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jigginpig

Swimbait Questions

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I am working on some ideas for some "new-ish" swimbait designs.

Let's say up front that I like my ideas, and think well of them. But I am not sure that they in any way qualify as origional.

I am not the type of guy that is prone to having an inflated ego. I know that any advancements I may be able to suggest will be of modest scale, and perhaps almost purely derivitave of prior designs. This is not due to my desire to copy the work of others, but because the designs of others have so much colored my perception of what it is that constitutes a "swimbait"...

I am playing arround with the notion of putting ALL of my designs on the web as public knowledge. Any one who wanted to copy my designs would be free to do so, but I would be the known source of the designs. In addition, I would be cleared of the stigma of having put forth yet another variation on the well trod theme of swimbait.

I guess the only way any of this would matter is that I am wanting to sell my baits for a profit. If any of you scholarly bass anglers and bait builders in the forum wish to weigh in on this, please do so.

I am very much interseted in anything suggestions you may have...

Shaun

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I am playing arround with the notion of putting ALL of my designs on the web as public knowledge. Any one who wanted to copy my designs would be free to do so, but I would be the known source of the designs. In addition, I would be cleared of the stigma of having put forth yet another variation on the well trod theme of swimbait.

do you think that this is ill advised? or do you think that by being open people would respond favorably to it and I would see more reward than harm? I am not sure that people have taken this aproach before, and am looking for opinions from forum members.

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hmm they must be pretty unique for you to be giving it all this consideration. you may find they're not all that unique after all?

i don't really think there is anything to consider, i mean, thats what this forum is about, sharing ideas and helping others, so why not discuss your designs? seems kidna crappy to me to make a post about them and then decide not to share...

Edited by DSV
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hmm they must be pretty unique for you to be giving it all this consideration. you may find they're not all that unique after all?

i don't really think there is anything to consider, i mean, thats what this forum is about, sharing ideas and helping others, so why not discuss your designs? seems kidna crappy to me to make a post about them and then decide not to share...

thanks for bringing me up to speed boss.yay.gif yours is the first rude response I have seen on this site.

I will try not to get too butt-hurt about it, maybe you are having a rough day?

Cheers!

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JP, nothing wrong with DSV’s post. May be mildly bitchy, but he is basically trying to help you.

Speaking generally now, quite a few guys here on TU have new ideas, me included. Most times it turns out that the idea was not original and has been done before, but NOT always. If that is the case, take pride in the fact that you thought of the successful idea and keep searching for the original idea that lurks within you. But for all those who keep saying that there is nothing original left to discover, you are so wrong. Just because you cannot think of an original idea yourself, you don’t have to make a point of trying to dampen others enthusiasm for searching for new ideas.

The big question is what to do with the idea. To sell the idea, you need to spend some money on patent stuff, because the big companies either will not look at the idea without the patent paper work, because it might conflict with ideas that they are already working on and cause copyright issues, or they will look at the idea and steal it without paying.

If the idea is too easy and cheap to copy or too difficult and ambiguous to patent, even though the idea is unique, you may be on a loser.

The patent route, which is designed to not be too expensive for the first year, is for those with patentable ideas to test the market without getting in too deep financially. With the initial patent application in, you can now approach the big companies. Talk to a patent lawyer first, I am not an expert.

So, if you cannot patent it, cannot sell it and do not ever intend to manufacture the idea yourself, then you might as well publish the ideas. You will not make any money, but occasionally, someone will give you credit for the idea, if that is important to you. Also, you can do what many others like to do every time someone makes a million of there idea and whine about it.

When we get brilliant ideas, we want to tell the world about it. Their is something magical about being original, to be called and inventor, the original source of THE idea. It is only natural to want to tell people about it, this is what you are doing and probably me too in this post. It is what the whiners are also doing, they accepted the consequences of showing their product and are not really whining, they are just letting you know that it was their idea and want some recognition for it. This is not a bad thing, hell you deserve recognition for original ideas, it is the least that people can pay you and people love a bargain.

So if you cannot or do not want to pay for patent rights, you cannot sell the idea and do not intend to progress the idea yourself, you have two choices: Either publish the idea and just take the accolades or sit on the idea for eternity. Should you choose the latter, no accolades are due, so don’t be expecting any, because simply stating that you have a great idea does not cut it.

TU is as good a place as any to get your idea out there. I’m sure the big companies have spy members whose job it is to report the occasional gem, along with a couple of thousand small companies that might be interested in taking your idea further, for free of course. You can always refer back to the dated publishing post as proof of your idea for your accolades. It is no good in court but will allow you recognition.

TU is the home of originality. I have heard that before. But for every thread with an original idea, there are a thousand threads about copying. You don’t believe me? Just read a weeks worth of threads and do a poll for yourself. Well I digress, copying is a whole new or should I say old subject and does not belong in a thread such as this.

Dave

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Just mytwocents.gif here but people are gonna copy your work if they like it whether it's patented or not, they may not let it be known but they'll copy it. On the same hand the tons and tons of fisherman who don't wanna fool with making baits are gonna buy it if they like it, so if you ask me post away!wink.gif

I think bassinhomer's right.

Most fishermen want to fish, not manuf. baits.

There are always people, like me, who make "boutique" baits that are variations of someone else's design (read Scott Whitmer's Triple Trout here) that are imitations, not copies, and who will make use of a tried and true design concept to make their own version.

When I first started making swimbaits and was concerned about making an imitation, Bill Siemental told me not to worry about using someone else's ideas, because all swimbaits were knockoffs/versions of some original lure from the '60s. He has been in the swimbait/lure designing game for thirty+ years, and has been involved with many of the most sucessful swimbaits out there, including the BBZ line that Spro makes.

I am a much better lure maker than lure designer, although I have come up with my own designs and ideas.

And, at least for me, the making, and the catching, is the fun part. Selling is incidental. And imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Share whatever you're comfortable with sharing.

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I am playing arround with the notion of putting ALL of my designs on the web as public knowledge. Any one who wanted to copy my designs would be free to do so, but I would be the known source of the designs. In addition, I would be cleared of the stigma of having put forth yet another variation on the well trod theme of swimbait.

do you think that this is ill advised? or do you think that by being open people would respond favorably to it and I would see more reward than harm? I am not sure that people have taken this aproach before, and am looking for opinions from forum members.

Shaun, any info would be great.... The only person who can say if this ill advised is you. You are the one with the secret to share and if you feel the need to share than by all means do so. All info on this site is always appreciated from everyone and maybe you might get a response to help you tweak your design.

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Shaun, any info would be great.... The only person who can say if this ill advised is you. You are the one with the secret to share and if you feel the need to share than by all means do so. All info on this site is always appreciated from everyone and maybe you might get a response to help you tweak your design.

like i said up front, i dont think i am going to be dropping any bombs on the world of bait design, but i am still very much in R&D, so who knows!rolleyes.gif

i just wanted a bit of advice and perspective from talented bait makers like you all. i am leaning toward just spilling my guts, when or if i get going with this. i guess if i DID have a good idea, at least it would be proof of concept if anyone else made a bait similar. i cant make up my mind if i would even care.

i am still just trying to get up to speed on this, so sorry if i came off the wrong way.

Shaun

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From one of the biggest 'premature guts spillers' around, make it, perfect it, then spill your guts, that way at least you can say you done it first. A lot of guys (including me) will try and improve on it, and if you are lucky they won't!! - Unfortunatly Shaun, 'There is nothing new under the sun', there are just different ways of tanning. Pete

Edited by hazmail
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