Custom colors or Factory colors?

[javelin225ho]

Alright guys, when it comes to baits, soft or hard, crankbaits, topwaters or soft plastics........most use the factory stuff, but if you had a choice, would you go with custom stuff?  maybe a "woops"y shad color on a DD14 or a DT-6?  A lucky craft color on a rogue? maybe a good zoom color on a sweet beaver?  what are your thoughts?

[-Steve-]

I think either way your a winner. Every color has a place and a time to fit the conditions...Steve

[javelin225ho]

I think either way your a winner. Every color has a place and a time to fit the conditions...Steve

true....but the price you pay would be the difference

[Siebert Outdoors]

custom.  they are typically made better.  Better parts, better performance, better quality all around.

Biggest of all.  Made by someone I know.

[trdkid]

I only wish when I went to dick's the bomber crank baits had lucky craft paint shops or the soft plastic didn't only come in watermelon and junebug getting sick and tired of these colors that everyone uses that all the bass in the area start to get to used to atleast that's my opinion

[javelin225ho]

GLoomis is right, when it comes to baits that are assembled, they are done by the folks and those same folks will back their product up.  KaRu is a perfect expample of that.  if you have a problem, Karl and Rudy will make it right. 

as for hardbaits, unless its hand made from Balsa like alot of the guys here do (jrHopkins makes some amazing stuff), 99% of them are going to come from China.  now, it can be a good thing, if the manufacturer uses quality terminal tackle on it.  Also, if the painter uses quality paints and good Clearcoat on the baits.  But, you are going to pay a little extra for that effort because it costs the company that much more to produce that completed bait. 

Bottom line is the big manufacturer is not going to back his stuff up like a smaller company will.  our sponsors set the bar when it comes to that. 

[javelin225ho]

I only wish when I went to dick's the bomber crank baits had lucky craft paint shops or the soft plastic didn't only come in watermelon and junebug getting sick and tired of these colors that everyone uses that all the bass in the area start to get to used to atleast that's my opinion

you can get those bombers custom painted in those luckycraft colors almost anywhere......as for the plastics, there are tons of guys out there that make different colors....but they only produce and advertise the ones that are going to make a profit....albiet a small profit usually, but a profit none the less.

[Bountiful Waters]

Custom work has it's niche. For example, I stood in Gander Mtn this past weekend and grabbed 3 bags of plastics from 3 different manufacturers of the color "Electric Blue". All three bags were at least two shades different from the next. I had a tackle store tell a staffer that they had over 25 shades of watermelon hanging on their pegs from different companies all claiming "watermelon". There are enough fisherman who want certain colors time and time again and may have a hard time finding them. This is where you come in. Just keep records of how you created the pattern or color.

[javelin225ho]

Custom work has it's niche. For example, I stood in Gander Mtn this past weekend and grabbed 3 bags of plastics from 3 different manufacturers of the color "Electric Blue". All three bags were at least two shades different from the next. I had a tackle store tell a staffer that they had over 25 shades of watermelon hanging on their pegs from different companies all claiming "watermelon". There are enough fisherman who want certain colors time and time again and may have a hard time finding them. This is where you come in. Just keep records of how you created the pattern or color.

Keeping records of it is probablly the most overlooked thing.  Alot of things happen by accident.  If you would like to go above and beyond, Copywrites and patents are the best way to go to ensure you're protected from copycats.