Clark's Makes Em Bite
Made by Clark's Bait Company, Indiana.
Circa 1926. This is a classic glass eyed antique fishing lure from La Porte, and
has been found in less than a half dozen assorted colors, or combinations of the
colors. It has double hook which widens when struck by its
predator. Although much is not known about this little lure, or the Clark
brothers, it happens to be one of my favorite Miscellaneous lures.
Clinton Wilt Little Wonder
Little Wonder,
Made by Clinton Wilt Mfg. Co., Springfield Missouri. circa 1913. Clinton Wilt
Patented this lure on Here is another Barber Pole painted type antique fishing
lure. The Little Wonder is approximately 3 1/4" has no eyes, and comes in a half
dozen color varieties. The Clinton little wonder has a bigger brother not show,
which is called the Champion, which can be identified from the little wonder by
its use of two double hooks attached to a headgear of sorts behind the front
propeller.
The
Coldwater Finch and the Helldiver respectively, Made by Eureka Bait Company, Coldwater, Michigan. Circa 1914.
We find ourselves again with a antique fishing lure company which merits a bit
more than just a description. A stones throw away from another old fishing
tackle giant the Shakespeare Fishing Tackle Company of Kalamazoo, we find the
Eureka Bait company.
The Eureka
or Coldwater fishing lures, Phinney Bait Co., whichever you prefer, born of W.
E. Phinney and Samuel Larrabee bring us a few interesting lure modifications
that would later be taken on by larger makers. In 1914 a patent was granted to
Mr. Larrabee (the Eureka Wiggler not shown except for in the patent below) for
what I would consider to be another ingenious lure modification which I am
surprised hadn't been perused before. The use of water being driven and diverted
through the lure to increase, and or to direct the motion of the antique fishing
lure itself. It's said, in life its the small things that make a difference and
here I think this is one of them. Most would look to it just as a way to make a
lure move, and others see propulsion through the use of simple physics to catch
a fish..... Who says that these are just pieces of wood.
In the
Helldiver above, and in the patent material below you will note another patent
or idea for a fishing lure modification , although I do not believe in truth is
should be though to have just come from the aforementioned old fishing lure
company. The use of the line tie, or the holes in it, to again create or direct
the motion of the lure. I believe this to actually have been a Franklin
Alger (Seen on the fist page on Old Fishing Lures made by Miscellaneous Makers)
idea and or lure modification that he never patented, but I cant prove that.
These
three bait companies produced lures which look acted and seem the same, however
there are difference which can be discerned. There are enough baits born of
these three companies to put together a wonderful collection of antique fishing
lures, just with their various models and colors.
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