Bomber Bait Company Press Release

This Bomber Bait Company Press Release and accompanying letter from one of the founders is a neat breadcrumb that I came across in sizable pile of research docs, catalogs, and salesman brochures I had amassed over time. It was hidden behind some papers I had looked at many many times and didn’t know they were underneath. What a great surprise for me, and being able to share it, that much better. The press release is accompanied by a letter from the Bomber Bait Company in 1976 also shown. I have never heard the full version of the story, only pieces, until I read the letter, and the story even though I must admit even living a stones throw away from Lake Murray. Our family camps many weeks of the year at Lake Murray, and it is the place my boys threaded and threw their first worms. Lake Murray has provided countless memories for my kids whether it be biking or hiking the trails, roasting marshmallows or taking “night walks”, and telling ghost stories along the way.

The letter is in a response to a letter from Tom Rainy, to Bomber in 1976 asking them if they had any old baits they might send him. I’m assuming this as they say they are shipping him in another package lures, dust and all. The letter is signed C.S. Tubrbeville one of the inventors and founders of the Bomber Bait Company.

Being able to peer back into a time, to the era that was at the root of the Nation Fishing Lure Collectors Club is a treat. Im not certain if Tom was a Member from the beginning but I would guess yes if not the beginning he was involved early on.

Bomber Bait Company Press Release

Years ago, Ike Walker, John Parker, and C.S. Turbeville were real fishing nuts. (They Still are.) Most of thier fishing was done in Lake Murray which is a deep brushy lake. If they let the lure sink, there was no way to get it back. The kept fooling around trying to come up with something that would go deeper, yet not get tangled up. They finally came up with a bait which we call the Bomber. It would dive deeper than most baits would sink in a reasonable length time, and it would also back off from the brush. Someone made the remark that it resembled a bomb, and from then on it was called “Bomber”.

The Bomber was made of Northern White Cedar, and at that time the only place they knew of to get cedar was from old light poles the local light company let them have. The tail piece was cut from the back of old cook stoves. The grommets were shoe eyes, the pulling connection was a paper clip bent to fit and the wrap on the clip was cut from a tobacco can. This was immediately after the war, and no hooks were available. Most Jobbers had a few left in stock. The sent hooks to us, we made the baits using their hooks and sent them back. Individuals who wanted our Bomber would remove the hooks from old baits and send the hooks to use. We would put the hooks on our Bomber and send the new lures to them.

Black was the only color made to begin with. The theory was that nine out of ten bass caught had crayfish in them, and since bass are bottom feeders, the dark colors were best. Only after setting up Bomber Bait Company in 1946 on an organized basis did the list of colors spring up. We have since converted out lures to plastic with a rattle inside.

Letter from One of the Inventors and Owners of the Bomber Bait Company

Dear Mr. Rainey,

Under separate cover we are sending you some old baits per your request – dust and all.

If you are a fisherman, and put them on your line, you will see that they sure do fish good = sometimes better than most other baits on the market now, particularly the Knothead for a top water. There is nothing on the market that will do what it does – even our own Popper.

If there is anything else we can help you with let us know.

Very Truly Yours,
Bomber Bait Company
C.S. Turbeville