Waukazoo Surface Spinner
Waukazoo Surface Spinner Lure
Shakesepeare Lure Company - Kalamazoo, Michigan
The Waukazoo Surface Spinner, also called the "Jimmy Skunk" is a Shakespeare Lure made in the 1930's. It is made of wood, has a nose propeller, two treble hooks, and a small metal fin on the bottom. It measures 2 1/2" in length and has no eyes whatever. It was known to come with other styles of propellers as well as the one shown in these pictures.
The picture on the right is the better example of the frog color for this lure than the one on the left. (Sometimes cameras don't always give you a 'true' picture!)
Other colors for this lure include black top/yellow bottom, solid black, white body/red head, and gray top/white bottom.
Value range for this lure ranges from $50 to $150. (Additional note: these price estimates are from the original 1996 article.)
- It appears that this lure may have been produced as early as the late 1920's and was discontinued sometime in the 1930's.
- The first known ad for this lure was in 1929.
- Below are some additional photos of Waukazoo Surface Spinners along with a box and insert for one. Thanks to Lang's Auction for the use of their image created into a composite.
Shakespeare Waukazoo Surface Baits
If anybody has additional information or paperwork such as early advertisements they would share it would be greatly appreciated.
Unknown Lure
These two metal trolling baits measure 3 1/2" long and have no name in the blades or other markings. They may be homemade but if so, are very well done and almost too professional to be so.
They resemble the arrowhead trolling lures made by J. T. Buel of Whitehead, New York which are pictured below. Julio T. Buel is the inventor of the spoon lure which he began manufacturing in the mid 1800's.
Unknown Update: Correction to previous update: The 'Allcock' previously cited was not A.L. & W of Canada, but Allcock of England. A reader pointed out he had 3 or 4 identical such lures, 2 of which were marked. Page 281 of Karl White's latest book shows a spoon which looks identical to these.
If you have any further information on any of the items displayed on this page which you'd like to share, please send your comments to me and I'll update the page accordingly. Contributions of interesting items and/or unknowns are encouraged.
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