TackleTour

Not a new acquisition persay but was rummaging through the shop looking for old lures my dad made back when he was in the manufacturing business. Unfortunately, he liquidated most of his stock and other than a handful of spinnerbaits I was unable to find anything. However I did come across this hardbait collection of his that I thought was pretty neat. Wanted to share it with you all. I'm not super familiar with any of it so if you see anything cool or have a cool story about anything you see here please share.



Cant figure out how to get the image to show up here so if anyone knows help me out. Haha

Looks like an Arbogast AC Plug in the bottom row (4th from right). That was the first big swimbait I read about being used for big bass. I bought a couple, though they were obscenely expensive at the time ($16?). I only fished them a total of about an hour and a half; there were few bass over 6 lbs. where I was fishing, and I couldn't stay optimistic enough to keep trying. Anyone else have good luck with them?

Bronzeye wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 01, 2021 12:49 pm

Looks like an Arbogast AC Plug in the bottom row (4th from right). That was the first big swimbait I read about being used for big bass. I bought a couple, though they were obscenely expensive at the time ($16?). I only fished them a total of about an hour and a half; there were few bass over 6 lbs. where I was fishing, and I couldn't stay optimistic enough to keep trying. Anyone else have good luck with them?

It is a pretty crazy design, with the cupped mouth of a popper plus a jointed body and a soft plastic boot tail. Never have fished any of these lures but I felt tempted to try that one. I just did some reading on the history of the lure and its actually pretty interesting.

I see 2 or 3 old Poe's cedar deep cranks in there. Wish they still made them. They just plain catch fish!

Possible Wart there too.

Gone Phishin wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 01, 2021 5:20 pm

Possible Wart there too.

Yep, a couple of pre-rapala warts in there, along with some bomber model a's.

The Poes, Bagleys and pre Rapala warts are all worth money in addition to being excellent baits.

The deep wee r you have two of have a following as well. I'm more of a shallow wee r guy myself.

hoohoorjoo wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 01, 2021 5:30 pm

Gone Phishin wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 01, 2021 5:20 pm

Possible Wart there too.

Yep, a couple of pre-rapala warts in there, along with some bomber model a's.

I'm trying to figure out if those are rattling thin fins above, to the left. Used to be a hot walleye bait around these parts.

Gone Phishin wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 02, 2021 6:53 am

hoohoorjoo wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 01, 2021 5:30 pm

Gone Phishin wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 01, 2021 5:20 pm

Possible Wart there too.

Yep, a couple of pre-rapala warts in there, along with some bomber model a's.

I'm trying to figure out if those are rattling thin fins above, to the left. Used to be a hot walleye bait around these parts.

I was thinking that, as well, just couldn't remember the name. Storm made some great baits back in the day.

Definitely thin fins.

Some interesting stuff, wish I had the cahones to fish them but I would be too upset if I lost any of them. I may take them out sometime and at least get them wet and check out the action. May try to get better photos next time I'm out there.

The yellow lure with orange around the eyes, top row left, looks like a Heddon River Runt
The black, silver, black popper is a Heddon Chugger
Jerkbait top row with the red belly, looks like a Storm Thunderstick
The rattle bait bottom left, Bill Norman had a rattle bait with the eyes sticking out

I've made squarebills out of the Poe's like the green/yellow one's in the bottom row. Cut the bill at it's widest point.The bill's were a bit fragile but if you heated up a screwdriver and melted the bill slightly were you cut it, it made them not crack as easy

I've got about a third to a half of the lures in that picture. They all catch fish. Most have been rotated out of the regular hardbaits that make it in my boat. I don't know about any of them being particularly valuable, but i would keep that collection in tact if it belonged to a family member. It sucks when the bills yellow on hardbaits. I've got quite a few expensive Japanese baits that have done this from being on the deck of my boat and in the heat too long.