[Ben Field]

Just sorting out a few (hard) lure reviews. I've been rating them on a number of categories.

1) Action
2) Casting
3) Finish
4) Stability
5) Desirability(?)
6) Cost/Value

I don't want to have tooooooo many categories or get too specific with them (more detail is being added in text for each category if I feel the need to mention something noteworthy), but do you guys think that these are suitable/unsuitable? Not 100% sure about desirability (since it counts towards the overall rating) - which is why I'm asking. Maybe I should include notes on that in finish?

Any thoughts?

 

[James Davis]

Perhpas not desireability, because the assumes that the users of that site may have a slight tackle tartiness about them, which may be the case but you don't want to alienate other potential visitors who come out in cold sweats when spending £8.99 on a lure.

How about versatileability (what a terrible choice of words) for plugs that are good all rounders and can be used effectively in various tidal states?

I'm guessing the hook quality will come under finish and build quality will come under stability?

 

[Ben Field]

Yep, agreed about desirability. its too much of a personal thing and shouldn't affect a lure's overall rating. Hooks/fittings would indeed be in Finish. Although I'm thinking build quality probably would too...? Was saving stability more for it's actual title - how a lure reacts in currents and at various speeds? Whether it's any good in or around the surf for example, or whether it just roll's over and dies.

Versatility is a very good one though!!

 

[dai56]

Perhpas not desireability, because the assumes that the users of that site may have a slight tackle tartiness about them, which may be the case but you don't want to alienate other potential visitors who come out in cold sweats when spending £8.99 on a lure.

How about versatileability (what a terrible choice of words) for plugs that are good all rounders and can be used effectively in various tidal states?

I'm guessing the hook quality will come under finish and build quality will come under stability?

That's a very good point on desireability
Do we need to mention the price at all? the reader can then do a search for the lure's they fancy and make their own mind up

 

[Ben Field]

Perhpas not desireability, because the assumes that the users of that site may have a slight tackle tartiness about them, which may be the case but you don't want to alienate other potential visitors who come out in cold sweats when spending £8.99 on a lure.

How about versatileability (what a terrible choice of words) for plugs that are good all rounders and can be used effectively in various tidal states?

I'm guessing the hook quality will come under finish and build quality will come under stability?

That's a very good point on desireability
Do we need to mention the price at all? the reader can then do a search for the lure's they fancy and make their own mind up

Well, there is a category (currently) for Cost, Dai. Top end plugs may perform well in all other areas but may not necessarily score top marks on 'value'. As well as giving the rating out of 10 I'm also commenting - so can explain in there that the RRP is around "£this much" but you can get them for about "£this". Which may be good or bad value for money.

 

[dai56]

Perhpas not desireability, because the assumes that the users of that site may have a slight tackle tartiness about them, which may be the case but you don't want to alienate other potential visitors who come out in cold sweats when spending £8.99 on a lure.

How about versatileability (what a terrible choice of words) for plugs that are good all rounders and can be used effectively in various tidal states?

I'm guessing the hook quality will come under finish and build quality will come under stability?

That's a very good point on desireability
Do we need to mention the price at all? the reader can then do a search for the lure's they fancy and make their own mind up

Well, there is a category (currently) for Cost, Dai. Top end plugs may perform well in all other areas but may not necessarily score top marks on 'value'. As well as giving the rating out of 10 I'm also commenting - so can explain in there that the RRP is around "£this much" but you can get them for about "£this". Which may be good or bad value for money.

Good point i realy don't know the best way to go about it the thing is what represents good value for money to one person may not be so good for someone else!
i wish i could think of a way round this problem also a good lure in one persons hands may be of no use to another
Looking back i think you probably had it right first time round
dai

 

[Ben Field]

Can see what you're saying Dai, but it doesn't necessarily have to be about 'cost'. 'Value' can be a bit different? A lure may cost £20, but if it's not a decent lure or the finish is shoddy, or if the bib fell off after 2 casts then it won't necessarily provide good value for money. On the other hand, a £5 lure may have exactly the same issues as the above lure, but can be forgiven for this (to a degree) so represents better value - so will be marked accordingly. The cost sector isn't one that worries me too much to be honest. Setting this up, reviewing 200 lures and then finding out that I should have done it differently from the start though, does worry me slightly. :lol:

 

[dai56]

Can see what you're saying Dai, but it doesn't necessarily have to be about 'cost'. 'Value' can be a bit different? A lure may cost £20, but if it's not a decent lure or the finish is shoddy, or if the bib fell off after 2 casts then it won't necessarily provide good value for money. On the other hand, a £5 lure may have exactly the same issues as the above lure, but can be forgiven for this (to a degree) so represents better value - so will be marked accordingly. The cost sector isn't one that worries me too much to be honest. Setting this up, reviewing 200 lures and then finding out that I should have done it differently from the start though, does worry me slightly. :lol:

Sooner you than me
It's easy to say do this or do that but at the end of the day it's dam near impossible to do
good luck dai

 

[Ben Field]

LOL, thanks

 

[James Davis]

Can see what you're saying Dai, but it doesn't necessarily have to be about 'cost'. 'Value' can be a bit different? A lure may cost £20, but if it's not a decent lure or the finish is shoddy, or if the bib fell off after 2 casts then it won't necessarily provide good value for money. On the other hand, a £5 lure may have exactly the same issues as the above lure, but can be forgiven for this (to a degree) so represents better value - so will be marked accordingly. The cost sector isn't one that worries me too much to be honest. Setting this up, reviewing 200 lures and then finding out that I should have done it differently from the start though, does worry me slightly. :lol:

Agreed. Another factor to value is that you could buy one those big, lifelike swim baits for £40 and they could prove to catch you 100 bass in a season, so that's superb "value" too.

It's tricky Ben. But you're a bright chap so I'm sure you'll figure it out.

 

[Ben Field]

Can see what you're saying Dai, but it doesn't necessarily have to be about 'cost'. 'Value' can be a bit different? A lure may cost £20, but if it's not a decent lure or the finish is shoddy, or if the bib fell off after 2 casts then it won't necessarily provide good value for money. On the other hand, a £5 lure may have exactly the same issues as the above lure, but can be forgiven for this (to a degree) so represents better value - so will be marked accordingly. The cost sector isn't one that worries me too much to be honest. Setting this up, reviewing 200 lures and then finding out that I should have done it differently from the start though, does worry me slightly. :lol:

Agreed. Another factor to value is that you could buy one those big, lifelike swim baits for £40 and they could prove to catch you 100 bass in a season, so that's superb "value" too.

It's tricky Ben. But you're a bright chap so I'm sure you'll figure it out.

LOL, know exactly what you're saying. Ideally I'd have an 'effectiveness' category too but that will most likely vary between people (and their confidence) so can't really be done. For example, I've NEVER caught a fish on a feed shallow, but there's no way I could mark it down for it. Same with the likes of the IMA Nabarone. It's actually a good lure I think, but I've never caught on it.

Think I/we/everybody just has to be slightly realistic about what they can expect from a 'rating'. There's no way I (or anybody else who reviews products on this or my site) can tell other people that they WILL catch on a certain lure.

In the opposite direction we have the likes of the J13. An amazing lure it may be but in most categories it actually won't score well. Doesn't cast great, simply made, don't look greatb etc etc. Picks up points on action, versatility and stability I guess, but overall it's not gonna score that well - even though it's an amazing fish catcher.... tricky one!!!!!!!!! ....although, that's probably just something for me to explain when I'm writing about it - so perhaps not so much to worry about. We'll get there! All of it's low 'ratings' will be justified so......

 

[Nick Phillips]

Just sorting out a few (hard) lure reviews. I've been rating them on a number of categories.

1) Action
2) Casting
3) Finish
4) Stability
5) Desirability(?)
6) Cost/Value

I don't want to have tooooooo many categories or get too specific with them (more detail is being added in text for each category if I feel the need to mention something noteworthy), but do you guys think that these are suitable/unsuitable? Not 100% sure about desirability (since it counts towards the overall rating) - which is why I'm asking. Maybe I should include notes on that in finish?

Any thoughts?

As far as finish and quality goes these new ultra modern plugs are fantastic quality (I work in plastic mould tooling) especially the IMA plugs.
Totally stunning quality.

 

[Retired]

IMHO #6 cost/value is a difficult call. Very subjective. #5 Desirability even more so.

How about durability?
Quality of hooks?
Longevity? (how long has it been around and still on sale)

 

[Ben Field]

Good comments guys. Especially about durability. Maybe I'll use that as well as one for finish. I'm also finding that components should probably have it's own category. It's a small thing with not much other than hook to comment on (and the majority of top lures would probably get the same mark? 6/10 if they use ST46's?!) but it's probably better to seperate it than mark 'finish' down for it.

Getting there.

 

[Alex Jordan]

Personally I think leave cost in there - and maybe desireability ... I am a self confessed tackle tart! (does it come in camo?)

 

[Ben Field]

Personally I think leave cost in there - and maybe desireability ... I am a self confessed tackle tart! (does it come in camo?)

Yeah, think I'll have to leave cost. It's one of the things that brings GOOD, cheap lures back up the league table.

Lol, I'm the same with the tartishness, which is why I included it to start with. Still, it is a bit subjective so, with me having plenty of room to write an overall description as well, I guess I can use that to explain how damn sexy such and such a lure is! :lol:

 

[Ben Field]

So, the current list is:

- Action (required but a little subjective. Some times a lure with a less insane action will be better in a fishing situation, but for comparisons I'll have to mark this on overall crazyness. An action that is just too crazy will most likely lose marks on stability, so it will even itself out).

- Casting (with, in to, accross the wind etc. How straight/long?)

- Stability (how stable is it in current and at varying speed retrieves?)

- Versatility (can it be used in a number of ways or it a single purpose/condition lure)

- Finish (how well has it been put together? A good finish will go hand in hand with an attractive lure, yes?)

- Durability (does the finish last in a fishing environment?)

- Components (how suitable are the components for the required target. Are the hooks up to European bass fishing etc?!)

- Value (I'll know roughly what you can buy certain lures for, so does their performance/build match their price tag?)

I don't really mind how many things I mark stuff on as I've done some cleverness to work out an overall percentage, but this does seem about right now? Quite glad I asked actually. Thanks guys. Any more comments welcome.

 

[dai56]

For me that's just about spot on well done Ben

Now you have some hard work dai

 

[Ben Field]

Thanks Dai. I've set it all up so that I (and you guys to a degree) can add ratings reeeeeeeally easily, so I think I can get through quite a few in an hour. I'm just whacking as many reviews on there as I can to start with to be honest. It will be ongoing so I don't have to get through a set number as such. But I do want to get as many as possible up there before launching it.

I'll have to ask about what you guys think on soft lure categories at some point too!! I don't have as many softs to review, but I'll still need the categories so that people who have used more can still add their thoughts.

Thinking so far:

Soft lures

1) Action
2) Flexibility
3) Durability
4) Versatility
5) Value

...that may be it??????? Hard lures is about as complicated as it gets, so I expect most other areas to have less rating categories.

 

[dai56]

Posibally variety size and colour selection as in