Hinkle Lizard Lure

The Hinkle Lizard Lure is a neat miscellaneous antique fishing lure. Dating back to the 1940’s, some sources using 1946, others using 1949 as its date of origin. We do see that the patent was applied for in 1949 and not granted until 1952, knowing this we can easily deduce that it would have been produced prior to 1949. That assumption doesn’t put the inception of 1946 out of reach and is very realistic. Joe B Hinkle the inventor of this crazy looking antique fishing lure used the address of 505 Augusta Dr, Louisville Kentucky. This plastic lure measures roughly 6″ in length.

We have a nice box and lure combo in on consignment this week, click below to view.

Hinkle Lizard in Box Combo

The Hinkle lizard lure was offered in a handful of colors for its plastic body. The body, the torso and the tail are independent of each other, connected via split rings, allowing the lizard to have a lot of action upon retrieval. The front trebles are hung on a wire through hanger akin to a flat fish style, the rear hook hanging from a split ring. Alas, like many of the lure creators, sometimes practice, practicality and functionality do not align. Joe B Hinkle would file for bankruptcy soon after the patent was granted due to its lack luster sales and return on investment.

This however would be the last we would see of the Hinkle lizard lure, somewhere around 1954 it would reemerge and be sold by Elmer Deuster, out of Milwaukee Wisconsin. Its unknown for how long exactly it would be, but Elmer would continue to piece together the left over inventory until Mr Hinkle’s left overs would run dry. The lure can be found in a few different boxes with different address’s including a picture box. Below you see the artwork that accompanied Joe’s patent submission.