History Index

Lure History research and preservation is a passion of mine and one of the focuses of My Bait Shop. While you will find it in many places on this website I wanted to provide a quick link to just some of the main pages we explore in great detail. Below are some pages with some great information so be sure to check them out and come back for new updates.

Also be sure to check out our Lure Lore and Fishing History pages for even more history. We have highlighted these pages as well.

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Main Fishing History Index

AFL - "Antique Fishing Lures"

FH - "Fishing History" Page

LL - "Lure Lore" Page

Abu Garcia: "Abu Hi-Lo" FH

Abu Hi-Lo Fishing Lure LL

Alger, Franklin A. - Lures: Franklin A. Alger of Grand Rapids, Michigan made a variety of lures around the turn of the century. All of the Alger lures are considered rare and very difficult to find. AFL

AR-BE Reel Brake (Koser Mfg) LL

Automatic Striker (C.A. Johnson) LL

Bass Thief (Steelstamp Corporation) LL

BASSMAN™ Books & Videos: This page features Mr. Harbin's great Heddon Footprint book, a must for all Antique Lure Collectors. There are more of his great books and a complete Library of Videotapes all by The Famous BASSMAN. AFL

Bassman™: Carmen Baldacchin Sculpture: The Little Bassman created by Mr. Carmen Baldacchin AFL

Bassman™: Clyde's Call Collection Value Catalog: The Bassman™ has listed his entire RARE collection of Game Calls. Hundreds of Game Calls illustrated along with a collector value. AFL

Bassman™: Evidence Group's "Footprints": The Evidence Group interviews Mr. Clyde A. Harbin Sr. in his Memphis home for their magazine article for Japanese readers. AFL

Bassman™: Famous BASSMAN™ Footprints: After I started to read and study Mr. Harbin's books and material I was intrigued by his accomplishments and involvement not only in the tackle industry but also as a very successful business man. I decided to do my own research on The Bassman and write this page. AFL

Bassman™: Heddon "Iola" Wisconsin Footprints-Part I: This first part of Heddon Wisconsin Footprints offers new information about future publications of Mr. Harbin's "James Heddon Son's Catalogue" and "Heddon Historical Footprints" books. AFL

Bassman™: Heddon "Chetek" Wisconsin Footprints-Part II: The second part of Heddon Wisconsin Footprints deals with The Heddon Factory and W. T. and Laura Heddon and how Mr. Harbin brought this knowledge to the city and towns people of Chetek, Wisconsin. AFL

Bassman™: Heddon "Roberts" Wisconsin Footprints-Part III: Learn in part three of Mr. Harbin's Wisconsin Footprints the gifts to Floyd Roberts and the history behind the gifts. Also news on Dan Basore from Warrenville, Illinois about his Chetek discovery. AFL

Bassman™: Holly Grove Footprints: After many years of photographs and now a HP digital camera Mr. Harbin put together this handmade Essay book of his "Holly Grove Footprints". AFL

Bassman™: Jacob Hansen Lures: Jacob Hansen from Michigan made the Michigan Life-Like Minnow and Spoon Jack Minnow. His lures are considered rare and hard to find. AFL

Bassman™: Joe & Clyde Bartlesville Meet: Clyde Harbin and Joe Courcelle made their way to Bartlesville, Oklahoma NFLCC Swap Meet in 2004. AFL

Bassman™: NFLCC The Beginning: These pages cover the beginning or the National Fishing Lure Collectors Club - Springfield, Missouri. AFL

Bassman™: Old Lure Japanese Story Part I: This terrific page Features Mr. Tsutomu Wakabayashi an early Japanese pioneer that was in on the beginning of old lure collecting in Japan. AFL

Bassman™: Old Lure Japanese Story Part II: This section of the Old Lure Japanese Story contains information on Mr. Mitsuru Sato President of Glass Eye International and his involvement in old lures. AFL

Bassman™: Old Lure Japanese Story Part III: This part of the Old Lure Japanese Story deals with more Japanese old lure collectors that Mr. Clyde A. Harbin Sr. had communications with and aided them along their way of collecting old lures in Japan. AFL

Bassman™: Old Lure Japanese Story Part IV: Part IV the Final Chapter of the Japanese Story has information on The Florida Antique Tackle Collectors meets. A terrific story with the footprints of Mr. Hiro Naito by Mr. Lanny West the Senior Director of Marketing and International Sales for PRADCO. AFL

Bassman™: Performance Package/1972 Catalogs: Complements of Mr. Clyde A. Harbin Sr. this page offers twenty three 1970's lure catalogs and many miscellaneous one page catalogues. Among these are PRADCO's Famous Brands such as Rebel, Heddon, Cotton Cordell, Smithwick, Creek Chub, Bomber and Arbogast. This area offers over 311 printable Mint Condition Catalogue Pages. AFL

Bassman™: Sandbar Footprints: The first story is about Bass Pro Shops acquiring Mr. Harbin's Duck Call Collection and the second story is Mr. Harbin's Sandbar Footprints & Marketing Duck Calls. AFL

Bassman™: Tackle Collectors of Arkansas: The TCA is a newly formed club by David R. Stainaker. AFL

Bassman™ Visits Bass Pro Shops: Bass Pro Shops opened a new store the "Sportsman's Warehouse" in Memphis, Tennessee. Bass Pro Shops presents a special lure exhibit at the new Sportsman's Warehouse Store in honor of Mr. Harbin. AFL

Bassman™: Water Walkin' Blade Article: This article was written by Clyde A. Harbin Sr. sometime ago around 1976. AFL

Bassman™: Ye Olde Bass Lures by The Bassman™: Here you will find information on Heddon's very first and early baits. Including the 1898 Heddon hand made Frog along with the early Dowagiac Underwater Minnow, The Missing Link lure, The Dowagiac Expert and more. AFL

Bear Creek Tweedler LL

Bee 4 James Heddon & Sons AFL

"Biff Bait Company" FH

Bing's Weedless Nemahbin Minnow (A.F. Bingenheimer) LL

Bomber Bait Company: Our company history page of Bomber Bait Company including the world's largest Bomber Bait Color Chart.

Bubbler (Bleeder Bait Company) LL

Bumble Bug (Gowen Manufacturing) LL

Burmek: "Burmek Secret Bait" FH

C.C. Roberts Mud Puppy LL

Catch All Inc. LL

Catch All: "Catch-All, Inc." FH

Catch All Inc: Catch All Baits out of Hiles, Wisconsin. Read their history here.

Chubby Lucky Tail Wobbler (Wynne Precision Company) LL

Clyde A. Harbin Sr. Archive: Information from the archival material of Clyde A. Harbin Sr. Many of these lure photo's were used in the first edition of Old Fishing Lures and Tackle by Carl Luckey and many more famous books. AFL

Cool Ripple Frog (Cool Ripple Lures) LL

Crazy Legs Lure (Muller-Perry Co.) LL

Creek Chub Bait Company: Main company history page for the Creek Chub Bait Company out of Garrett, Indiana. Includes samples of all lures and a color chart.

Creek Chub Bait Company Family History: The information used for this Creek Chub Bait Co. History webpage was generously supplied to me by Anita Rolfe. Anita's maiden name is Anita Dills, the daughter of Gordon S. Dills and her grandfather was Henry S. Dills one of the original founders of the Creek Chub Bait Co. AFL

Creek Chub #5000 - Close Pin LL

Creek Chub Cray-Z-Fish: Detailed lure page off of main Creek Chub section showing color chart and info on the #9900 Cray-Z-Fish lure.

"Creek Chub Cray-Z-Fish" FH

Cyclone Spinner (Puls & Wencka Bait Company) LL

Double Header (Tropical Bait Company) LL

First All-American Invitational Bass Tournament: Learn about the Birth of the First All-American Bass Tournament later to become The Bass Masters. Read about how Ray Scott came up with the idea of hosting a honest bass tournament. Read about how Mr. Clyde A. Harbin helped Ray Scott promote this event and why the First All-American Bass Tournament was a success. AFL

Gurgling Joe Large Mouth Chub (North American Production Co.) LL

Heddon: The main history page for Heddon out of Dowagiac, Michigan.

Heddon: Artistic Minnow Series No. 50 LL

Heddon: Bee 4 James Heddon & Sons AFL

Heddon: Big Buds: This page offer history and the background of the Heddon, #9410 Big Bud lure. There is also information along with great photographs of the many Japanese marketed Big Bud's AFL

Heddon: Big Hedd No. 9330 LL

Heddon Catalogs: Heddon catalog covers and information from 1902 to current.

Heddon Crackleback FH

Heddon: Craw Shrimp No. 375 LL

Heddon: Crazy Crawler - Zinc Eye LL

Heddon: Darting Zara No.'s 6550, 6600 LL

Heddon: Dummy Double No. 1500 LL

Heddon: Firetail Sonic LL

Heddon Firetail Sonic FH

Heddon: Four Rare Heddon Catalogs: Four Old and Rare Heddon Catalogues. Most collectors will never get an opportunity to see just one of these rare catalogues. Mr. Clyde Harbin Sr. (The Bassman™) has supplied the prints and photo's of the 1911, 1913, 1914 & 1916 Heddon catalogues to put on the website so more collectors can have access to this Heddon information. AFL

Heddon: Glow Worm River Runt Spook LL

Heddon: Go-Deeper / Deep Dive River Runt Spook LL

Heddon: Heddon to PRADCO: The EBSCO company purchased Heddon in 1983. Today PRADCO is the largest manufacturer of fishing lures which includes: Arbogast, Bomber, Cotton Cordell, Creek Chub, Excalibur, Heddon, Lazy Ike, Rebel, Riverside, Silver Thread, Smithwick and Yum Attractants. AFL

Heddon: Hi-Tail (Topkick) LL

Heddon: Non-Heddon Company's: Heddon also made lures for "non" Heddon company's. Learn about these retailers and how to identify these highly collectible Heddon lures. AFL

Heddon: Pal Spook Rods LL

Heddon: Prowler LL

"Heddon River Runt Spook" FH

Heddon: Scissortail No. 9830 LL

Heddon: Tadpolly Spook No. 9000 LL

Heddon Tadpolly Color Chart: The World's Largest Tadpolly Spook Color Chart!

Heddon: Understanding the Number System LL

Heddon: WWII "E" Award: Learn about the E - Award that our government presented to Heddon and its employees because of its efforts towards WW II war production. See a rare photograph that was taken in the Heddon factory the night prior to the ceremony. AFL

Helin Tackle Company: History of the Helin Tackle Company out of Detroit, Michigan.

Helin Tackle Company: Fishcake LL

Helin Fishcake FH

Hinkle Lizard LL

Hinkle Lizard: "Joe and His Traveling Lizard" FH

Hi-Yo Activated Lure (Activated Lure Company) LL

Hub Bait Company: Muk-Cha-Ko Frog FH

Kent Frog (Pflueger) LL

L & S Bait Company: Bass Master LL

L & S Bait Company: L & S Roots / The Walter Heinze Story LL

Lazy Ike: History of Lazy Ike from Kautzky to current day.

Lazy Ike: Flex Ike (Kautzky / Lazy Ike): "It All Started with a Flex Ike" FH

LeBoeuf Creeper LL

Miller's Reversible Minnow (Union Springs Specialty/Combo Engineering) LL

"Millsite Daily Double" FH

Muk-Cha-Ko Frog (Hub Bait Co.) LL

Muller-Perry Company: Crazy Legs Fishing Lure LL

Musky Sucker (Madison Musky Sucker Bait Mfg Co.) LL

Nifty Minne (Nifty Minnie) (Ness Company) LL

Outing: Bassy Getum LL

P & S Ball Bearing Bait Company LL

Paul Bunyan Bait Company: Transparent Dodger LL

Pflueger: All-In-One Minnow LL

Pflueger: Kent Frog LL

Pflueger: Zam Weedless Spinner LL

Practice Casting Weights: This page offers information on casting weights starting in the early 1900's. I was unsuccessful in locating written information for casting weights THUS the reason for creating this page. If you collect Practice Plugs or interested in Tournament Casting Medals this is a page you will want to visit. AFL

Rapala: History of Rapala. Our main page including a HUGE color chart of Rapala baits.

Shmoo Bait (Horrock-Ibbotson) LL

South Bend: Bass-Oreno: This page was developed for the serious Bass Oreno collector. There is detailed information starting from this lure's beginning in 1915 all the way to 1965 when the B.F. Gladding Co. purchased South Bend. You will be able to identify the exact year an individual lure was manufactured. There is information on all the eye stages, hook hangers, body styles and all cataloged colors through the life of this famous bait. AFL

South Bend: Fishing Photo Contest: The first South Bend Bait Co. Fish-Photo Contest was held in 1923 and continued through the 1930's, & 1940's. Learn about the 1945 Fishing Photo catalog and more. AFL

South Bend: Min-Oreno (#926-928) LL

Sparkle Tail: History of the Hubbard Sparkle Tail Lure

Vaughn's Lure LL

"Vibra-Bat" (Harrison Industries) FH

Waukazoo Surface Spinner (Shakespeare) LL

Wigglefrog (Frank Steel) LL

Witch Fire Lures (Winnebago Outdoor Supply Company) LL

Worth Flutter Fin LL

Worth Flutter Fin FH

Zink Screwtail (Zink Artificial Bait Company) LL

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