Retired Spoonplugger, equipment for sale

[NotBob]

Although this is my first post, I have been an avid reader of the Forums for years.

I purchased Mr. Perry's "Green Book - Spoonplugging - your Guide to Lunker Catches" not long after it was published, shortly followed by the "Buck Perry's Guidelines for Fishing Sucess" nine volume Home Study Course. I sought and bought every DVD, booklet, pamphlet, and subscribed to the National Spoonplugger publication (including every back issue that was available), studied Tom Colemans Trolling methods, and the ABC's of trolling with Spoonplugs" by Carl Martz. Been a fan of "Fishing Facts" magazine from the early days.

I've followed the advice and teachings of Mr. John Bales, as well as spoken to him several times, although he probably doesn't remember those occasions. Longtime Pluggers like Fran Meyers, Steve Craig, Jerry Borst, and Don Dickson have given me more help thru their posts then they can possibly imagine, and I owe them great thanks. I spent three amazing days under the instruction of Mr. Terry O'Malley, on Lake Rhodiss and Lake Hickory in Hickory, NC, learning the basics of Spoonplugging. I have caught hundreds, if not thousands of fish using the methods developed and taught by Mr. Perry.

I give you all of this information, at the risk of boring you, or worse annoying you, just to let you know how much I appreciate the SpoonPlugging Community. I can not adequately describe how it transformed my fishing life. It completely changed my fishing style and increased my success immeasurably. Without the knowledge I received from Mr. Perry I would still be pounding the shoreline along with 99% of all the other fisherman on the lakes I have fished.

I am not a socially active person. I am not a computer wizard, or a blogger, or a youtuber, and I can barely do email and texts.

Sadly, my Spoonplugging days are over. I just turned 62 this past December. Unfortunately, I had to move to Maryland. There is only one lake in this state that allows gasoline motors, and it's three and a half hours away from my home. The good news is that there is an amazing private lake just 40 minutes away that I have been able to get permission to fish. It's electric motors only, and restricted to hand-launched craft (kayaks, canoes, and very small boats), but the fish are abundant and huge.

So, I find myself with Spoonplugging equipment for which no longer have a need.

This is what I have for sale:

-Three genuine Spoonplugging rods

-69 Spoonplugs - mostly unused, some showing minor wear - all 100% fishable (note - I have written the depths on each spoonplug with permanent marker, see photos. The fish never seemed to notice. These are for fishing, not collecting).

They break down as follows:
500 Series - 9
400 Series - 9
250 Series - 9
200 Series - 9 plus 5 New in Box = 15
100 Series - 5
700 Series - 13
800 Series - 10

Three Penn 109 reels
Two Cabela's Gold Depth Master Line Counter Reels

Honestly, I don't know what these items are worth to anyone else. They are invaluable to me, but I can't use them any longer, so they have to go. I searched the forums quickly and found a post selling items from veteran Spoonplugger Ed Steigelmann. His prices were 500/$1.15 .. 400/$1.70 .. 250/$2.10 .. 200/$2.50 .. 100/$300 .. those prices seemed reasonable to me .. I added 700/$3.50 .. 800/$4.00.

Using those numbers makes the value of the Spoonplugs approximately $180.00
I figure $50 per Spoonplugging rod is reasonable equalling $150.00
The Penn 109's $15 each equalling $45.00
The Cabelas Line Counting Reels $25.00
That makes the whole lot valued at $400

I'm pretty sure I spent over $400 just on the Spoonplugs alone, but I don't regret a penny that I spent on any of these items.

I will have to charge shipping cost, because of the oversized packaging due to the rods.

You can email me at Grofbee@hotmail.com. Or text me at 301-305-2485 for an almost immediate response. You can even call me at that number and leave a message, I dont answer unrecognized numbers, but I will call you back.

If you feel these prices are unreasonable, I will consider reasonable offers, take bids, and accept the best. Bottom line, I can't use this gear anymore and would like it to go to someone who can.

Thanks for taking the time to read this endless post.

Any questions, please email, text or call. I would like to sell everything as one lot but will consider selling piece by piece if necessary.

Best Regards,
Bob

[DRflorida]

I currently troll in a canoe with trolling motor. 55 thrust. The speed I can achieve with a transducer and two poles in is 3-1/2 MPH, it works, maybe you could consider it?

[NotBob]

Hi DRFlorida. Thanks for the suggestion.
When I first arrived in Maryland I tried Spoonplugging several lakes in my Hobie peddle drive kayak, and in a 12' Jon boat with two 55lb thrust electric motors. I had limited success. It was difficult to maintain position along breaklines and follow contours the way I was able to do with an outboard. While exploring, I came across a private 200 acre lake (electric only, about 40 minutes from home) that looked like it had real potential. After several letters, emails and phone calls I was given permission to fish the lake. I have a Lowrance HDS so I spent about two weeks creating a map of the lake. All of the knowledge that I gained from Spoonplugging over the years allowed me to locate three areas; a hump, a saddle and a point (with breaklines at 12' and 19' with close proximity to the deepest hole in the lake). These three locations are where I fish now. I throw a Wacky Worm on the hump (its 4' deep out in the middle of the lake surrounded by 45' depths), a 3/4oz Football Jig on the two breaklines on the point, and use hand-sized bluegills for bait at all three spots. Yeah, I know some fisherman don't like live bait, but using these three methods, combined with the teachings of Mr. Perry, consistently produce amazing catches.

By the way, I have a buyer for the gear that I had for sale. I am just waiting for payment to arrive. Thanks to all for your interest. I'm certain that this sale will be completed, but in the unlikely chance that it isn't I have been keeping a list of all who have contacted me and I will let you know if the gear is still available.

[DRflorida]

Hey, Thanks for sharing the photos, those are what I am working on catching one Day!