Huddleston lawsuit against Bass Pro Shops

[mheichelbech]

Please move it not in the right place but wondering if there has been any updates on the Huddleston Lures lawsuit against BPS for patent infringement or copyright violations?

 

Also just wondering how does BOS get away with copying so many lure designs?? I guess because they are so big and control the market and designers are forced to acquiesce?  Kind of in the same way the NBA (and many other companies) kowtows to China in the name of profit?

[WRB]

Patents and registered Trade Names can be prosecuted for infringement. Patents have 17 year protection, Trade Names are indifinately protected if the owners choose to do so. The problem is international laws differ and China ignores them.

Tom

[mheichelbech]

12 hours ago, WRB said:

Patents and registered Trade Names can be prosecuted for infringement. Patents have 17 year protection, Trade Names are indifinately protected if the owners choose to do so. The problem is international laws differ and China ignores them.

Tom

I guess Bass Pro does as well...I’ve been in business long enough to know it’s not what’s right/wrong or even lawful/unlawful, it’s who has deep enough pockets to keep up the legal fight; particularly with patent and copyright issues.

[Captain Phil]

I'm not taking sides.  However, there are very few truly new bass lures. If you look through an antique lure catalog you can see this is true.  Lure makers have been copying each other for years.   You can't patent a lure that is a copy of something in nature like a worm or a crawfish. There's nothing unique about a spinner, a blade or a bucktail.  As long as anglers continue to buy cheap knockoffs, they will still be sold.

[WRB]

Ken Huddleston patent covers the boot tail design on his soft swimbaits.  The patent is a strong well written claims and the infringements should be upheld. 

Patents are expensive and fee's paid each year along with any international patents issued. Litigation is expensive and unethical businesses infringe until they must pay, most will cease and desist upon written notice and pay royalties.

Having several patents during my working career I know this process too well.

Tom

[mheichelbech]

5 hours ago, WRB said:

Ken Huddleston patent covers the boot tail design on his soft swimbaits.  The patent is a strong well written claims and the infringements should be upheld. 

Patents are expensive and fee's paid each year along with any international patents issued. Litigation is expensive and unethical businesses infringe until they must pay, most will cease and desist upon written notice and pay royalties.

Having several patents during my working career I know this process too well.

Tom

Any idea what happened on the deal with Bass Pro?  From what I have read and I don’t know if true or not, is that most companies allowed BPS to copy designs in order to advertise their lures in the ever popular catelog.  Of course with the ability for companies to market online now it isn’t necessary like it used to be.

[WRB]

Don't know, haven't been in contact with anyone the past 2 years.

Tom

[garroyo130]

Whats the lure in question? Has BPS made foam bodied lures?

[Bluebasser86]

4 minutes ago, garroyo130 said:

Whats the lure in question? Has BPS made foam bodied lures?

BPS made almost an exact KO of a Huddleston 6" swimbait. It was available for maybe a month before the lawsuit and got pulled.

[Sissyfishing]

I won’t shop BPS or buy name brands unless I need a no. 7 rapala

mostly Walmart and academy generics

[FishTank]

As a general rule of thumb, I don't buy any of BPS fishing stuff or any equipment that puts an anglers name on it.  It has always screamed knock off but there are of course exceptions.  But in any case, I hope Huddleston wins.

[Sissyfishing]

I prefer family owned /operated manufacturers 

[Vilas15]

10 hours ago, Sissyfishing said:

mostly Walmart

 

19 minutes ago, Sissyfishing said:

I prefer family owned /operated manufacturers 

Huh?

[Spankey]

16 hours ago, Sissyfishing said:

I won’t shop BPS or buy name brands unless I need a no. 7 rapala

mostly Walmart and academy generics

 

6 hours ago, Vilas15 said:

 

Huh?

 

16 hours ago, Sissyfishing said:

I won’t shop BPS or buy name brands unless I need a no. 7 rapala

mostly Walmart and academy generics

Hard to find a sizable amount of fishing gear made in the USA. It can be found. Who knows if all components are US products. 
 

I’m a crankbait addict. Fish numerous Brands. I’ve caught countless smallies on Bandits. Jumped on the Bandit Bus when they first came out. Was fishing Bandits in my area before anyone knew who they were. USA company, great customer relations, was always able to get my hands on special run colors, I own quite a few of them and I sincerely believe every pattern I possess has caught me at least one bass. What a great period of my bass fishing journey. 
 

I don’t know all the ins and outs of why they sold out. But I have not had a purchase since. They are not the same anymore. Their product line is not there anymore. If they were bought to become better I don’t see how it is happening. I’ll lump Bomber Lures in this same situation. 
 

I’ve boycotted Wally World a long time ago. I have my twisted reasons as to why. The ones in my area suck anyway when it comes to fishing stuff. I guess all Wally Worlds are not created equal. I’m glad you guys make out well with the ones you have. I’m just not that lucky and have stuck to my reasoning. I would never tell anyone to not use WW. 

[Sphynx]

On 7/4/2020 at 7:43 AM, mheichelbech said:

I guess Bass Pro does as well...I’ve been in business long enough to know it’s not what’s right/wrong or even lawful/unlawful, it’s who has deep enough pockets to keep up the legal fight; particularly with patent and copyright issues.

This, absolutely this, as to how China gets away with all the theft of intellectual property and patent infringement, it has a lot to do with the fact that they have an impressively large military industrial complex perfectly willing to prevent the rest of the world being able to traipse in and prevent it, I suppose we could insist, but I don't think too many people consider it a sufficient reason to begin what would probably end up becoming WW3

[J Francho]

Careful, politics are a no-no here. 

[CountryboyinDC]

On 7/5/2020 at 8:45 AM, Bluebasser86 said:

BPS made almost an exact KO of a Huddleston 6" swimbait.

From what I heard from someone who bought one, it was in no way a good one.  It just looked like one in the package.  When you put it in the water, it looked as much like a Hudd as a model airplane (I think he said the ROF was like 1' per minute too).  Hard to believe that the lawsuit hasn't been settled.  Or maybe it has.  A $7 poorly performing knock-off swimbait doesn't seem worth sending your lawyers to court over 

[Vilas15]

3 hours ago, Spankey said:

 

 

Hard to find a sizable amount of fishing gear made in the USA. It can be found. Who knows if all components are US products. 
 

I’m a crankbait addict. Fish numerous Brands. I’ve caught countless smallies on Bandits. Jumped on the Bandit Bus when they first came out. Was fishing Bandits in my area before anyone knew who they were. USA company, great customer relations, was always able to get my hands on special run colors, I own quite a few of them and I sincerely believe every pattern I possess has caught me at least one bass. What a great period of my bass fishing journey. 
 

I don’t know all the ins and outs of why they sold out. But I have not had a purchase since. They are not the same anymore. Their product line is not there anymore. If they were bought to become better I don’t see how it is happening. I’ll lump Bomber Lures in this same situation. 
 

I’ve boycotted Wally World a long time ago. I have my twisted reasons as to why. The ones in my area suck anyway when it comes to fishing stuff. I guess all Wally Worlds are not created equal. I’m glad you guys make out well with the ones you have. I’m just not that lucky and have stuck to my reasoning. I would never tell anyone to not use WW. 

Sorry i mustve gotten confused. I thought you were saying you mostly bought from walmart and academy, which obviously contradicted the other post. I avoid walmart whenever possible in general. And lately ive been disappointed with cabelas replacing every product with BPS brand. Mostly get rapalas straight from their website, i need to make a better effort to get to the tackle store near me.

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, Vilas15 said:

Mostly get rapalas straight from their website,

I get my Rapalas from FishUSA - better price and they carry the full line and almost all the colors...rarely go to Rapala's site for them.

[Sissyfishing]

Sweet, bass pro bought cabelas, Walmart academy for generics is a when all else fails thing I try to find family owned operated like charlie brewer slider co. 

[GaryH]

13 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I get my Rapalas from FishUSA - better price and they carry the full line and almost all the colors...rarely go to Rapala's site for them.

FishUSA great store. 

[Spankey]

8 minutes ago, Vilas15 said:

Sorry i mustve gotten confused. I thought you were saying you mostly bought from walmart and academy, which obviously contradicted the other post. I avoid walmart whenever possible in general. And lately ive been disappointed with cabelas replacing every product with BPS brand. Mostly get rapalas straight from their website, i need to make a better effort to get to the tackle store near me.

Well that’s another thing I don’t have any decent mom and pop shops around anymore either. Two that I hit a few time a year each are no prize as far as baits. Both are well stocked St. Croix Dealers and both carry Shimano Reels. One has a decent amount of Zoom the other is more of a Z Man, Jackell, keitec place. We will leave it at, neither float my boat. DICKS......when they stopped carrying shot shells, rifle ammo the boycott started there. But I’d never tell anyone to boycott these establishments. I’m principles are my own and won’t push them. 

[Sissyfishing]

We had about 15 independent tackle dealers in dfw until they built two bps after selling very low priced and took over they spiked prices thru the roof, free enterprise I guess but sounds like dirty pool to me so I don’t shop there but there’s one left and they make most of their own lures

[Spankey]

10 minutes ago, Sissyfishing said:

Sweet, bass pro bought cabelas, Walmart academy for generics is a when all else fails thing I try to find family owned operated like charlie brewer slider co. 

I know where you are coming from but it’s a tough find these day. It is what it is. Some good stuff comes from Japan. A lot from China. A good bit from South America. What can you do. 
 

BPS took a nose dive when they started pushing all the house brand. Was not always like that. Some of these guys on here can tell you they were full line dealers of some bait manufacturers. That was not all that long ago. 
 

There is not a dang reason that they should not be a full line dealer of Strike King. Every variety, Every pattern. Same with Rapala, LC, LiveTarget or whoever. 
 

I didn’t realize there was such a want and desire for their XP/RXP/XPS Tourney stuff. Guess I’m wrong. 

[Sissyfishing]

Where to get discontinued stuff, some online companies can make stuff for you but you got to search it out, wish somebody still made the bill Norman snatrix a 6 inch ribbon tail worm I would fish in summer around grass and pads weightless, caught tons, any 6 inch ribbon tail would work I guess but those snatrix were exceptional the bass really attacked it with violent strikes