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Les Barlow Story

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Ollie's Stingrays

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    Posted: 18 Feb 2011 at 7:50pm

With the permission from Les Barlow he has agreed to answer a few question regarding his lure making story, please find below a letter I received and photos I took recent visit with my son. A great old geniune guy who loves making lures, if you're ever in Stanthorpe please go and visit him, he has some fantastic stories to tell, great character.

Les Barlow Lures Story

Letter received from Les Barlow 18/02/11

Ollie, I will do my best of the Questions asked, hope they please,

I started making lures 1987 for myself and my fishing mates. You have a photo of the first lure (a real gem?) caught 2 Yellow belly.

My Brand is Les Barlow Quality Lures.

I have 10 models now listed as follows and details of their names.

LIL PIPER – name after my late Budgie.

LIL SQUIRT – name just out of my head.

LIL BUG – name as this lure caused me some trouble so just said a bugger but now a beauty.

TROOPIE – name memories in the old Toyota

STARKY – name one night a really bright star in sky so that’s its name

LIL SHRIMP – name just came to me.

SLEETIE – name weather was awful and sleet was falling.

LIL BOMB – name after my daughter as while she was a teenager, I nick named her LIL BOMB. (And it still stands)

FATTY 1 – is a wider lure and has a big action.

FATTY 2 – is similar in make but a smaller action.

Rephotos, I have enclosed the only shots I have and were taken back many years ago. You have a shot of the first lure. WOW what a beauty?

No I do not keep times for lure making mainly as I make all components in bulk before assembling the models.
 My fishing mate really got me going in making lures 1991.I could not honestly say the time to make a lure but it’s certainly a lot faster than when I started (I just love making them)
Love fishing and walking in the Bush.

Timbers vary, Western Red Cedar, Beech wood, Ramin, Silky Oak, Cedar.

All are handmade and finished with Epoxy resin over Paint job.

All are test run in the Creek with hooks on. Not interested in Factory lures.

I have honestly caught many Freshwater Fish; largest 38lbs used to keep all but have seen the light and now release them and enjoy doing so.

My most enjoyable outcome in lure making is to sell them for $5.00 each which gives the teenaged ones encouragement to fish and it has been a great hobby.

Regards to All

Les Barlow

 
Les Barlow first Lure 1987

Les talking about the first lure

Les Barlow lure stand

Hope you have enjoyed the background and how each lure name came about, my son and I certainly enjoyed meeting him. Thank you Les for your time. 

Cheers Ollie

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tooch Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Feb 2011 at 7:57pm
Great Bio Ollie , thanks for posting it up. It's always
interesting to find out the who's and what's of the lure world...ClapClapClapClapClapClap
SmileSmileSmile...Pete.
I'd rather be fishing with





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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nicho Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Feb 2011 at 7:59pm
Fantastic ollie, great story and photos! and not a bad shed! 
A genuine old Aussie fisherman, with the right attitude!
Theres more satisfaction out of giving a kid a lure and him catchin a fish on it, than all the money can buyClap great stuff.
Jas
Nichos Maulers Homemade timber lures....THEY CATCH FISH!

YA DONT KNOW...IF YA DONT GO...SO GET OUT THERE AND... FISH IT
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fishing man Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Feb 2011 at 8:01pm
top bloke is les, a real gentleman that shed brings back some memories
Cheers



Ben
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tony Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Feb 2011 at 9:40pm
Couldn't agree more, Les is a true gentleman Smile

Thank you very much for taking the time to share Les' story with us Ollie, and thank you Les as well. Thumbs Up
Cheers, Tony

For the love of Fishing Lures.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote simon bruce Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Feb 2011 at 12:54pm
Ollie
 
thanks for putting together the bio on Les Barlow and his lures.
 
 
Simon
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Seaweed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Feb 2011 at 1:52pm
Thanks Ollie, love Les' shed, pleased to own four of his lures.
Regards, Tony.
"Always Merry and Bright"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lest_55 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Feb 2011 at 3:26pm
   True aussie character and a great bloke alsoClapClap
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Powelly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Feb 2011 at 3:59pm
Thanks for putting this together, Ollie.  Les sounds like a real character.
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RAVA Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Feb 2011 at 4:58pm
Thankyou Les and thankyou Ollie for that great story sounds like Les is a true gentlemanStarClap
Fish hate me!!!

Cheers Gary
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CaptainCranky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Feb 2011 at 5:00pm
Sensational Ollie.Thankyou also to Les.
The Journey is the Reward


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ibarlow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2011 at 6:45pm
Best  62five dollars you will spend good photos and story not bad old bloke these lures have caught fish all over oz, asia i am sure he did not know how big it would get.IB
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote edzard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2011 at 10:04pm
Welcome to LL Ian, Les is certainly a character and Gentleman, posted him a copy of this post, hope he likes it.
Cheers
Ollie
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ibarlow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Feb 2011 at 8:38pm
I am sure he will get some enjoyment from that post his time on the seven river / now sundown national park dates back to my grandfathers day and his early days young boy growing up so him making lures and fishing interest date back a long time ago.

CHEERS IB.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote oog663 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Mar 2011 at 8:58pm
G'day Ian,
 
I got to see the Framed Set you did some time back for Les, I think it's something very special that he treasures dearly  Clap   I have decided to do a similar display with my couple of Barlow Timbers.
 
 And it was good to see him feeling a lot better, he'd been out on the bike today for a few laps of Stanthorpe looking for a set of keys your Uncle lost.
 
Cheers for now Steve
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote doccod Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Mar 2011 at 2:02pm
WinkAwesome story boys and isn't great to see some one with whiskers!!!!!!!! I've got quite a collection of this gentlemans lures some even signed and you know I've swum them there actions are great but I cannot actually bear to send them into the snags to work there magic!!! B.J.Wink
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote puglee62 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 May 2011 at 2:22pm
good to put a face to the name at last,Les looks like a real character .blokes like him are legends
thanks for the story OllieApprove
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 77lureman77 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Aug 2018 at 11:21pm
Hi was the squirt lure made in timber thanks
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Fysshe Salmon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Aug 2018 at 11:29pm
All Les's lures are timber.
Fysshe
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 77lureman77 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Aug 2018 at 11:55pm
Even the squirt lure been told they are plastic is this true cheers
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 77lureman77 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Aug 2018 at 11:58pm
Was the strike zone squirt lure made of timber cheers
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hooknose Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Aug 2018 at 7:34am
All Les's lures are timber!!
MAN I LOVE FISHING ! ! !
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote ebbnflow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Aug 2018 at 8:45am
strike zone squirt and les barlow squirt are two completly different lures. les had that name long before strike zone did. les has no interest in getting his lures mass-produced in plastic. it is his passion to make his lures old school------in timber......mick
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hypnos Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Aug 2018 at 12:33pm
i have some Barlow's - all are signed & named except this L'il Piper - has no writing at all
cheers
bazz
a wife & a steady job are a handicap to the serious fisherman !!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote horrorhead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Aug 2018 at 7:59pm
Yes Hypnos, sometimes Les makes a mistake and misses naming a lure or writes the wrong name on altogether. He also claims that he only ever does white eyes with red pupils, but I have about 20 with green pupils.
Martin-

you don't havta be pretty to fish
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