Big 5 Vintage Fishing Lure companies
Big 5 Vintage Fishing Lure companies
One of the first things a person new to the world of vintage fishing lure collecting will hear about are the so called “Big 5″ companies that dominate the news about the pastime. Knowing who these companies are (or were) and a little bit about them will go a long way towards alleviating any fears of someone new to the hobby who is feeling intimidated by all of the information available online.
The Heddon Company
The Heddon Company was created by James Heddon, the man who is given credit for the invention of the first artificial wood fishing lures in 1894. The often repeated story is that he had his light bulb moment when he tossed a hand carved wood plug into the waters of the Dowagiac, Michigan mill pond and watched as a bass struck it. With this insight an industry was born. The original lures were frogs hand carved from broomsticks by Heddon himself. The lures were originally made by hand in the Heddon family kitchen located in Dowagiac, Michigan, but by 1910 there was a new factory in Dowagiac and expanding sales.
The Lucky 13, Punkinseed, River Runt, and the Meadow Mouse are a few examples of this classic brand.
Creek Chub
Creek Chub was founded in 1910 by three friends in Garrett, Indiana. The company is named after the creek chub, which is a small fish commonly used for live bait by fishermen.
Henry Dills created Creek Chub’s first lure, The Wiggler, which had a metal lip that caused the lure to wiggle in the water leading more fish to strike it. Another early lure was the Pikie minnow. This bullet-shaped lure had more than one variation available, allowing for choices on the amount of movement in the water desired. The Open Mouth Weedless, later renamed the Open Mouth Shiner is another early lure. These lures were designed to be weed proof and featured long-shanked double hooks facing backwards so they would drag over snags without hanging on them. Open Mouth Weedless lures are a hard to find vintage fishing lure and all three of these are great examples of Creek Chub vintage fishing lures and collector’s items.
One of Creek Chub’s most important innovations in the lure industry was the process of spray painting lures by spraying the paint through netting. Paint applied to this netting (originally from ladies’ hats!) was used to create the now common scale patterns on Creek Chub lures. Creek Chub was a very innovative company in other areas as well. Their early adoption of the use of glass eyes on lures and the invention of the weedless bait mentioned above are great examples of this spirit of innovation. Creek Chub also held numerous other patents related to lure improvements.
Pflueger
Ernest F. Pflueger founded the Enterprise Manufacturing Company in 1881 making fish hooks. When his son took over the business in 1906, it changed names to the E.A. Pflueger Company. During this time, Pflueger was the first company to open up commercial production of wooden fishing lures. The company would also grow from being only a hook maker to all areas of fishing gear. As competition in the industry became more fierce the company began to focus more on reels than lures.
Two of the lures that the company started with were the Flying Helgramite and the Luminous Crystal Minnow lure. These are two very vintage fishing lures from Pflueger that incorporate the founding E. Pflueger’s invention of a luminous lure paint.
Shakespeare
William Shakespeare, Jr. founded his company in 1897 with a first product that wasn’t a fishing lure. He started out with reels before expanding into the lure market. Shakespeare began making fishing lures around 1900 and the first catalog was issued shortly after that containing only four lures: the Revolution, Bucktail, Evolution and a Frog. The Shakespeare Revolution is one of the most collectible of the Shakespeare vintage fishing lures. Many of Shakespeare’s early products were rubber lures, including rubber frogs that mimicked real life motions of a frog when in the water. A very rare collector’s item is the Shakespeare Tournament Casting Frog, which is a prize find for any vintage Shakespeare fishing lure enthusiast.
South Bend Bait Company
South Bend was founded in the early 1900′s by F.G. Worden of South Bend, Indiana.
Worden had already been selling his Bucktail baits since 1894 prior to the official company founding. These bucktail baits were wooden minnow shaped lures that were invented and popularized by Worden. The South Bend Bait Company also made the famous Oreno fishing lures. The Oreno was also a minnow shaped lure and would become a popular long term seller for South Bend. The Bass Oreno, which started production around 1915 and was still in production into the mid 1960′s, was the most popular South Bend bait. Another popular vintage South Bend lure is The Vacuum Bait which can be quite hard to find and is a nice collector’s item.
Use this information
Now that you know more information about the “Big 5″ go and start using this knowledge to build your collection. Try going to a local fishing tackle show or event and with this starter information you will feel capable of holding your own in an initial conversation and start the network that will help you build your collection. Or if you want to go online to browse around for more information or to find out how to find items online, visit the website in the author box below.
About the Author
Vintage Fishing Lures is the resource for information related to collecting vintage fishing lures including how to start and build a collection and how to maintain it. Visit Vintage Fishing Lures for more information.
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Bundle Monster 40pc Rooster/Synthetic Feather Hair Extension Mix Kit in Grizzly and Solid Colors – Includes 50 Silicone Beads and Hook $13.50 Add some flair to your hair…for an awesome price, that is! This ultimate set comes in its compact retail packaging and includes: (20) 5″-7″ 100% Natural Rooster Feathers – dyed, (20) 16″ Synthetic Feather Extensions – dyed, (50) Silicone micro beads in 5 colors -10 each (Black, Dark Brown, Lighter Brown, Blond and Lighter Blond) and (1) Wooden Hook used to slide the bead on to your hair. All… |
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Butterfly Net $6.95 The Butterfly net is made of1/2″ plain aluminum tubing on a 15″ diameter hoop. It has a 1″ diamond-embossed aluminum handle 6″ long which you can easily attach a 1″ unvarnished handle, up to 60″ long, available in most hardware stores. The Net is 1/16″ mesh – 22″ deep Made in USA… |
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Handmade Wooden Flyfishing Net Isolated on White Background – 24W x 16H – Peel and Stick Wall Decal by Wallmonkeys $33.99 WallMonkeys wall graphics are printed on the highest quality re-positionable, self-adhesive fabric paper. Each order is printed in-house and on-demand. WallMonkeys uses premium materials & state-of-the-art production technologies. Our white fabric material is superior to vinyl decals. You can literally see and feel the difference. Our wall graphics apply in minutes and won’t damage your paint or l… |
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Antique & Collectible Fishing Rods: Identification & Value Guide $18.99 ANTIQUE & COLLECTIBLE FISHING RODS 4th Printing (November 2002). This most recent printing includes a revised and updated price guide with additional historical data and rod maker listings. It is a valuable resource for the collector, antique dealer or angler interested in classic fly rods, bait casting rods, spinning and ocean rods produced from bamboo, wood, fiberglass and steel. The author prov… |
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How To Make Fishing Lures, Homemade Fishing Lures $3.99 A Complete How To Guide To Make Your Own Fishing Lures This guide is a must read for anyone who loves to fish or is interested in making homemade fishing lures. With over 130 illustrations and photos. Learn everything you need to know from the basics to the advanced. From the book…”One of the most satisfying experiences a fisherman can have is to catch a fish on a fishing lure he has fashione… |
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Making Strip-Built Fly Rods from Various Woods on a Lathe $12.60 Originally self-published as an elegant hand-drawn and hand-written journal, we are re-releasing this book in full color, while still retaining its unique style. With ordinary skills and standard woodworking tools, Betts shows how you too can build durable strip-built fly rods from native and exotic hard and soft woods on a lathe…. |
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Frabill Deluxe Wood Catch And Release Landing Net (3407) $24.95 The Frabill Deluxe Wood Catch and Release Landing Net offers the trout angler a quality wood frame and a clear tangle-free rubber net all at a great price. Each net is hand crafted with a multi-piece laminated design. The rubber netting protects fish scales and slim coats for responsible “catch and release” fishing. This net features an 18″ removable elastic lanyard with metal snap that attaches t… |
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Frabill Wood Handle Mesh Netting Fish Landing Net $14.95 Frabill Deluxe Wood Teardrop Trout Landing Net. Traditional Wood Trout Net featuring multi-laminate wood construction for years of durable performance. Popular teardrop shaped hoop with black nylon netting. Includes elastic lanyard with deluxe clip closure for securing to your fly vest or belt loop. 11 x 15″ hoop. 8″ handle. Net yours today! Frabill Deluxe Wood Teardrop Trout Landing Net… |
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Daniel Pollera ‘Wood’s Hole Lighthouse’ Framed Art Print $224.99 Artist: Daniel PolleraTitle: Wood’s Hole LighthouseProduct type: Framed art print |
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Upstream Images ‘Flyfishing’ Silver Window Decal $7.99 Show your passion for the outdoors by displaying an excellent vinyl window decalShow your love for hunting and fishing with a large, easy window decalDecal is made with precision artwork and printing |
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Fly Fishing for Dummies $36.77 A complete guide to fly fishing basics and beyond, this fresh and fun guide covers both fresh and saltwater fish, including trout, bass, snook, blue fish, marlin, tuna, and more. Kaminsky demonstrates the most common fly fishing casts and identifies casting problems and tells how to resolve them. Photos& line drawings. |
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Fly-fishing Daydreams (Hardcover) $60.37 From Alaska to the Bahamas, Panama to The Seychelles, PatFord knows where to find the best places to go fly fishing. InFly-Fishing Daydreams, Ford and his camera capture the most excitingadventures in the sport, from great sailfishing expeditions inGuatemala to Atlantic salmon-finding missions on the icy watersof Russia’s Kola Peninsula. In each far-flung locale, Ford recountshis unforgettable fish tales and illuminates them with spectacularfull-color photography, putting the reader right there in their wadersbeside him. The result is a book that enables readers to live outtheir fly fishing dreams.Complete with 300 full-color photographs, a foreword by legendaryfly fisherman and author Lefty Kreh, a preface by Mike Myatt,chief operating officer of the International Game Fish Association(IGFA), and a special chapter on digital photography basics foranglers, Fly-Fishing Daydreams is a book no lover of fly fishingshould be without. |
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Just Dragon $22.1 Used – Emma and her Grandpa live near the sea, and the harbor is their favorite place. They go fishing together, and fly a big paper kite in the park. And when Grandpa is too tired to go out, he tells Emma stories of the sea…The best story was about some sailors on a long wooden boat with a great carved dragon on the prow, who sailed away across the oceans to look for gold. They said the dragon was their friend who was there to show them the way…When Grandpa is taken to hospital, Emma feels |
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Just Dragon $42.64 Used – Emma and her Grandpa live near the sea, and the harbor is their favorite place. They go fishing together, and fly a big paper kite in the park. And when Grandpa is too tired to go out, he tells Emma stories of the sea…The best story was about some sailors on a long wooden boat with a great carved dragon on the prow, who sailed away across the oceans to look for gold. They said the dragon was their friend who was there to show them the way…When Grandpa is taken to hospital, Emma feels |
