Welcome Bruce and Jeffrey!

Welcome Tooty! Hoping to develop this Group with input from the Guys here who love the Classic Lures but also are curious about the entire history of Lures to present date. At least cover it from our personal favorites and experiences. 

I have some classic lures. I'll have to post some pictures soon.

Please do Bruce. I like the pics with the Fish and the lure too as well as tips and tales about presentation using the Lures. I go through my archives here and make up seasonal boxes of Lures that have worked for me in the past and it keeps my confidence in the Lure I'm throwing. I always like to get back to something neglected or try a new lure out as well. The Vibrating Bait is one I want to use more in the early Spring.  

Hats off to Lou and Ed Eppinger! This Ol' Classic Gold Flutter Chuck has been catching for Years now.  3,1/4"x 3/4".  

As a kid growing up in southern Louisiana I always used live bait until I got a little older and started seeing some spinners perfect for my zebco 33 set up…..one morning my dad and I arrived at a local bait shop to purchase shiners for a crappie trip…..I always loved to browse the different lures and I came across a few from H & H lures out of Baton Rouge …I asked my dad to get a couple and the rest is history……H & H lure company was founded in 1959 on the principles of  craftsmanship and affordibity…..didn’t try them that day but the following Sunday we were at my grandparents farm and I asked to go out to one of seven stocked ponds on their 200 acre cattle farm…….I first tied on the original spinner and began casting the flooded willows, bam on my second retrieve and a quality largemouth finally surrendered……went on to catch several more panfish and bass and was very happy to give my dad the update…..fast forward 30 years and we’re on Toledo Bend reservoir in  a friendly tournament of six boats, mainly my dad’s coworkers and a few other locals…..the forecast was for light rain all day…..we started at eight and the weigh in was for two…..even before we arrived at our first spot we donned our rain gear. My dad started with a jerk bait and I decided to throw the H & H willow blade spinner and quickly forced my dad to change…..we quickly had 10 with a four pound kicker …my dad was a fishing role model for many of the folks fishing that day and we chuckled as they would work by with a jerk bite tied on just like they saw at the ramp…..we felt confident enough to take a lunch break with a commanding lead……we culled a couple more nice fish and headed in anxious to get out of the rain…..one team had caught three on a rattle trap (blue/chrome) and the other three didn’t have a fish……needless to say H & H made some money that week when everyone went shopping……I still have a complete box of H & H spinners and I love the panfish spinners…..

I gotta take some photos of my lures, but all I have is an old cell phone. I'll see if I can make it work.

I hope so Bruce. I'd like to know your favorites that kept you in Fish through the Years. The classic demand respect!

Jeffrey thanks for the account! The first reel I recall my  father showing me how to cast with was a Johnson Spin caster . I think he put a Heddon Sonic on the line for me. The first lure he gave me for a birthday present was a Creme prop spinner tandem rig in natural color. A copy of the Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper was included in the present .

Trying to determine timeline of Rapalas manufacturing, I have Finland, Ireland marked and non-country specified in my collection. 

Us old timers /old schoolers can relate.  Bass Week: Top 5 Old-School Lures that Still Crush Bass - In-Fisherman

Great tip for the Tiny Torpedo I've not tried on my go to Smallmouth Bass topwater Bait. "Add a split ring to the belly hook. Otherwise, a jumping, gyrating fish can use the hook hanger to twist off."

Here are some Classic Baits I've thrown this Year (2024) so far. 

Here are some Classic Baits I've thrown this Year (2024) so far.  

Here are some Classic Baits I've thrown this Year (2024) so far.  

Here are some Classic Baits I've thrown this Year (2024) so far.  

The Rattle Traps over the windy flats have called Fish up and done well. 2 mid sized and two magnums have provoked aggressive Male Bass and Pickerel/. Trolling and casting the Flutter spoons also have taken Males and female Pickerel. The white Grub ,Trout pattern Rapala, Little Fox orange spoon and the shad Rap (a favorite Walleye Bait classic) all got Fish too.

Welcome Jim Cosgrove! Hope you enjoy the group !

More classic end of April Baits .Water temp got to 62-64 and the Stick worm worked a charm on Good looking 3- 3,1/2 # Largemouth Bass.  

Shad Rap collection. My first three Walleyes were caught on the small sized back in the 80's. Good Lure for Bass, Pickerel, Trout and Yellow Perch also.

Welcome to the group ,Jim Gronaw.

May Baits that are catchers.

May Catchers  

JUNE CRANKS 

JUNE SPOONS

This past Tuesday 2/5oz Eppinger Daredevle Imp Kicker was the only lure that caught a Fish in off colored Water. 

I haven't fished these lures in over 35 year so they have to be antiques. I can't remember all of their names. I used to be a diehard bass fisherman for awhile. Of course I wads a diehard every kind of fishing at one time or another.

Hey Bruce! Thanks for the great post. I love this Lure Nostalgia. I see several Rebels, a Rapala, Heddon Tiny Torpedo and Crazy Crawler and of course the Arbogast Jitterbug in the favorite nighttime color! That Skip-n Cisco is one I don't recall, but I dig Prop Baits! Have no clue about the two crankbaits in the 1st and 5th trays from the left. Maybe a Manns deep Diver in the 1st Tray ?What's that shallow lipped one in the 5th Tray?

I can't remember the name of that one. It's been so many years since I fished them.

This Classic,' Imp Klicker' was the ticket for an outside weed line suspended 2# Bass in a Cove.  

25 Vintage Fishing Lures Worth A Fortune – My Bait Shop, LLC

Dardevle spoons by Eppinger have been a favorite among anglers for over a century. Founded in 1906 in Detroit, Michigan, by Lou Eppinger, the company started off small, with Lou designing and hand-making fishing lures in his basement.

The Dardevle spoon is a uniquely shaped spoon that has filled tackle boxes for generations. It is designed to mimic the erratic movements of injured or distressed baitfish, which makes it more attractive to predatory fish. The spoon has a distinctive oblong shape with a concave surface that gives it a unique wobbling action when retrieved through the water. This action, combined with the spoon's bright and flashy design, makes it irresistible to fish.

Over the years, Dardevle has expanded its product line to include a wide range of spoons in various sizes, shapes, and colors. Today, the company offers over 150 different colors and 65 different styles of lures, providing anglers with a vast array of options to choose from.

Dardevle spoons are made in the USA, with their own manufacturing proprietary dies used to create the uniquely shaped spoons. The company takes pride in producing high-quality, American-made products.

For those just getting into using a spoon or other lure, there are a few things to keep in mind. When fishing in cloudy water, dark colors with a copper-colored back tend to work best. For clear water, a lighter colored spoon with a nickel-colored back is the way to go. Having a black-colored lure is also recommended, as it has worked well regardless of the water's clarity.

When fishing with a spoon, a slow retrieve is usually all that's needed. If the spoon stops and flutters during a retrieve, slightly pumping the rod can trigger a following fish to respond. Anglers should experiment with different sizes of lures and the speed of retrieval until they find what works best for them.

In addition to being popular among anglers, Dardevle spoons have even been used by the United States government. During wartime, Dardevles were included in aviation survival kits, a testament to the design's effectiveness.

In 1959, Dardevle moved from Detroit to Dearborn, Michigan, where it continues to operate today. The small company has been successful over the century for one primary reason – the lures work. As Lou Eppinger once said, "The Dardevle spoon catches fish."

Detroit Dardevlets and a Flutter Spoon 

Nebco Flash Bait 266 National Expert Bait Company. 

Nebco Flash Bait 266 National Expert Bait Company. 

  Bomber Baits 1949 - Bass Fishing Archives  

Wow! This is a gold mine of info right down to the articles at the bottom. I remember when Mister Twisters were first introduced. The first colors offered were yellow, white and black, I believe. Awesome reads!

According to the Mister Twister article I was wrong. There were more than 3 colors offered and various sizes. Maybe I only shopped for the crappie size twisters at the time or the bass size didn't get to Pennsylvania until later. They worked as they were without tipping them with a minnow or other bait, although I also did that, too. Yellow ands white worked the best for me.

Very cool old nostalgic fishing stuff , hey Bruce! Glad you enjoy! What Mister Twister article are you referring to?

https://bass-archives.com/early-mister-twister/

Here you go, John.

Thanks Bruce! Love using Mister Twister 1"- 4" Plastic Grubs! Especially on Hair Jigs or Spoons.

There is a big dam near where I live and it's pretty loaded with crappie and gills. You use to have to walk a long downhill decent to the lake and a long ascent back up. About 10 years ago they built, roads, allowed small motor boats, and built docks at the breast. It's become a circus during the crappie spawn. It was at this dam we first used twisters plain, and tipped with minnows. There is a  9-inch minimum.