Todays Visit With Black Bart

[Deep C]

I was out making my rounds getting stuff for upcomming tournaments today. With the chatter about Black Bart lures recently I was spurred to stop in his shop and see if he was around. I had been there a few times over recent years but never made an effort as such to just visit. Its been years since we had a cordial conversation as our working relationship of yesteryear had ended pretty hard. I figured now would be a good time to eat some crow and let the past be the past.
I walked in the neatly trimmed store. Empty slots on the walls indicated that sales have been brisk. I let the man behind the desk know who I was and then entered Barts office.
I was taken back. The firey rough tough guy I used to wrangle with was no longer there. Instead a shadow of yesteryear sat before me. He wore an eyepatch and had visible tremmors. I said hello and he responded back in a kind and welcoming tone. Any heat we had between us was gone. Two old friends were again united.
Though physically he was not the same he was 100% Bart and almost immediately he walked me through the improvements and metamorphasis of his products. It had been a while since I talked with anyone about lures at the level we talked. I was floored at how the already intricate lures I had once made with him now involved nothing short of the highest available technology and quality.
The grade of shell was improved. The inserts now cut from top quality stainless and aluminum. Huge attention to detail considering they would spend their entire lives encased in plastic. Not just any ol resin. This stuf was the goods! Polyeurethane hand poured into molds so refined that its finished product that pops out. No sanding, buffing and polishing. Amazing stuff from point A to point B. I was humbled by the modernization over such a short period of time. My processes were state of the art not long ago but positively neanderthal in comparison to what he was doing now.
It was years ago all over again. Excited about new designs like kids again. No closed ears or beefy egos. Exchanging ideas and sharing stories of yesteryear. We talked of plastic and families and growing older... Part of me wanted to cry and part was elated that he was still as sharp witted as ever.
He showed me numbers... Way way impressive. At one time I was making all his lures and the numbers were but a small part of my production. Now they made even my best years look like nothing. His clothing numbers alone were in the seven digits and rods even more... I was proud to see that his operation was running so smoothly.
Minutes turned to hours. Neither of us wanted it to end. He had writing to do and I had chores of my own to do. For old time sake he and I each tied up a mini 1656 (which of course I had to pay full retail for ). We parted and promised to get our families together for dinner one night soon. As I drove home I admit I got a bit misty. The years had not been kind to him physically but upstairs where it counts he was still the man I came to admire and respect years ago... Thanks for letting me share...

[clt_capt]

Thanks Deep - Nice report

[Wasabi]

Thank you for sharing your trip. I am sure it meant an awful lot to Bart. Yes, these last years have been tough. This "growin' old" is a full contact sport !

Papa is a gentleman of the old school.

[rarhomes]

I didn't know Bart Miller lived in Florida. Just think of all the great anglers that lived or still live in Florida. I could, and I'am sure you could list a pile you grew up with. What a great place to grow up.

[Deep C]

The list is endless. I had the pleasure of working with Bart, Splittail Charlie Hayden, Ed and Frank Murray, Cookie Murray, Bob Schneider, Voss, Billy Black, Willie McDow, Buck Marshall, Bill Buckland to name a few. And that was just in one square block. Norm Issacs has now moved in too. Tred was here for a while but he got kicked out of the club.

[hubris 1]

bart miller must be a millionaire! GOOD!

[Deep C]

From the numbers he showed me ... I'd say he's doing pretty much ok...

[Rhodekill]

From the numbers he showed me ... I'd say he's doing pretty much ok...

Man I am realy trying here.

You sat down with Bart and have since been reunited after "our working relationship of yesteryear had ended pretty hard."

And he showed you the numbers?

[reel fishy]

The list is endless. I had the pleasure of working with Bart, Splittail Charlie Hayden, Ed and Frank Murray, Cookie Murray, Bob Schneider, Voss, Billy Black, Willie McDow, Buck Marshall, Bill Buckland to name a few. And that was just in one square block. Norm Issacs has now moved in too. Tred was here for a while but he got kicked out of the club.

Yep, Florida isn't just a retirement home for mindless snow zombies.

I saw Bart at the Miami boat show and he was not looking well. It's sad to see a man with so much knowledge about big game fishing just wither away into oblivion. I hope he passes on his extensive knowledge of lure design to someone who will continue to develop them for the future.

Tons of the big game crowd come hear to slow down and enjoy the perks of the mainland. Even though the fishing in these remote destinations if phenomenal, sometimes they are not the best places to raise a family. You know Norm's son Darin also moved to Florida and is running a boat out of Miami Beach Marina.

[Deep C]

Man I am realy trying here.

You sat down with Bart and have since been reunited after "our working relationship of yesteryear had ended pretty hard."

And he showed you the numbers?

Yes Ray all that painfull crap from our split went away. Like it never happened. Just picked up the pieces where we left off... He might have been poking them in my face to say "See what you missed out on" or more likely just like the old days keeping each other informed what up and whats new... Same as him taking time to show me in detail the advances he has made in his production. Over the top cool stuff that I would have never in a million years considered possible...
We split when the trend was shifting toward clear soft. I spent about a hundred grand chasing a production method that still wasn't up to his demanding needs. He wouldn't pay for the stuff we had made cause it didn't pass quality expectations. Then he wouldn't let me sell any of it to defray the costs of producing it because they were his design and trade mark old snake eye. We blew up and ended the relationship. Only saw him passingly a couple times after that...
Clear soft as I had predicted went the way of the dinosaur. Yellowing and or clouding on the shelves after some time involved a ton of returns. Not running true because of flex was another issue. Shut a lot of companies down...
I was saddened a bit today. Not just about his physical condition but for missing all those years of friendship because we were too stubborn to kiss and make up. Not just us affected. Our wives and kids were close too and our spat spilled over on them...