titled "Why we want you to be Rich." It was written by Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki.
Read that book and start appling the princples they discuss and you won't have to think twice about buying a $59.95 bait.

[Cooch]

My Shell Cracker, $60 is a year old. In that time, I've got 22 fish on it over 7 pounds.
22/$60 = $2.73 per fish

My Wadda jigs cost $2 each, for practicle purposes here, retail is $3. Over the last year, I've gone through 150 jigs. I've logged say 179 fish over 7 pounds in the last year(and we're not counting the 1000s of fish under 7 pounds).
150 jigs x $3 = $450
179/$450 = $2.51 per fish

Fish over 10 pounds:
ShellCracker = 0
Wadda Jigs = 11

Granted, these numbers are for the Delta only! They would most likely be different for most lakes other than ClearLake, where jigs rule year round and the swimbait only works at certain times. I would have to whole heartedly disagree with Steve's comments about which is cheaper to use AND the number of big fish comparisons based on my numbrs and experience here on the Delta.

Like I said in an earlier post, these big swimbaits and topwater wakers, are in a league all by themselves. Not only do they appeal to larger fish, but their customer base is limited too, to those who have the understanding and desire to throw them knowing what to expect. The average angler is not in that league. Tossing swimbaits for trophy bass, takes a completely different mindset, versus what is used in tournaments or of that which the weekend warrior puts forth day to day.

I am with Biteme, it indeed is a novelty, but it's one that brings a success level in the quality of the fish ya do catch, to a whole nother level. I personally like playing with that from time to time! My personal best on a jig here is 14.85 caught in 1996. I've never boated a fish over 10 pounds on this River with a topwater bait. I think right now, these big wake baits are my best chance, it's an exciting bite, and I'm striving to reach a goal. It's all good and I'll do whatever it takes to accomplish that goal! This is the mindset, the numbers or costs mean nothing!

[Dom]

I think yall are missing some key elements here you are comparing a hunk of lead with some paint and rubber on it to a hand carved taxidermy eyes super trick paint job Bait. Come on yall you want cheap furniture go to wall mart buy the partical board crap yea its cheaper and it looks it and will perform the same cheap.

I have learned over the years you get what you pay for at 60.00 for the shell cracker I call it a Bargin. Vise versa the huddleston its still a bargin look what you get for your oney with these baits.

I am lucky enough to own a shell cracker I bought at 60.00 and a speacial hand signed and numbered shellcracker and lunker punker both gave to my by my bud Jeremy I would never think of selling either one one but if I was I would not take no less then 60.00 mayby more I call it a bargin. Maybe becuase I have seen first hand how hard Jeremy has worked to make this come to life and trust me it was a lot of hard work.



Tight Lines Dom

[BIG DADDY BLUE RANGER]

I just got me a $60 shellcracker, a $60 Rago hitch hardbait and a $90 Wakebait Junior and I love em... Last year I had a hard time shelling out $35 for Hud and $18 for and Osprey....Now I want more, More! MORE!!!!!!! That Armageddon looks cool too and it's only $200 Hmmmmmmmmm

Don't beleive the hype, swimbaits don't work on the delta, stop using them. Rumor has it you need to spend 7 years in a Tibetin monestary before you can learn to catch swimbait fish.. please throw more jigs, or drop shots, or whatever else you have confidence in.

[Dom]

Now thats funny right there big daddy

[bassindon69]

I can't believe you guys are comparing Jigs to Swimbaits , Sorry but WHAT A JOKE! Everyone want's something for nothing. Try making a swimbait and see what it costs you I don't mean copy one, I mean come up with somthing new and prove it works. You may go broke trying. Don't waste your money then. You already have the wrong attitude about it anyway. I am sure you will fish them a while give up and say they suck
If you buy good swimbaits, when you give up on them let me know I may buy them off you cheep or maybe trade a few jigs for them

Don.

[Guy Kelley]

Oh knock it off Bigg Daddy

[JRock]

Welcome back Dom, I've yet to purchase either one of the baits you guys are mentioning but definitely have considered them. This whole swimbait craze I believe is changing Bass fishing forever and as much as we resist changing we will surely be left to watch others catch bigger fish and cash bigger checks.
As far as paying more money than the bait is worth, if it's too much don't buy it, this thread alone will probably increase the price of shellcrackers by $10.00.

[fourbizzle]

Cooch, you forgot to figure in price of trailers. Assuming you put a couple trailers on a jig before you lose/ retire it, it is in fact cheaper to throw a shell cracker!

[Steve]

Cooch, your cost per bait/fish did not include time fished. We know you are the king of jigs, you probably fish them 98 percent of the time. Do some division factoring amount of time fished per bait/per big fish and you will see that cost per fish for a 60 buck swimbait is much cheaper.

Mark, keep at it, you may increase sales through this thread, you never give up.

Personally, I hope nobody buys the exspensive big baits, that means more big fish for me, BassinDon, FishChris, SuperMatt, and even Josh D!

BTW, a huge congrats goes out to Josh D for his toad of 15+!! I cant imagine someone more deserving of catching a fish of a lifetime than him! Way to go Josh, Im totally stoked for ya buddy. Did you catch that fish on a jig?

[Kiss my Bass]

Yeah I got her on a Wadda jig! (Sorry Cooch I couldn't resist!!! Thanks Steve for the props! You know Steve I gonna have to plead the "Fish Chris" on this. I hope that fish isn't my PB for life! Ask Fish and he'll tell you that his 18.4 might be his biggest now....but won't be in the future! (You da man buddy) For real I'm fishing Squidly's H2O so anythings possible.....just look at his track record! Every 14+ he has is out of 2 lakes....and I have nothing to hold me back NOW!!!


Kiss my bASS!

[Cooch]

Actually Steve, You can ask anyone who has ever fished with me, that I prolly only toss a jig 50% of the time at best! Personally I like tinkering with all types of techniques and baits when bass fishing. I love focusing on them 4-12 pounders, and have gotten purty efficient at locating and catching them. And as everyone here has seen, for me, the most productive lure ta do so has been the jig.

Those over 12, have certainly eluded me. My current goal is to catch one on this river over 15 pounds. I believe ta do so, you must go after them with specific tools. Giant, gawdy, real looking and very expensive plugs are what I believe is required ta fool one of them.

I personally don't care what the cost is. I was just tossing out basic numbers for debate. Now to further that debate, If I take the costs of all of my swimbaits( I do own over $1500 worth of swimbaits, Hell Kennedy spent no less than $3k in one trip ta Clearlake! LOL), versus the costs of all of my jigs(Which still remains the same as the number above, my Yammy trailers are a non-factor ), then total all the fish I've caught on all swimbaits(which probably only triples the number I used above) versus that same number of fish on Jigs(which also still remains the same), fishing a jigs is indeed still cheaper per fish. I persoanlly don't think these numbers mean anything. And my debate here is not about a jig being better than a swimbait or visa versa.

My point is, there are tools required to do specific things, to allow us to target specific fish. I personally could care less about cost these days, if I know that bait works and will catch the fish I'm targeting from time to time. There are more areas on this River where a jig will work and a swimbait will not. Just as much as there are areas were a swimbait will work, and the jig will not. I love having the versatility and confidence in the baits I'm tossing, knowing they will work if I work them, regardless of the cost! But rest assured, I am very frugal and selective in the baits I do buy. Today, I buy the one's I know work, not just because I can. The Lord knows I've waisted prolly over $800 in swimbaits the past few years, that sure would buy me a lot of Zoom Chunks!