If your going to manufacture can you compete with the big boys on price per unit, or produce designs that are demonstrably more effective than competitors to justify the increased cost.

If your going to do R&D and licence the patents does it need to be a full time job, and are you sure that any improvements you make will indeed be patentable. Read up on invention vs innovation, for a device to be patentable it must have involved an inventive step, although the way they hand out patent nowadays this may not be an issue. Also there are significant costs and waiting times involved in being granted a patent.

Not trying to discourage you, just giving you some things I think you need to ask yourself before you start.

Finish your engineering degree idiot, and stop being lazy and thinking the grass is greener.

Once you get your degree, then you can make lures if you want to. Also good luck patenting a lure, or making enough money to survive while you're a nobody.

I know a lot of people can get by well enough tying flies in their own little shops. Just starting off, I'd recommend trying to set out a name for yourself by selling your lures in one of these stores. If they're any good (it would help to bolster your sales by spreading stories of monster fish caught with your brand of lures) then you might get something of a loyal following. Then you can expand.

here is some constructive advice.
finish college first. never assume that you are smarter than anyone, when it comes to thinking you are a genious, always assume you are actually half as smart as you think you are. and remember that no matter what your great idea is, there are is someone out there that is way smarter than you that is paid to think about thease things

*these

>Keep in mind I'm pretty intelligent but also Extremely ingenious.

The fact that you think this and don't want to finish college proves you're an idiot. You could study lots of things, like material science, fluid physics and engineering or even marine biology.

You just want to give up on college and drop out. If you were really serious about fishing lures, you would take every class that was remotely related so you could make the best. Go ahead you lazy worthless bum.

One, Dunning–Kruger effect. Look it up. You're probably not as good as you think you are.

Two, yeah. It will work. Hobbyist fishermen love to throw money at their hobby. If they like your lures and think it will give them 0.00001% greater chance of landing a fish, they will buy it. You're not going to be making bank though. It will be a slow process but you could make it work.

You'll want to make some lures. Really fucking nice ones. Bring them to a ma and pop bait shop and see if they're sell them for you on consignment or even just purchase them in bulk. People buy them or they don't. If they do, congrats, expand. If they don't, rethink your stradegy and try again.

>>161331
2nded

>>161333
>stradegy
>Dunning–Kruger effect
coincidence?

>>161331
1. That isn't constructive.
2. Making fishing lures doesn't require all those classes. What are you smoking? I understand very well all of those things already just through application of preexisting knowledge and then using observation to fill in the gaps. Maybe you need somebody to hold your hand and teach you exactly how to do everything before you can do it on your own but I don't.

I've been designing and creating lures for several years now. But only for personal use. They work quiet well but I've never invested much time and money into them so they are not quiet up to par with what I would be satisfied with for commercial use.

I do find it funny that you are still stuck in that mentality that College is the only way to success.

>>161333
I really appreciate your advice and honesty.

And I know I won't make a fortune doing this, that isn't my goal. I just want to do something for a living that I really truly love to do. And this is the one thing that combines all my strengths and I love. It will be a rough start but I think it will be worth it in the end.

>>161349
>material science, fluid physics and engineering or >even marine biology
Figured those fields out on your own, eh? Now THAT'S impressive.

>>161349

You might, just might, consider some business classes. College is not the be-all-end-all of success but you can learn and network a tremendous amount while there.

You have two basic paths: college with a business/biology focus or make, sell, make, expand. Both require a lot of work. One will get you laid and spread the labor around. The other is very lonely and you will fail several times (including bankruptcy) before succeeding. Sorry but life is tough.

>>18 year olds only think they know everything.

The fishing lure market is truly saturated. Unless you get lucky and catch a world record fish then you will be knocking on lots of doors till your knuckles bleed.

Anglers are fucking suckers. Just come up with some bullshit gimmicky lure and find a way to market it. Just be prepared to go belly up as soon as something even more idiotic comes along.

>>161349
I'm sure when you're parents tell you to stop with that silly nonsense and go work hard on your studies so you can be successful in life, that just isn't constructing. Instead to go to those whom you presume to be your peers to support your shenanigans in a constructive way.

Going to college is constructive. How do you expect to do things better than other lure makers if you don't give yourself an edge? This isn't about someone holding your hand through design, there is no lure making class at most colleges. This is about putting in hard work to gain every piece of knowledge to better your craft, something you are clearly too lazy to do. If you take classes, chances are you will know more than your competition.

But continue being an idiot.

>I do find it funny that you are still stuck in that mentality that College is the only way to success.

College helps, you can live life without it, but you have pretty much made it clear that making lures is your escapist fantasy to get out of college. It has little to do with your love for fishing, and more to do with your laziness to overcome college, which should be child's play given you're

>pretty intelligent but also Extremely ingenious.

>Keep in mind I'm pretty intelligent but also Extremely ingenious.
>I have decided that college isn't right for me, it's the direction my parents want me to take, not the one I wan to take.

Why aren't you getting a free ride with a full scholarship, getting A's in all your classes and fishing and lure making in your free time and living the dream?

Do you even know how to make a basic mold to cast a rubber swimbait prototype? Come on, no one gives a fuck if you get a college degree or not, but if you don't know how to do any of the things you will need, you have to go learn it somewhere. The thing you need to do here is identify the priority skills and equipment you will need for your business, and go out and acquire them, wherever and however that may be.

>>161351
I already have a 4 year degree in Limnology
And I'd like to point out that most of the people who have made some of the most successful and productive lures available never even attended college.

>>161353
I'm 22
And my goal isn't to make it big.
And as far as networking goes I have that covered.
In fact it's probably the biggest aspect of this as far as what I have to draw from.

>>161357
My goal isn't to get rich, it's to make a lure I'm proud of and be able to do so for profit. I don't care much for material things like nice houses and nice cars. I prefer to spend my time outdoors or in the garage working on things and inventing.

>>161355
This is very true, but I wasn't expecting to have a lure go big anytime soon if at all. I just want to be able to make enough to live off of.

>>161353
I already have a person in mind to cover the business end of this. He has agreed to work for 25% share of profits.

I don't know why everyone seems to be assuming that I haven't already earned a degree in something.

You should avoid jumping to conclusions, it makes you look like a dumbass.

>>161398
our bad for jumping to conclusions over the statement "I've decided college isn't right for me," as well as talking about what your parents want. That led me, (and apparently many others) to believe you were an 18ish year old. Turns out your just a mental midget. Continue living in your parents house, and using their garage for you pipe dreams. Good day.

>>161406
...and, turns out, I'm not that awesome either. Strike that last "your," at an apostrophe and an "e." All better.

ITT: a tripfag so self obsessed he makes other tripfags look good.

I admire you op, i wish i had dropped out of college(uni) but i hated to disappoint my mother and she essentially bribed me

now im a recent graduate working in retail...

it sounds to me like you only want to make a modest living and understand fishing lures probably isnt a million dollar idea


i would say dont try and compete with big chains, focus on your handmade and unique product, set up a legit and well presented website and promote that you make them by hand in small batches

an online store has minimal set up and will allow you to promote yourself both locally and on the web and see if you get a good response before investing more time and money into the venture

if fishing equipment is anything like high end guitar equipment (my area of specialty) then serious anglers (anglers?) will eat that shit up

but, i would encourage you to either drop out and find a day job you like or can stand, work 30 hours a week and focus on your business the other 30.

alternatively, stay in school and do the same

>I have decided that college isn't right for me
>I already have a 4 year degree in Limnology.

4 years in college already and you only figured it out now?

>>161406
Because he made all that shit up. His revision of events just doesn't match up with his OP statement. Every parent recognizes that any grad school that does not lead to a professional degree (law, business, masters of engineering, or MD) is worthless unless you wish to pursue the field of academics. Limnology doesn't lead up to any of those, except for maybe business school, which is something he might seriously want to consider.

He also types, spells, and capitalizes like a dumb 18 year old, and sounds like English is his secondly language.

>>161416
>Degree
You mean, already graduated, and you just figured that out? Also his parent's don't want him to get a graduate degree. What would anyone do with a graduate degree in Limnology except becoming a professor?

>>161416
I figured it out a long time ago that I didn't like college. But I was raised to think that without college you'll become a complete failure so I didn't ever consider another option. :/

>>161414
I'm so glad there is at least one person who understands where I'm coming from. :)

You realize how fucking pathetic it is for a 22 year old to be pressurized into doing something by an implicit desire of his parents, right? The only possible justification for that is if they are supporting you financially and expect a return from your eventual career.

>>161430
>I have decided that college isn't right for me, it's the direction my parents want me to take, not the one I wan to take.
>massive backpedaling

By the way, I want to focus mainly on creating consistent quality soft plastic artificial lures that are both unique but not gimmicky. Small changes in density and shape can make a big impact on the lure's action and effectiveness so very small details in these areas must remain consistent. Many people won't notice the difference in consistency with big brand name lures such as the ZOOM Super Fluke but it actually has fairly poor consistency, they are often disfigured from the way the are packaged and handled and so the performance varies. Most people do not realize this is a factor in whether they were successful though. But many professionals do. That is why a lot of them go through and check to be sure nothing is off about a lure before they carefully store it for use and head out.
I love soft plastic worms because they can be fished in so many ways. They are the most versatile lure out there. And the only thing that beats them in consistency (in general) is the tube. But I find that Finesse worms work in almost any situation as well as long as you can adapt the way you use it to fit accordingly.

>>161433
>The only possible justification for that is if they are supporting you financially and expect a return from your eventual career.
That's exactly what is going on. :(
Except it's my grandparents mostly. My parents are pressuring me a lot but my grandparents would just be let down. Which would make me feel bad but I just have to get over that I guess.

>>161446
So, you're too diffident and cowardly to express and defend your needs and ambitions, and you're too lazy to get a job. You think these traits make for a successful business owner?

>>161460
I have a job. But it's not enough to pay for everything. My grandparents pay tuition and books.

>>161464
But you dont want to be in college, so why do you need their financial support in the first place?You're worried about letting them down, but they obviously don't give a fuck about your feelings if they're pressuring you into a career you don't want for their own gain. Pay them back whatever they paid out to you, man up and live your own life.

>>161464
>I have a job. But it's not enough to pay for everything. My grandparents pay tuition and books.

But you have a 4 year degree, why are you still leeching tuition and books off of your grandparents?

I agree with the posters saying you should finish college first. There's no reason to be so hasty about quitting other than you're excited to do your own thing. The time from now until you finish can be used to start planning the details of what you want to do with your business.

It sounds to me like you know what you want to do after college, which is great. Personally, I didn't know this and so I was kinda screwed afterwards and I'm just flailing around without a clue right now. So start planning now for what you want to do once you've finished, and you'll be ready for life after college. If you focus your mind on that goal, then you've got every chance of succeeding in my opinion, because you're clearly passionate about it. Good luck to you.

Good luck with that OP
Rapala has some serious computers/designers/engineers/anglers/huge R&D, but since you don't want to and even can't compete with them start a niche company and add niches as you go along.
First you need this unique bullshit called

MADE IN USA and add to it BY AMERICAN CITIZEN

Next tell some bullshit tale of you and grandpa fishing, you starting to make lures to prove your commitment and quality

Next use some bullshit technique (made by hand) or bullshit material (brazillian hazelnut oak tree cross, it's made up btw.) Some wood that will make the lure swim more naturally even though it won't

NEXT, show some huge tank full of this fish you are basing your lure on, to show that the movements are realistic and that you spent some serious time on R&D.

Then talk about color, special glazing so it looks more natural, some joints that make swim realistically blah blah blah.

Make sure you write some research on how and when to fish for the predator with your lure, post some pics of the fish you caught it with.

Once you get those suckers in, you need great graphics, convincing verbiage, good price, and mostly great add placement. You cannot make it look like as seen on tv shit. Also surround the customers with unbelievable amount of information to make it seem legit.

I am going grocery shopping OP, but I will check this thread once I come back.

Also you should throw in for free or diversify your selection with worms and similar. It's cheap to make them also.

>>161480

You. Yes, you.
Business idea: I'll design "audiophile quality" bullshit amplifiers and you market them. Deal?

>>161491
Not sure if serious. However, this is how pretty much everything works, just look at apple.

>>161480
You are exactly everything wrong with industry today.

Go suck a tailpipe.

>>161499

Not serious, but indeed, good bullshitters are valuable.

>>161502
I just stated how it fucking works. Misinformation, empty promises, and bullshit blinged out merchandise. Why the fuck do you think there are $200+ spinning rods or $4000 fly fishing rods? Because when fish see them they hook themselves automatically? NO! MARKETING!
It's what's wrong with the fucking country. From marketing politicians, wars, to stupid fishing lures.
Don't hate on me, I don't use it in practice.

>>161480
This is how you get your foot in the door. You can't expect to compete with the big manufacturers who have people that are more skilled, educated, and driven working for them. If you were as good as them, then they would have all ready recruited you. You're living in a garage, man. You don't have a lot of capital to start with either. If you're serious you'll probably make lures by hand while you're eating two meals a day so that you can afford the minimum quantity on your packaging from China.

>>161305
Hey, OP, you might see if there are pro fishing guides in your area. Once you've perfected some lures, you could test the market by giving them samples to try so they could give you feedback.

>>161305
Please keep in mind thorough this post that I have absolutely no idea of what I'm talking about, and that I do not know a goddamn thing about the fishing-lure industry.

You should not skip college.
That's my any and all constructive advice to you.
Peace and love.

I'm not here to get trolled, I'm here for some advice. So I'll just be ignoring any flamers and trolls from now on.

>>161518
Very well said, I said also niche marketing, where the big companies don't have as much of a market share. Think of it as craft beer vs. mass produced coors for example.

>>161634

Advice: man up. Figure something out. And move out of your parents house.

>>161518
That is exactly what I expect and I accept it. It's worth it as long as I don't end up like my mother and uncle who go to work every day hating what they do and coming home tired and unhappy, they are both in their 50's and retirement is nowhere in site.

I would rather be poor and happy than well off and depressed.

Thanks for the advice.

>>161646
Don't live at their home. I live at the dorms.

>>161480
>Next tell some bullshit tale of you and grandpa fishing, you starting to make lures to prove your commitment and quality
the sad part is that I started to make lures because I was never happy with the inconsistency of the lures me and my grandpa used. He was the one who took me fishing all the time until I moved out after highschool.

That and it's just very interesting to me to make and design lures.

Move to a place with lots of fishing unless you already live there. Beforehand make enough to buy/rent plot of land. Live off of it, make lures and enjoy your life. Maybe it will work, maybe not. There was a movie similar to what you want to do, but the kid makes flies. The River Why is the name
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1241329/

>>161657
I guess just my luck. Either way I fish a lot and I get your point. I personally hate the thousands of options, yet mostly all are crappy. If you actually made lures that are good quality, while tested and sincere, I would buy some.

>>161651
>I already have a 4 year degree in Limnology

But you have a 4 year degree. Most colleges don't let students live on campus after they've graduated.

Oh wait, you just lied to make yourself look better because you want people to support you in dropping out.

Make some lures and give them away for free to some fisherman around your area. Spread the word of your company, essentially.

Check these guys out. They are small but they specialized, marketed, and ended up with a loyal following. http://kodiakcustom.com/
I was thinking about tying flies for my local shop but I have to wait til they open up again to ask.

>>161981
Good example of them doing this>>161480
Those are cheap shit easy to buy kits, they just put their name on it, which is shitty to begin with and charge 3x more than walmart.

>>161981
Advice for you anon, don't ask just bring them your assortment.

>>161967
>>161410
>>161416
>>161460
>>161646
Look at all the geniuses in this thread.

>>162189
Smarter than the OP at least