Being a guy that grew up with Bobby Garland I have a little different take on bait copiers. Bob died about two years ago in a Arkansas rest home. I don't imagine any of the gitzit copiers sent him a check, took care of any of his needs. How about all the guys that copied his mini jig?
Any of you guys fish the hula grub or hula twin tail???? Those were a Bob Garland invention too that were copied and continue to be copied today. Bobby died broke! In all the years I never heard him say I made a copy of this bait or that bait that I saw the other day. I remember being in his motor home at Lake Oroville when he showed me the first gitzit.
I have a great deal of respect for Andre Moore, he is an awesome lure designer and his stuff gets copied each day. They even call it by the same name in some cases.
I respect the hell out of Greg Stump and Mike Brakebill from Robo. Those guys are innovators.
Some of you guys have heard me say before that in the tackle business R&D means ripoff and duplicate. It has been going on for decades.
The problem is the swimbait guys think they are the only ones that this happens to. Not true! How about Snag Proof, Lunker Lure, or even our old friend Don Butler from Okie Bug....some of you guys don't remember his innovations but you fish them every time you go out. Don't hear too many guys giving Conroy Oakley credit for so many of the worm colors he invented, or Don Iovino. Gary Klein was the first one to put a round bend, needle point hook in a flipping jig, the first one to offset the eye and the first one to ever put a rattle in a jig for production. How many copies of the Weapon Jig are there? I know that one for a fact because I poured and painted all the original Weapons in my garage when I was in high school. The hook was imported from England. The swimbait guys need to move on and keep doing business. I swear Rick Grover could have Don King promote Bass A Thon if all the swimbait guys would just agree to fight to the end!!!!!
Ken Huddleston is a genius, Mickey Ellis as different as he is can be put in that catagory. There are probably no better artist than Ray from Revenge and Do-It knocked off his bait year.
The list goes on and on. How these guys handle it and how they market their product will produce the winners and the losers. innovators will always be around and the immitators will go by the wayside eventually.
As far as the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame.........I have my own opinion on that one.........i'll keep it to myself
I know one thing if we all keep acting like little girls the fishermen that support this sport and everyone involved may be buying knock off golf clubs and imported golf balls.......
Does anyone have fun fishing anymore? Does anyone look forward to seeing buddies at the lake or do they just go to the ramp and tallk $h*$ about everyone then hurry up and go home to get online.
ok Brian you wondered my take on it.........
kb
haha! Just a little fun ta lighten up the thread, I will leave now! 
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