Gibbs spoons

[Jetboater]

I know that for fear of Gibbs discontinuing Oki Titans that the fellas at Pacific Playgrounds bought every single Oki spoon that the distributor had. Once they are gone they are probably gone for good...there is a marked difference in paint quality and build IMHO. They are going to get a lot of play this summer...

that's actually bs i was just at gibbs and they have a full selection of oki spoons in every size and shape. maybe a few of you should actually see where the gibbs spoons are made.. in house with all the painting by hand and rings welded in house.. granted the hooks are mustad and not your favorite but they still last if washed daily and looked after properly

 

[Waterwolf2230]

that's actually bs i was just at gibbs and they have a full selection of oki spoons in every size and shape. maybe a few of you should actually see where the gibbs spoons are made.. in house with all the painting by hand and rings welded in house.. granted the hooks are mustad and not your favorite but they still last if washed daily and looked after properly

Nobody can order directly from Gibbs. Are you telling me that they have started producing O'ki spoons and painting/welding etc in Canada? That's contrary to what I've heard but if that's the case then that is good info...I think that maybe Gibbs should do a bit of a PR campaign and let people know what's going on...

 

[Seafever]

how does a company stay in business if your using a spoon that was purchased 15-20 years ago?......
how does a company stay in business if your using a Flasher that was purchased 15-20 years ago?......
go to the cheapest manufacturer and lower your cost and create a throw away market. its kinda like the tv you have, you throw it away and buy a new one everytime it breaks. the people at gibbs are awesome, and will probably stay in business for years after salmon stocks are at the low of the low.
ps: don't leave them in the sun!!! they fade, lol

Many companies try to develop "customer loyalty".

They want you to buy their product again and again.

But if the last products you got from them were crap..then you're not going back.

So the onus is on them to produce a good product.

 

[bones]

so if a made a spoon that did not wear out and sold it to you. you never loose it, why would you every come back and buy another one? you don't need to.... and after every boat has one i'm no longer in business...
have you written a letter asking them (gibbs) for a guide series spoon that is well made, better paint, lacquered for chipping, proper hooks, better metal that will hold shape? have you explained to gibbs in your letter you would pay top dollar for a guide edition spoon that reflects the price of say 15.00$
running a business is one thing running a profitable business is a completely different thing. LMAO just ask DFO....

 

[ziggy]

Fishing gear like everything else has become use once or twice and throwaway. Planned obsolescence and the throw away society it has built is one of the biggest unacknowledged affronts to the environment. People have, and I believe always will pay for quality, if you doubt it check out the price of high end rods and reels.

The scam I see is in marketing whereby a spoon that sells for a couple of bucks less is expected to and accepted ,when it simply doesn't last. The same is true for all products! We accept things that wear out prematurely,break easily and are unrepairable because we saved a few bucks. As consumers we have to demand better and educate ourselves about what we are buying. If the market for junk dries up ( it likely won't) people will quite trying to sell it. If people realize that there are quality alternatives and support them, things may start to change.

 

[drilleryells]

that's actually bs i was just at gibbs and they have a full selection of oki spoons in every size and shape. maybe a few of you should actually see where the gibbs spoons are made.. in house with all the painting by hand and rings welded in house.. granted the hooks are mustad and not your favorite but they still last if washed daily and looked after properly

that's actually bs i was just at gibbs and they have a full selection of oki spoons in every size and shape. maybe a few of you should actually see where the gibbs spoons are made.. in house with all the painting by hand and rings welded in house.. granted the hooks are mustad and not your favorite but they still last if washed daily and looked after properly

i am not sure about the Oki spoons but i do know that the quality of the Rhys Davis Bait heads is way down. The heads are different and the Paint Quality is wayyyy down. This happenrd after the existing stock dried up. I believe the same thing will happen with tbe Oki Spoons when that stock dries up.

 

[fishin_magician]

The thing to do is VOTE with your dollars. They means buy quality tackle that works.

I've read a ton of bull on this thread so far.

Some of the Made in China product from Luhr Jensen Coyotes and Coyote Flashers are better quality than the Gibbs-Delta. I recommend people check that out....or try it out first.

I always find it kinda interesting how you see MINT Flashers and lures in Prostaff Reports with hooks changed out and it looks like it was taken out of the package and fished that morning. Something not right with that.

Get out there and buy some old Tom Macks or other commercial spoons and Silver Horde Spoons and HOT SPOT FLASHERS and VOTE with your dollars.

Better yet...I've fished enough gear to observe that before this Made in China crap came to dominate social media and fishing reports to know that Much of the Made in North America product fishes better....and there is a relationship between catching fish with certain brands vs. Other brands.

Vote with your dollars...and just think a minute when you buy so much more product that you should.

 

[Derby]

Boycott product which does not meet quality standards. Silver Horde is also on borrowed time in my books...

The silver horde product is great product ... is there something I'm missing?

 

[Derby]

I totally understand offshore and why it's done. Many don't understand supply chain and wholesale costs and what the consumer will buy. You can't really blame a company for that.

Most would love to make their stuff here. But in world of plastics and rip off tooling in US Asia is more attractive. Most suppliers in Asia just cover the tooling costs initially. Some tools are 50k plus initially. That's a huge R and D cost.

Scotty is great company but really you think it has no Asian parts in it? Electrical parts? Is the counter made here? I am sure they do not want to do that either but would you pay for a 1500 down rigger if all components were Canadian?

Of course it's about money or else a manufacturer is not going to do it. Also keep in mind it's only 51 percent Canadian goods and anyone can slap a made in Canada sticker on it.

Gibbs is a Canadian company. I get the durability thing and I would contact them directly on it. If it really bugs you it's best to talk to them and try to make it right. I think you should give the manufacturer some time to respond with your concerns.

I also think it's great you support local Canadian guys like Andrew at AP spoons or others. It's a complete struggle with you guys because the price will be higher to you as its made here. I would say this is the hardest thing of all. You can make anything durable but ther is a price point when people walk away.

I will say that Gibbs from my first hand experience never ever flinches with donating it's products for enhancement. It has been very generous in that regard.

I like hearing some of these comments though. 5 years ago I never heard such willingness on here to buy more expensive because it was made in Canada and more durable. Maybe there is hope. It is a good discussion but maybe give company a chance by making concerns clear.

Just my view....

Your spot on Jerrod... I see lots of speculation on some of the Gibbs stuff... and from what limited comments I see...most are off side or off the mark.. The company steps up were it counts in supporting our fishery.. I see this thread going down the same road and comment s made bye the same people as the earlier thread this year that got shut down.... if you all think its so easy then step up and lets see u do it....

 

[fishin_magician]

The silver horde product is great product ... is there something I'm missing?

Sickle hook breaking at the bend.

Paint starts to flake off at the rings---quality control should have caught this and it should have gone into the seconds pile. I have Herring Aids with SAND or some sort of debris on he back of them. Netted a fish and the 4.0 Irish Cream was bent in half (the metal stamping was done on very thin gauge metal (also a quality control issue).

I should not have to buy a spoon for $8.99 or $10.99 and have the hook rust after sharpening once after one days fishing. A stainless hook would be best.

Yeah...the exchange rate isn't great but $8.99-$10.99 at local shops?

Why don't manufacturers put a stainless 9510 3/0 or 4/0 on them?!! Luhr Jensen did it and it worked great for years.

Silver Horde is above Gibbs in quality but below that of the old Coyotes.

 

[Derby]

Silver horde stuff could be contributed to quality control and everyone has time time had that issue.. the hooks I know lots of people who don't like the 9510 hks..but it would be most likely put it to the cost.. personal I would like the spoons sold with no hks..then I can put what I want on them....Nothing can compare to the old coyotes but I have bent most of my fav old 3.5..If anyone has the flow glow green I would be happy to take them off you hands but for the toime being thje 3.5 silver horde is doing the job when I call on it...

 

[Jetboater]

Nobody can order directly from Gibbs. Are you telling me that they have started producing O'ki spoons and painting/welding etc in Canada? That's contrary to what I've heard but if that's the case then that is good info...I think that maybe Gibbs should do a bit of a PR campaign and let people know what's going on...

I'm actually a guide on the pro staff program that gets to view the plant on a regular basis sorry if i get to see what actually happens

 

[Jetboater]

Sickle hook breaking at the bend.

Paint starts to flake off at the rings---quality control should have caught this and it should have gone into the seconds pile. I have Herring Aids with SAND or some sort of debris on he back of them. Netted a fish and the 4.0 Irish Cream was bent in half (the metal stamping was done on very thin gauge metal (also a quality control issue).

I should not have to buy a spoon for $8.99 or $10.99 and have the hook rust after sharpening once after one days fishing. A stainless hook would be best.

Yeah...the exchange rate isn't great but $8.99-$10.99 at local shops?

Why don't manufacturers put a stainless 9510 3/0 or 4/0 on them?!! Luhr Jensen did it and it worked great for years.

Silver Horde is above Gibbs in quality but below that of the old Coyotes.

i have never heard a positive comment from you on anything but pesca is there a reason or are you just negative all the time

 

[fishin_magician]

i have never heard a positive comment from you on anything but pesca is there a reason or are you just negative all the time

Coming from Gibbs Prostaff your comment seems to be right up the alley of an impartial individual.

I call it as I see it and speak from personal experience. I have also shared stories by other individuals who told me first hand what happened. I've guided full time, part time and fished all over this coast. I have lifetime of personal and professional Saltwater fishing experience. I don't make my living from fishing and hospitality anymore. I used to and it paid for a lot of my personal toys, gear, tackle and other stuff.

I have praised Luhr Jensen, older Gibbs Commercial Product. Pescas, and many other spoons and I have praised many other tackle manufacturers.

Someone told Gibbs has the exclusive distributorship for Silver Horde and Yamashita so that means they take a cut of every sale on these products.

It will irk some people on this board as there are industry pros in this board who believe that sharing negative experiences are is defamatory, illicit and unwarranted....it's not sterile and not "politically correct"....oh heavens! We're in trouble now.

Well, I've been around long enough to see Gibbs Flashers rise to the top of the sport industry, I've seen Gibbs Gypsy spoons get pumped to the top then fall from
grace as Prostaff never talk about Gypsy spoons again. they don't even have them on board.. I've seen One brand of Flasher kick the crap out of another brand....fished right beside it.


To each their own opinion, and it has been said that "while I don't agree with what you're saying, I defend to the death your right to say it".

I'll tell you that I still know enough people in the industry who make their living off fishing who concur with many of the opinions on this thread...some of which are shared by me and some of which are not... I just happen to be one of the few who publicly shares them...then it's dog pile on me because I'm a so called rabble rouser or sh*t disturber.

That said....it's expert advise that I should buy the product which is promoted the most on Social Media and if it lasts half long as it should and it costs as much as superior product and catches the same or fewer fish it's still all good.

sounds good to me.

The industry as big as it is...is small and the industry is polarized and divided and that reality is widening. That comes from a lodge owner.--not me.

 

[bigdogg1]

What is everyone elses experience with Gibbs? I saw a ton of rave about how well there spoons were working, so I went out and bought an irish cream cop car, trap shack and a no bananas skinny G spoon, and I am rather disappointed with them, sure they do catch fish but they don't last. My skinny G spoon by the second fish it was missing paint on the bottom quarter of the spoon, the hook broke on the third fish, and I just don't think that is accecptable quality for something you pay nearly $8 for. And my other spoons have been used twice and the paint is starting to chip as well and the hooks are some what rusted and I rinse all my gear in the sink after every outting. I have spoons that have been passed down from my dad from when he was a kid to me and they are in the same kind of condition if not better and they have a lot more miles then my new gibbs spoons. Maybe I expect to much? Maybe I just had a bad first experience? What does everyone else think.

Fool me once...I take care of gear (bring a fresh water bucket to wash down after changing lures, wash and air dry when off the water, etc. Dropped a hook off a Skinny G a couple of weeks ago. Last night off the North end of Ballenas (125' in 190' of water) lost a really powerful hit and runner. Great strike an initial run, followed by a slack line. Thought I gave too much slack until the lure came in without a hook...Fool me twice. Absolute POS in my opinion.

 

[saanauk]

Just opened a brand new Gibbs flasher yesterday (straight out of the package) and the darn top swivel would not budge. Could not get it to free up at all and this is a brand new in the plastic wrapper. I said to my buddy I was fishing with "I can't believe a brand new flasher would have a bad swivel on it". His reply shocked me even more "I too just opened a new Gibbs flasher yesterday and one of the swivels was bad as well" I am not trying to talk a bunch of smack but two brand new flashers out the package with bad swivels! Note: these were different colors of flashers bought at different times and different places.

 

[Clint r]

This whole thread is a carbon copy of what happened to Lyman lures. A good sound business started to cheap out on labor first then quality and now they've gone tits up. Took less than 5 years to ruin a business that was around for over 20 years. Lesson to be learned for the big tackle outfits in there somewhere.

 

[cohobankie]

This is a funny thread. Who wants only one spoon? My best one are the ones missing the most paint, which makes you question the need for new ones. I have a few cohokillers that have been retired. Two green splatterbacks that have no paint on their tail just the brass spoon.

Yes the hooks kinda suck so I too switch them out. For the amount of money we spend on fishing crap I find replacing the goto lures hooks to be a must. I have a bunch of designs but really only need two.

Then there are hootchies.................

 

[fishin_magician]

This is a funny thread. Who wants only one spoon? My best one are the ones missing the most paint, which makes you question the need for new ones. I have a few cohokillers that have been retired. Two green splatterbacks that have no paint on their tail just the brass spoon.

Yes the hooks kinda suck so I too switch them out. For the amount of money we spend on fishing crap I find replacing the goto lures hooks to be a must. I have a bunch of designs but really only need two.

Then there are hootchies.................

Kinda suck? Land 2 fish and they are unusable....and as a pro I swap out before use.

Depending on where you are on this coast colours matter....lots!!

Anyways....this is happening all over the place on this coast....and pros aren't loving it when their guest's memorable Chinook disappears from the business end like this....never mind the hooks!! I was looking through the crates of Flashers I have and I see a couple of dozen GD Flashers I was given as Promo gear. I'm going to sell them for $8 each on CL... not on my boat.

 

[cohobankie]

Oh I didn't think about the flashers. I was just speaking of lures. I like those flashers but have never seen something like that. I enjoy that they have ball bearing swivals but forget the swivals, your pic speaks volumes. The crappy pic in my avatar was a 25# king I found in tight at kirby. I would have been devastated if I lost it after it tailwalked through the fog that morning and screamed off line. Good to know. Gibbs might want to correct this mess before they lose a bunch of business.