Tournament Winning Lures...

[Hooligan]

Senile1, I"m not picking on you but using your quote because it's a great point: "KVD's Classic win was a great marketing tool for these baits. As much as I can recall, I have never bought a bait because it was used by a big-name angler or because it was used in winning a big-name tournament."

The reason it's an excellent quote is that it made me think of a lot of the lures I use consistently. It made me think of where I first saw, heard, or was introduced to them. Without a doubt the majority of baits that I've come by, and use regularly were from the people I fish with. This forum has introduced me to a tremendous number of different ideas and lures, including some of my now favourites. The thing that I did, though, is tried to track whether or not I'd bought any of the baits that won tournaments and bought them because of that fact alone. I could think of only one instance of it, and that's when Clunn won with the Poe's RC. The influencing factor wasn't that it won a major tournament as much as the bait fit a slot that there wasn't really another entry in.

I think, a lot of times, the masses do flock to the "Hottest New Lure that Just Won the Classic" with abandon. I think more of the...shall we say educated?... anglers tend to pay attention not to the lures as much as the tactics behind them. What I mean by that is that we absorb new or different presentations on water types that we would otherwise be familiar with in order to maximize our time and efforts.

Anyhow, food for thought, anyone else chased down that "magic bullet" only to learn that it was more than the lure that was the winning factor?

[Marty]

Anyhow, food for thought, anyone else chased down that "magic bullet" only to learn that it was more than the lure that was the winning factor?

I haven't, fortunately. That reminds me of informercials and their irresistible promises: lose weight fast, get rich quick, develop washboard abs, etc. Of course, we've seen a number of fishing infomercials as well. The thought of catching more fish is equally irresistible to us and many of us are vulnerable to such ads as, "this is the lure than won the Classic!" I've been fishing for 42 years and I learned a long time ago that you just can't buy your way to more and bigger fish (if we could, I'd be first in line to buy it ).

[Avalonjohn44]

I do get excited about seeing what won a big tournament, and yes, I then get eager to add it to my collection. I don't think anyone should be made to feel silly or dopey for wanting the lure KVD just won on.

It is a little aloof/elitist to draw a line between one person buying a KVD1.5 because he recognizes the merits of a bait while another person buys it because their fishing hero won a tournament on it. Nobody is a better or worse fisherman for wanting the latest and greatest, whatever the reason.

When I see Bassin' Magazine's spring lineup of new lures, I drool and can't wait to get my hands on some of the stuff. When I get the BPS Master Catalog, same thing.

Collecting this stuff is Fun.

[Hooligan]

I do get excited about seeing what won a big tournament, and yes, I then get eager to add it to my collection. I don't think anyone should be made to feel silly or dopey for wanting the lure KVD just won on.

It is a little aloof/elitist to draw a line between one person buying a KVD1.5 because he recognizes the merits of a bait while another person buys it because their fishing hero won a tournament on it. Nobody is a better or worse fisherman for wanting the latest and greatest, whatever the reason.

Collecting this stuff is Fun.

Agreed. That wasn't the intent and I am sorry if it came across that way. It's more anecdotal than anything in that a large number of those people that buy the bait for that reason alone will throw it for ten minutes, not catch anything and it will never again see the light of day. While those that have bought that bait on the merits of the bait will use it and add it to their arsenal under the right situations.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that it silly or wrong to buy those baits for any reason under the sun. It's more that I think it is funny because that line is drawn. You put it quite well in that nobody is better or worse for wanting it.

[philsoreel]

Did someone say Sexy Shad?

[guitarkid]

I bought both sizes of the KVDs, not because they won the classic, but because I liked them.

-gk

[Bluebasser86]

I bought one of the KVD cranks because I like fishing square bill cranks and wanted to compare it next to other baits. I also have stone jigs, Bagley square bills, mop jigs, and other tournament winning baits. I think it has a lot to do with how I've seen the pros were using them and it made me think of lakes that I knew that had similar spots that I could make them work for me. So basically, I would have to agree that I notice more how they're fishing the bait than the bait itself. I think once you've spent enough time fishing and get educated about it you start to see that there is no magic bullet. What may be a magic bullet today, might be a dud tomorrow!

[CWB]

The KVD 1.5 is the real deal. Just got back from a lake with crystal clear water. This thing has great wiggling action, most cranks do, but it does tend to wander from left to right instead of coming in in a straight line.

Not hype but when the number one and two guys at the classic are using it, it probably works. Unlike most of us, those guys make their living catching fish. If a bait doesn't work, it's not going to get used. That's not to say other baits wouldn't have worked just as well.......