The Spoonpluggers Forum

Dennis Prichard is an ardent follower of Buck Perry and Don Dickson. I believe he said he was a personal friend of Buck. He has many videos in addition to this one. You will enjoy it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfDH37jHA3k

James

Thanks for the info on Dennis’ videos. Well done.

Question, where has he been?? I’ve been around Spoonplugging for a good while; I don’t remember seeing/meeting Dennis at any of the Spoonplugger Jamborees, or seeing him as a member of the National Spoonplugger.

Good Fishing
TN Dave

TN Dave wrote: ↑Wed Sep 07, 2022 10:14 am James

Thanks for the info on Dennis’ videos. Well done.

Question, where has he been?? I’ve been around Spoonplugging for a good while; I don’t remember seeing/meeting Dennis at any of the Spoonplugger Jamborees, or seeing him as a member of the National Spoonplugger.

Good Fishing
TN Dave

Who cares? Seems like he was probably out fishing. The gentleman that taught me to spoonplug always told me to stay away the clubs/outing. He said there’s a ton of guys that can quote everything Buck ever said/wrote but only a very few that actually go out and catch fish. The best Spoonpluggers I meet in the Illinois club I’m not even sure if they are members of this board.

Bink
Actually I do care. One of Mr. Perry’s lasting admonitions to us is to keep in contact with fellow Spoonpluggers.

No matter how much I know, there is always a fellow Spoonplugger who knows something that I don’t know. There is always something to learn about Spoonplugging. “Knowledge is the Key to Success”.

Best way to stay informed and in contact with fellow Spoonpluggers is through “The National Spoonplugger” and spoonplug.net. The information contained in these sites is invaluable.

Few, if any of us, have the time or resources to spend 250-300 days on the water each year. However, the collective days of all the Spoonpluggers spent on the water is in the thousands. All this experience is readily shared by most Spoonpluggers.

The newsletter and spoonplug.net discuss an exceptional amount of fishing/structure situations. If a Spoonplugger has a difficult situation to solve, the answer is in these resources.

The most cost effective information from these sources, especially spoonplug.net, is what fishing equipment to buy that will handle the requirements needed for effective trolling and casting. The most expensive equipment is not necessary, however, one has to spend enough money to get out of the junk.

Best statement I ever heard about trying to find good Spoonplugging equipment was made by the late Harold Eaton, Mobile, AL Spoonplugger,
“I have a closet full of trial and error (rods and reels); just tell me what works”.

Probably the most difficult equipment to find is a good boat and motor that is suitable for trolling. I can drive down to my local Bass Pro Shop, and right there on the show room floor, I can buy a fully equipped bass boat just like KVD or your favorite TV, Tournament Pro, or YouTube personality. For only $80-$100,000. !!

However, if I walk in to Bass Pro Shop and ask for a good Spoonplugging (trolling) boat, I get a blank stare or be asked to leave. With the information from fellow Spoonpluggers I can find a good rig for a fourth of what a bass boat costs and with a bit of searching I can find a good used rig for even less.

Long way of saying that it’s best not to be isolated when it comes to Spoonplugging. Take advantage of these valuable resources. What little I have been able to share/contribute to my fellow Spoonpluggers, I have received much more in return.

Good Fishing

TN Dave

PS: Take advantage of club outings and the National Jamboree meeting. Both are great place to meet and greet and learn. The outings are announced in “The National Spoonplugger” and on spoonplug.net

Well said David, well said!

Isolation is the best way I know of a spoonplugger placing limitations on themselves. There have been a lot of spoonpluggers out there that have wanted nothing to do with outings or newsletters or a club. I have often wondered why. I see them as being a big grouchy like I am becoming. There have been just a few spoonpluggers I have met that have advanced my fishing knowledge. Only a few. But those few were worth the time listening and doing what they told me to do. There has been a lot I have learned not from spoonpluggers but one of the best tournament fisherman I have ever met. Greg Mangus is the guy. Mr. Waldman can tell you about Greg. I have told him many times how I am not sure how he could understand so much without being a spoonplugger. However, his time on the water was the reason. He has read the green book. Nothing I know came from myself. All the credit goes to Mr. Perry and a very few others. I just did the work and every day is still a learning process. And thank you David for showing me the boat I always wanted and finally got. John

Thank you Steve. Thank you John.

Good Fishin

TN Dave

Long way of saying that it’s best not to be isolated when it comes to Spoonplugging. Take advantage of these valuable resources. What little I have been able to share/contribute to my fellow Spoonpluggers, I have received much more in return.

I guess everyone looks at it different. Obviously this guy has done just fine in his spoonplug isolation. I kinda look at it the opposite way and see a lot of guys pigeon hole themself with only Spoonpluging. In the scenes they think it’s the only answer.
As far as the guys some being big grouches I think it’s more the beating of a dead horse on some simple fishing knowledge. If you have to a closet full of trial and error you clearly haven’t followed the basics from Buck.

Here is how I look at it(one way). Without Bucks guidelines, we would all be pieces of crap and would have no idea about anything. Totally lost.......... With his guidelines, we can catch fish any way we want to, and do it anywhere and at any time and for all species because we have an understanding of how it all works. Without that, we are nothing. John

Not for me or those I've fished with and will John. Regardless of Perry's guidelines I was never a piece of crap nor known nothing. No sir I've never been totally lost. From what I've read thru out this forum I've yet to see displayed a valueless preexistence to adhering to a set of directions.
Your second point in describing the benefit of using those guidelines wasn't lost on Pritchard. Dennis is no proselyte.He testifies to the same position. Albeit without the invective's.
As far as catching fish anyway, anywhere, anytime don't we still depend upon movement? At that the "waiting" game is either employed or another tack is taken. For a lot, I'd say a majority, of most folks that fish they're not all at or on the water to catch fish. Many fish for esoteric reasons. As if fishing and catching work best when the mystic and mystique commingle.
I've surf fished for years. There are as many that enjoy the setting and sitting as much as the catching.

yaaintdeadyet you are correct
There are as many that enjoy the setting and sitting as much as the catching.
case in point
Late Monday evening I went out and hooked up the boat with the intention of going to Harris Lake on Tuesday.
But about 10 mins after I did a good friend called and asked if I would go fishing with him on Tuesday.
I didn't hesitate and said sure even thou he is not a bass angler.
His likes in fishing is going to the coastal rivers and creeks and just using bottom rigs, catch croakers and spots or whatever may hit.
Now naturally we wanted to catch some fish, but the best part was just sharing a day on the water with a good friend.
We did ok in the fishing, but I just went along on any way he wanted to do it.

Bink

When I said that Harold Eaton had a closet full of trial and error, I was referring to his search for a casting rod and reel combination that would cast Spoonplugs well. Hard to find. Finally found a recommendation from Don Dickson that a seven foot medium action casting works as good as any that I have been able to find.

As far as following Mr. Perry’s instructions, Harold was a hard working and knowledgeable Spoonplugger. Because he was an isolated Spoonplugger down in Mobile, AL, Harold would be the first to tell any of us to seek out other Spoonpluggers. Harold really appreciated the old Jamborees.

Harold was a dedicated user of Buck’s Baits trolling rods and reels. As a matter of fact, he had one of the first gray color impregnated trolling rods. On a trip to Grenada he let try the rod. Much better feel than the rod I had which was one of the old white blanks painted (various colors) rod. I upgraded all of my trolling rods to the new (old) blanks.

Seems as if the “grind” of the trolling rod blank got changed sometime in the late 79’s or early 80’s. Once Mr. Perry found the discrepancy, he changed the “grind” back to his original specifications, mid 90’s time frame. The gray color impregnated blank are the ones Scott uses today

Good Fishing
TN Dave

Buck Perry gets the credit for every fish I catch on purpose. I stand by what I said. I fish to catch fish, however the things like enjoying the other person in the boat, watch the sun come up and set, things like that are always enjoyed but the catching of the fish to me is the reason I'm out there.
You aint dead yet, Just curious. Your vocabulary is very advanced. So far over my head that a lot of what you wrote cannot be understood. Have a great day. John
PS. Someone bought me a book. The title was The Greatest Fishing Stories Ever Told. I started reading this guy and couldn't figure out why his choice of words sent me right to the dictionary. I gave the book to my wife thinking it might just be me and she felt the same way. There was no enjoyment in reading his material. It went in the trash where it belonged. I have a couple of other friends who use big words too but only when they write, never in a conversation. Makes me think the person writing wants us to think they are smarter than we are.

There's no doubt about it, the more spoonpluggers you have at your disposal the more you will learn, more quickly.
I Truley wish I had some near me, working out a lake would be so much faster than me doing it alone.
Much more knowledge would be gained.
That being said though I consider myself to be a very good spoonplugger but could have been achieved much faster with a few spoonpluggers to work with.

David

You are absolutely correct!! That has been my point, along other Spoonpluggers, all a long.

Those of us who had to learn Spoonplugging all by ourselves really and truly appreciate the information/opportunity afforded by spoonplug.net, “The National Spoonplugger” and the Spoonplugger community.

Good Fishing
Tn Dave