Creek Chub River Scamp Lure The Creek Chub River Scamp Lure was a model number 4300. This was first introduced in the Creek Chub antique lure catalog in 1934 just after the great depression. The Scamp lure would last for almost 2 decades in the lure line up. The Scamp is similar in looks to […]
Category Archives: Antique Lures
Heddon Dowagiac Minnows Newspaper Ad This Heddon Dowagiac Minnows Newspaper Ad comes to us from 1919. Often we think only to look to magazines for ads, artwork and for information. This Ad is from the Arizona Republican Newspaper published in 1919. The Palace Hardware and Arms store provides us with this outside the box glimpse […]
Superstrike Shrimp Lure The Superstrike Shrimp Lure was first introduced in the late 1920’s. The lure made by the Florida Artificial Bait Company of Saint Augustine Florida. This celluloid lure has quite a interesting history. The lures celluloid was salvaged from the wings of an experimental airplane purchased by George Ettles and Henry Farrin. I […]
19th Century Fishing Lures, Antique Lure and Reel Ads, Antique Lures, Chapman Lures
W D Chapman Lure Article Closure 1893
W D Chapman Lure Article Closure 1893 In this W D Chapman Lure Article Closure 1893 we see WD Chapman Lure Company say adieu to the fishing tackle industry in a Jewelers trade rag in 1893. Sorry for the blurry article. A lot of the older magazines and paper articles don’t scan well. Fishing Tackle […]
Pflueger Wizard Lure Ad Here is a great early Pflueger Wizard Lure Ad. This clip is out of the 1904 Pfleuger Enterprise Manufacturing Company Catalog. The plate below touts it should the actual size. Model numbers 473 being Luminous, , Model 474 Non Luminous 1st Quality and 475 being of second quality. I’m not sure […]
Heddon Wilder Dilg Bob Davis Fly Lure We’ve come to know the Heddon Wilder Dilg Bob Davis Fly Lure as Yellow Head Yellow Hackle fly. But, do we know who Bob Davis the American Editor and photographer is? Why is this a face on the cover of the intro Heddon Fly rod antique lure box. […]
Welch Graves Minnow Tube Lure Ad 1893 This Welch Graves Minnow Tube Lure Ad is out of American Angler March Issue for the year 1893. Early American antique fishing lure ads like this are hard to source. If you read his ad its actually amusing as he says he doesn’t have time to respond to […]
Pilot Spinner Antique Lure Ad This ad comes to us from the Hardware Dealers Magazine Vol.23 1905 and shows the Pilot Spinner Lure. The Pilot Spinner HR Stewart & Co 938 First National Bank Building Chicago Ill are offering the trade the Pilot Spinner illustrated. It is an adaptation of a spinner and a feathered […]
19th Century Fishing Lures, Antique Lure and Reel Ads, Antique Lures, Pflueger Lures
Pflueger Trory Minnow Lure Ad
Pflueger Trory Minnow Lure Ad This Pflueger Trory Minnow Lure Ad comes to us from a 1904 catalog. The Pflueger Enterprise Manufacturing Company Claims to have created the first artificial minnow production with its Crystal Minnow then on to the Flying Helgramite then to the Trory. Its hard to argue with them. The Trory minnow […]
Heddon No Snag River Runt Lure The Heddon No Snag River Runt Lure is a great little lure. First introduced in 1941 this spook lure has become a favorite among collectors. Unfortunate it wasn’t as big of a hit for fisherman, and was out of the Heddon Line up by 1946. The antique lure takes […]
Shakespeare Kazoo Minnow Lure Ad Here’s is Shakespeare Kazoo Minnow Lure Ad from 1907. These ads were for the Shakespeare Kazoo Minnow, an economy minnow for their line up. Very similar to fellow lure make giant Pflueger’s Competitor Minnows. Shakespeare advertises the different minnow quality variations in the 1907 catalog. The first version of the […]
Moonlight Fish Spear Lure Ad This Moonlight Fish Spear Lure Ad comes from a 1916 Shakespeare Lure catalog, yes that wasn’t a mistype. The Fish Spear is a classic Moonlight bait we don’t get to see advertised much due to the scarcity of early Moonlight antique fishing lure catalogs. I do find it amusing the […]
Pflueger Globe Lure The Pflueger Globe Lure is antique lure that seems to span a lot of time for Pflueger Enterprise Lure Company of Akron Ohio. The antique Pflueger Lure was introduced around 1910, and by some accounts even earlier. The lure was first seen with see through hardware. The globe lure bears a striking […]
KK Minnow Lure Ad This KK Minnow Lure Ad comes out of the year 1909 although the Minnow was patented in 1907. That makes this great antique lure 107 years old. The K&K Minnow is lure is always a treat and a delight to add to ones antique fishing lure collection. The Minnow That Swims […]
19th Century Fishing Lures, Antique Lure and Reel Ads, Antique Lures, Pflueger Lures
Pflueger Luminous Lure Ad 1885
Pflueger Luminous Lure Ad 1885 This Pflueger Luminous Lure Ad came out in 1885. This makes it 131 years old and a treat to still be able to see. Finding advertising that is this old is certainly a high point for those out there like myself that love old paper that has to do with […]
Heddon Musky Crazy Crawler Lure The Heddon Musky Crazy Crawler Lure was first introduced in 1940. This antique fishing lure was manufactured in Heddon’s plant in Dowagiac Michigan and was assigned a model series number 2150. This giant lure makes quite a commotion coming across the top of the water. The lure lasted 17 years […]
Creek Chub Pop N Dunk Lure The Creek Chub Pop N Dunk lure was a model series number 6300. This antique fishing lure was first produced by the Creek Chub Bait Company of Garrett, Indiana in 1941 and ended in 1954. This antique fishing lure is wooden in composition, has glass eyes and measures 2 […]
Pflueger Magnet Lure The Pflueger Magnet lure was a lure designed in the early to mid teens some records indicate 1916. This wooden antique Pflueger lure was a series 3600 and featured 3 treble hooks. The lure underwent 4 different modifications, between collar slop and hook hanger devices over its lifespan. The lure striking various […]
Creek Chub Husky Dingbat Lure The Creek Chub Husky Dingbat Lure was first produced in 1938 and only lasted 8 years and was out of production by 1946. Creek Chub of Garrett Indiana assigned it a model number 5300. This is the largest of the Creek Chub Dingbats and measures 2 1/2″ in length with […]
Moonlight Lady Bug Wiggler Lure The Moonlight Lady Bug Wiggler Lure was first introduced in 1916. This wooden antique fishing lure was given the model series number 9, and measures 4″ in length. The lure looks a lot like a Pepper Roamer lure. This slanted head antique lure has a single forward line tie, has […]
19th Century Fishing Lures, Antique Lure and Reel Ads, Antique Lures
Spalding Pneumatic Sporting Boat
Spalding Pneumatic Sporting Boat This A.G. Spalding Pneumatic Sporting Boat is a classic example of a early float tube. I’ve always really enjoyed the old ads and find many of them amusing when your pursuing through an old catalog and you stumble upon certain one that make you wonder what the artist print block maker […]
Creek Chub Jointed Striper Pikie Lure The Creek Chub Jointed Striper Pikie Lure, Model 6800 came on the scene a lot later compared to the rest of the Pikie lure family, making its introduction in 1950. The antique lure made it almost 3 decades in the Creek Chub Bait Company Catalog, and disappeared with many […]
Beetle Bug Bait Lure The evolution of the Beetle Bug Bait Lure starts with these Rare Weighted Prototype Vintage Lures. The first two pictures feature one with White Buck-tail Red Feather. Both examples have identical measurements to an actual Beetle Bug Bait Company Beetle Bug. They were acquired at an NFLCC lure meet many years […]
19th Century Fishing Lures, Antique Lure and Reel Ads, Antique Lures
Skinner Gananoque Antique Lure Story
Skinner Gananoque Antique Lure Story This Skinner Gananoque Antique Lure Story is borrowed from; A souvenir of the Thousand Islands of the St. Lawrence River. by John Haddock, and was written in 1895. We see another famed antique lure maker referenced, WD Chapman of Theresa NY. The old articles are great to be able to associate the […]
Clewell Snakerbait Lure The Clewell Snakerbait Lure was first introduced in 1926. Robert L Clewell from Canton, Ohio came up with this strange looking antique fishing lure that is very sought after by antique lure collectors. This painted early form of plastic or rubber wound or built onto a wire harness, in the shapes of […]
Antique Lures, Collectible Fishing Empherma (Books, Catalogs, Photos, Etc), Fly Fishing
Louis Rhead Gamy Black Bass
Louis Rhead Gamy Black Bass The illustration by Louis Rhead Gamy Black Bass was part of a feature from the Brooklyn daily Feature on June 21, 1908. The Title of Gamy Black Bass How it is Caught with Bait and Fly, How and Where uses Rhead’s masterful use of illustrations to give the reader a […]
Van Clay Retrievable Minnow The Van Clay Retrievable Minnow Lure is a favorite among antique lure collectors. This classic bait is circa late 1920’s, a wooden glass eyed beauty and is a rather scarce lure to find. Made in Thomasville Georgia, this classic had a spring loaded head that allows the lip or its referred […]
Braidwood Stamp Company Gaylure The Braidwood Stamp Company Gaylure snippet. Braidwood Stamp Company antique fishing tackle maker, made their home in Perth Amboy, NJ. GAYLURE like so many others in the 1930’s and 40’s is made of plastic, more specifically a product called Caitlin. The lure itself is in fine unused condition, condition body itself […]
Pflueger All In One Lure In this page a Pflueger All in One Minnow Antique Fishing Lure Correct Box . The all in one minnow, a model 3500, is a very desirable and scarce Pflueger minnow lure that was first introduced around 1914 and lasted until 1923. This wooden lure has a taped cigar shape […]
Heddon Dummy Double Lure Paperwork This Heddon Dummy Double Lure Paperwork is a scarce and desirable piece. It usually is the last piece to complete the lure box and paperwork combo. This is the short version (As there is a larger size as well) of the paperwork and dates to 1916-1918. the paperwork shows a […]
Lim Bo Legs Antique Fishing Lure The Lim Bo Legs Antique Fishing Lure was first introduced around Circa 1940. The first lure shown in the gallery is the introductory version, the second is a later vintage. The wooden, glass eyed frog spot fishing lure was the creation of LeVan Industries of Chicago, Illinois. This Vintage […]
Miss Golddigger Lure The Miss Golddigger Lure was the invention of Jodell White. Jodell was a simple man, who grew up during the depression. As we have seen before the countries economic woes would supplant many families, including the White’s. Jodell’s family was forced to move around during his early years as many families would […]
Heddon Wilder Dilg Spook Fly Lure The Heddon Wilder Dilg Spook Fly Lure was a transition from its very popular Cork Bodied fly lures over to plastic, or spook bodied lures. The Wilder Dilg itself came to be 16 years prior to this culmination. The spook bodies began production in 1939 and were in the […]
Heddon Deep Diving Wiggler The Heddon Deep Diving Wiggler Lure is a true classic. First introduced in 1914 this wooden lure would be a staple for roughly the next dozen years in Heddon of Dowagiac Michigan’s Lure line up. It was assigned a model series number 1600. This lure features to very identifiable diving planes […]
Midget Teas Oreno Lure The Midget Teas Oreno Lure was first introduced in 1941. The 1941 catalog described it as a “Size designed for light tackle but exceptionally good as a trolling bait.” This classic antique fishing lure is the smaller brethren or the Teas-Oreno made by the South Bend Bait Company. This lure went […]
Heddon Big Tiger Lure Baby Bass The Heddon Big Tiger Lure is a model 1040 and was first introduced in 1968. The lure would only make a short run for 3 years until it was discontinued in 1971. Although it would make a brief appearance again in 1980 it would again be phased out in […]
Hanson Sub Master Lure The Hanson Sub Master Lure was patented in 1951, while being made as early as 1950. This lure was distributed by Hanson’s Custom Loading out of Bonner Springs, Kansas. This little known lure has a large clear plastic diving lip almost the same length of its body. We have a nice […]
Spinno Minno Lure The Spinno Minnow lure is a antique lure collector favorite, and is a model series 500. This plastic fishing lure was first produced by the Pecos River Tackle Company of Carlsbad, New Mexico in 1944. The fishing lure measures roughly 2 1/2″ in body length, not counting hardware, and tips the scales […]
Antique Lure History Whence The Plug American Angler 1918 In this Antique Lure History Whence The Plug American Angler article you will find an amazing read. I was truly excited when I ran across this gem. If you love antique lures and you love the history bind them, you will love the article from the May […]
Heddon Meadow Mouse Lure The Heddon Meadow Mouse Lure was first introduced in 1929. This Heddon mouse lure made in Dowagiac Michigan would last for more than half a century in the antique lure line up. This fishing lure the wooden enameled version is a series number 4000. This antique lure measures 2 3/4″ in […]
Heddon Musky Flap Tail Lure The Heddon Musky Flap Tail Lure was first introduced around 1935. This antique fishing lure was given the model number 7050 inside the Heddon of Dowagiac Michigan’s lure line up. While not the largest in the Flap Tail series this wooden lure measures 5″ in length. The lure can be […]
Bug N Bass Antique Lure The Bug N Bass Antique Lure dates to around 1963. The Bug N Bass lure a product of the Buckeye Bait Company of Miamisburg, Ohio, later in Council Grove, Kansas. The Bug N Bass was not the only lure made by the buckeye Bait Company. The lure itself is roughly […]
South Bend Crippled Minnow Lure The South Bend Crippled Minnow Lure was first made in 1929 and was only made a few years and was gone around 1933. The lure was fashioned after the success of other lure makers such as Heddon and Creek Chub with their injured minnow and SOS lure products. This South […]
Creek Chub Spinning Deepster Lure The Creek Chub Spinning Deepster Lure was first introduced in 1953 and only lasted a very limited time. The antique lure was a model series number 9600 made by the Creek Chub Bait Company of Garret Indiana. This small deep diving plug received its name due to the large diving […]
Moonlight Pikaroon Antique Lure The Moonlight Pikaroon Antique Lure is probably the most synonymous with the Moonlight Bait Company of Paw Paw, Michigan. Although it should be the Floating Bait line, the Pikaroon with its sleek sexy looks and curves, woos most collectors its way. The Pikaroon wasn’t originally a Moonlight Bait like the Floater, it […]
Old Fighter Lure This Old Fighter Lure was first made in 1950. The Old Fighter fishing lure was made by the Beaver Bait Company out of Ambridge, Pennsylvania. The plastic lure feature a distinct row of beads in the middle section of the lure on both sides. The colored beads which have small spinners in […]
Edson Fish Fooler Lure The Edson Fish Fooler Lure was born in Grayling Michigan. This classic vintage lure was introduced in the early 1950’s and his patent was granted in 1955. The metal spoon is made of aluminum is jointed or has two segments which are held together via sets of split rings. The lure […]
Heddon Magnum Torpedo Lure The Heddon Magnum Torpedo Lure was first introduced in 1969. This Antique Lure was Heddon / Pradco in Ft Smith Arkansas model series number 362. This plastic spook lure is the largest of the Torpedo Spook lures and measures 3 1/4″ inch in length. This antique lure features a single forward […]
Winchester Multi Wobbler Lure The Winchester Multi Wobbler Lure was first introduced in 1921. The Winchester Repeating Arms Company was located in New Haven Connecticut. The multi wobbler minnow is Winchesters copy of the Heddon Crab Wiggler. The wooden glass eyed antique lure bears the same shape as the crab wiggler, however it uses rear […]
Heddon No. 45 German Silver Reel Antique Fishing Reel This is a Vintage Heddon No. 45 German Silver Reel Antique Fishing Reel . 1917, designed by Jack Welch and William Carter for Heddon, marked “Made By James Heddon’s Sons Dowagiac Mich. No.45” on the front and “Carter’s Pat. Jul 5. 04 Nov 28. 05” on […]