Basstrix & USAC Proshops

[cbfishalot]

I was just wondering what everyones view was on the way that Basstrix and USAC proshops are handling the sells of the paddle tail swimbaits.

[MALTESE FALCON]

I think they are ripping people off. But then, there are people willing to pay the crazy amounts so what can you do?

Falcon

[David P]

As long as you have customers willing to shell out crazy amounts of money, this is only going to get worse.

There's been several occasions where 1 pack has sold for $50-$60 . ONE PACK of 3 baits that tear after ONE fish.

[Raul]

The phenomena is anything but new, lemme see:

1980 's Sluggos, tubes

1990 's Spider jigs

2000 's Senkos, Sweet Beavers, Chatterbaits and now the Paddletails.

Every now and then a bait suddenly becomes the absolute "must have" and there will always be people ready to unfold their wallet eager for somebody to take away their money ..... yet still, the No 1 Bass catcher of all times is the lowly plastic worm in all it 's forms and variations  and until swimbaits prove otherwise the No 1 Big Bass catcher of all times is the jig n 'trailer.

This proves that:

1.- Bass are the same now than they were 40-50-60 years ago

2.- There will always be customers for the newest & hottest bait out there

The magic is right where it has always been and where it will always be, behind the rod handle. Catching fish is between your ears and not between the folds of your wallet.

And that comes from someone who is the prime example of BaitMonkeyitis.

[Mattlures]

Raul I agree with your whole statement but..............I believe the swimbait has proven to be the #1 big bass catcher and the jig has been dethrowned. Granted the jig has been around forever so it would have a larger overall number of big bass but if you just looked at the last 5 years I think swimbaits would be out catching the jig by 5-1 on bass over 10. Now of cource I have no way of proving this but I believe I am pretty close.

As far as USACP proshops and basstrix go. they did the tackle matching thing to keep the ebay scalpers from getting rediculous prices. I understand why they are doing it. I dont think its perfect but I dont think its bad either.

[roadwarrior]

Now, now...For a time "Hot Baits" can be very hot and make bass "catching" a whole lot easier for a broad range of anglers. The first lure that comes to mind for me is the original Floating Rapala.

I have never fished the Basstrix and I'm not saying that this bait is in the same class as the Rapala, but SOMETIMES the lure can make the fisherman! The Senko certainly has had an impact on me and for that matter, a whole generation of fishermen.

[Raul]

Matt, the jig is still to be dethrowned by the swimbait, too new vs to many years, it may happen in the future, been swimbaiting for what ? a couple of years, actually I first started with your bluegills, but still haven 't landed a real big momma with a swimbait, the closest one was according to the eyeballmeter between 9 and 11 and thanks to my partner (  : , how come when you got a really goodun your partner lacks of any experience with the net ? one of those mysteries yet to be solved ), but been jigging for over a couple of decades and most of them biguns came with the old reliable.

Many are in my position, most probably it will happen, personally I think it 's not a matter of it will happen but when, the SB8 will become the big momma catcher of all times. Somehow I believe that catching biguns with jigs is an art that not many are able to master. Got a Spanish buddy that does his biguns massacre in Spain ( and they only have northern strain ) but with swimbaits, he also hasn 't caught any whopper with a jig and when I told him that most of my biguns were caught with a jig he thought I was bsing him, he has mastered the art of catching biguns with sb8s, so far I 'm still stuck with the jig.

[Mattlures]

Just so you know I always have a rod in my boat rigged with a jig. They work and they work well but it is a diferent aplication. I dont throw thwm nearly as much as my swimbaits but I do throw them. I NEVER throw spinnerbaits or cranks. I will dropshot but only when I have previously decided that I am going fun fishing for a change of pace. I probably own 100 spinnerbaits and 300 verious cranks and jerk baits etc. I have giant boxes full of stuff but when it comes down to it I realy only fish a very small percenatge of. I am sure this sounds familiar

[Raul]

Yeah, I know what you mean Matt, haven 't caught anything really good with a spinnerbait in all these years, and excuse us guys but Matt knows what I mean when I say something really good ( 9 and a half pounds doesn 't qualify as "really good" : ), caught my first 10 pounder with a Rapala minnow and my PB ( 13.86 ) with a Rapala Shad Rap but cranks are also not big bass baits for me ( I 's say I simply lucked out with those two ) but the jig .... oh boy that 's another story .

I 'm pretty shure the reason why sb8s haven 't worked for me is a matter of population, there 's always a bunch of those 1-3 lb suicidal fish with s*t for brains that are ready to pounce on them like a friggin kamikaze and that 's what I catch most of the time with swimbaits. >

[Guest avid]

Getting back to the subject.

I think that What USAC proshops is perfectly ethical.  They are not charging what the market will bear.  They are charging a premium but it's still less than half of what the AVERAGE price is on ebay.   The purchase requirement is a way for them to thwart the ebayers and make sure that there steady customers have access to the hottest bait in town.

In terms of wanting that "hot" bait when it's hot.............Guilty.

Read my sig line.....I love bass lures.

Look at my sunglasses.......Are they Maui Jim's.......NOT...  more like Ray Charles.

Is my boat a $50,000 Triton?    NOT>>>>>   it's a 14' old town canoe with a tm, stabilizers, and now a bass seat (EXCELLENT)  8-)

so we all have our priorities.

What is important to me may not matter to you and vice versa.

But I have the paddle tail and you don't .   Nah Nah Na-NaH naaaaaaaaaaah  

Plus a little surprise that I'm itching to toss............

[roadwarrior]

Well then...Let's see what happens. I would be fishing 'em too if I could get a hold of a few, but since I can't,

I just ordered some more Baby Bass from Matt.  

[cbfishalot]

First off I would like to thank all of you for the input.  I have 4 packs on there way and I had a couple of other things to get anyway.  The only thing that is a little disturbing is that you get the colors that they send you with near no choice.  I look at it two ways 1st that if I get a color I really don't care for I don't and will not sell it on ebay but some might.  2nd They are so hard to get that I only got a few packs on the order because I have not fished them before and I'm done spending a ton of money on baits and colors without fishing them first.   This may come back to bit me in the butt if they are as good as people say they are because I don't know when I'll have another 1 1/2 hours to spend tring to get through on the phone.