Vanderhoek lures?

[Patudo]

Hey guys,

Anyone out there who could put up some photos of Gene Vanderhoek lures? I've never had the privilege of seeing one.

Best regards

P.

[Capt_John]

Didn't know he made lures. I'd liketo see them as well.

[Jason @ Melton Tackle]

I have heard rumors of a Vanderhoek Plunger...

I know Gene is in our Kona store quite often, rigging and hanging out with Tim, Lynda, Mark and Wes. I'll give the Kona store a call shortly and see if we can get some more info for you on this.

Jason

[tim R]

Guys,

In Kona there are several private lure makers that make limited offerings of product mostly for themselves and a few friends. Some of these lures are incredible, but usually highly custom.

Gene was the original developer of the Plunger and he got Joe Yee involved and let Joe run with the shape.

Gene made a batch 2 years ago and I got two of them, one I gave to a good friend for the Bisbees.

There are others that make lures like this and we carry them in the Kona store only, as a limited offering. Kerwin Masunaga is one, Scott Crampton is another...

Marlin Magic & Joe Yee do an awesome job of covering almost all shapes, colors and sizes of most Hawaiian lures. They both have original shapes that are constantly replicated by other resellers (which we don't support).

The real crux of this is there are several east coast guys who only try to copy the Hawaiian developed lures and know virtually nothing about running them or using them, they only know how to copy them...And because they're doing an esthetically good job of copying great lures, they do work pretty good. However they're no where near what the original manufactures product.

Guys like Marlin Magic, Joe Yee, Aloha, Coggins etc...Are really the best and deserve the support for developing and producing the products...

[Jason @ Melton Tackle]

Hey Tim, I'll take that second Vanderhoek Plunger...just kidding! I cherish my Kirwin Masunaga Kona Nut lure. There's just something about Hawaiian made lures that is just so cool!

[Capt_John]

Guys,

In Kona there are several private lure makers that make limited offerings of product mostly for themselves and a few friends. Some of these lures are incredible, but usually highly custom.

Gene was the original developer of the Plunger and he got Joe Yee involved and let Joe run with the shape.

Gene made a batch 2 years ago and I got two of them, one I gave to a good friend for the Bisbees.

There are others that make lures like this and we carry them in the Kona store only, as a limited offering. Kerwin Masunaga is one, Scott Crampton is another...

Marlin Magic & Joe Yee do an awesome job of covering almost all shapes, colors and sizes of most Hawaiian lures. They both have original shapes that are constantly replicated by other resellers (which we don't support).

The real crux of this is there are several east coast guys who only try to copy the Hawaiian developed lures and know virtually nothing about running them or using them, they only know how to copy them...And because they're doing an esthetically good job of copying great lures, they do work pretty good. However they're no where near what the original manufactures product.

Guys like Marlin Magic, Joe Yee, Aloha, Coggins etc...Are really the best and deserve the support for developing and producing the products...

I agree with you 100%. These guys make some of the best lures in the world. They have a proven record on fish that can't be beat. That being said, what's wrong with someone copying a lure? It goes on in fishing all over the world and in all types of fishing. I was taught how to pour lures by a local Hawaiian fisherman while living there. I make lures just for fun now, but I have been known to sell a few to friends. I'm not out to steal anyone's business or anything. I just do it for the fun of doing it and seeing people catch fish. If I sell a lure, I do it for what it cost me in materials and time..that's it. I have a friend that says my lures run better and catch more fish than some of the names mentioned. That's just his opinion because of the luck he's had with them. If he tells a friend, who tells a friend, and so on.....does that make me a bad person because I make these lures if they ask me to? I personally think that I've been extremely lucky in my fishing career, but I can't hold a candle to any of these other guys. BTW, my molds are made from lures that I bought off of the guy who taught me and I have a lot of Marlin Magic and Bomboy lures of my own. I don't see anything wrong with other companies making and selling their lures. It's up to the consumer to pick what they want to pull out on the water.

[dknott77]

Well said Big Tim. I have a handful of Gene's plungers and have caught fish on them in more than one ocean. They are nothing special just a medium sized plunger with a mellow cut, no lead and a small face. But........Kerwin's lures are bar none flat out the best!

[dknott77]

Did I mention that Kerwin's lures are the best???????

[dknott77]

Just remember in posting here that Gene, Marlin, Bart, Joe, Bomboy, Crampton, Merlin, Kerwin and most other OG lure head creators are very close friends of mine and they have spent countless days on the pacific ocean as well as the atlantic perfecting the styles, shapes, skirt combos, hook rigs etc. in the process of helping them catch more fish(MARLIN-b/c other fish are just bait) to help them have a better charter clientel. If not for these guys everyone would still be driving around with 16 ounces of lead and old bicycle tire shreds for skirts(which still works fine). Lure re-creation is fine but I don't know any other guys who made a lure and caught a 1,656 on it. And by the way, the B.Bart 1656 on the market today ain't even close the real one... Give the boys their props and make something original like they did.

[Fishing Hawaii]

Might all of this interest in the Vander Hoek plunger be because Gene, Mike Stewart and Chris Choy used one to win the Maui Jim Series Firecracker Open? For the full story, visit FishingHawaiiOffshore.com. The story of the tournament will be up on the site for the next two weeks.

Jim Rizzuto