one thing about the custom lures builders, availability. granted some of these guys make the nicest lures in their specific lure type, but trying to get them is almost impossible. also, some seem to catch fisherman more than fish, which is what they were designed for. "once in a blue moon" is not even a good way to describe their availability. some chose to specifically build their biz in just that method - create a demand or just build what they want and not kill themselves. that's all fine; that's their choice. i think that is why you see the mad buying when a custom lure company made a delivery at a shop. guys would stock up for the fear they didnt know when these lures would be available again in a run. some people that are making the buying are those that are just jumping on what they see posted on boards
vs truely "needing" that lure due to its ability to catch.
i used to be a beachmaster danny lover. at one time they were readily available and they flat out worked. could that be due to the lure or my confidence in that specific lure? maybe a combination of both. but, years go by, demands grow, and stock dwindles. thus, trying to find them was impossible. ebay was not an option, even tho spending $30 on a productive lure was something i didnt mind. so, i started looking for alternatives to these customs that were available. my results have not changes due to not having that specific lure that i used to fish, but i have stopped having that need to look for that custom. i think that's one of the reasons why gibbs is still doing just fine - they are almost always available, not matter the slams of the company's quality. i will still on occasion buy a gibbs pencil as they do work, but i just need to rewire and change hooks.
tattoo's are readily available and they work great. the
darters and swimmers are great and really need some review if you dont already have them. his larger swimmer has filled the void from the bm danny and the jr swimmer is perfect on those calmer nights. that being said, i no longer "need" that bm danny nor will i go out and buy them now. i've tried afterhours needles recently, but have yet to really give any solid feedback on them, but i have heard good reports. of course, ss plastics are some of the best lures made today.
summary, dont limit yourself to hard to get custom lures. being able to walk into a shop and pick up a lure and walk out is more valuable to me than waiting for ever for that next batch.