Do You still Use Lures that You Bought, When You're a Kid?

[MK49]

I started bass fishing,, when I was 9yrs old. I'm 53 now. I still have some lures that I bought, when I was 9 ~ 12 years old (40+ years old). Do (or can) you still use those? I mean those lures were expensive for a young kid, and they have plenty of memories over the years. I'm afraid of losing them.

The last ones I used from 40+ years old are Heddon Meadow Mouse and Chugger Spook. They're topwater baits, so less chance to lose them. That being said, I bought some more Meadow Mouse and Chugger Spook from the same era over the years on eBay. So, I retired my original ones, just for the good memory. I lost two Rapala Fat Rap crankbaits this year, and I bought them, when I was 11 or 12. At least, I can still buy them, but it still sucks to lose something I had owned for over 40 years.

[dragon1]

I have a few Rapalas from when I was a pre-teen. I put those lures up as memorabilia.

No need to use them when I can essentially buy the made in Ireland version these days.

[MK49]

I have a few Rapalas from when I was a pre-teen. I put those lures up as memorabilia.

No need to use them when I can essentially buy the made in Ireland version these days.

I think Rapala is a really good company. They still make many of the classics. Or, they can still make enough profit from old designs. I lost all of my floating minniow from 40+ years ago, but I still have plenty from 30 years ago.

In addition to Rapala and Heddon, I still have some Bagley, Storm and Bomber lures that I bought 40+ years ago. I don't use them, just because I don't think they're any better than newer lures. I still think it's cool to catch some bass with lures that I've owned for 40 years, though. But, at the same time, I really don't want to lose them.

[slipperybob]

I didn't buy them as a kid, but sort of claimed ownership of them from my father.

There were some Rapala Floaters, Mepps Aglia Spinners, and a few feathered jigs. Back then it was still mostly a bait and wait rig of either bottom or on a bobber. I didn't really buy anything until I started working at the age of 16. When I was 19 yrs or so, was probably when I started to buy more artificial lures. Can't really remember but somewhere along there Rooster Tails inline spinners was the big rage. Then used some generic spoon that had something to do with 3D lazer eye minnow spoon. Short lived production of maybe two years tops, but a few years later there was a copy cat version from Cabela's. Never ordered it so, that spoon is still in the back up tackle bag somewhere.

Well at some time decided to try a silver Kastmaster spoon and bam! a super fish catching lure for sure. Somehow my lure buying just sort of grew and expanded from there.

[Heitman]

Yep. Still have some Bagley's ET2's, Poe's RC7's. Bought those back when you mail ordered from BPS. I was probably in 6th grade. I'm 49 y/o now. I still have a Whopper Stopper chugger that had the vibrating spring weigh inside like the Deps Pulse Cod. That innovation actually came out in late 80's, and i caught plenty of bass on it.

[MK49]

Yep. Still have some Bagley's ET2's, Poe's RC7's. Bought those back when you mail ordered from BPS. I was probably in 6th grade. I'm 49 y/o now. I still have a Whopper Stopper chugger that had the vibrating spring weigh inside like the Deps Pulse Cod. That innovation actually came out in late 80's, and i caught plenty of bass on it.

Man, you brought back my memory, BPS mail order catalogues! I'm a little older than you, and I remember I really liked the BPS catalogues, and I ordered many times. Most of my fishing supplies came from BPS and K Mart, until the mid 1990s. That's when I graduated from a university and moved to California, and more internet on-line shops started showing up. K Mart was actually decent back then. They had Rapala, Heddon, Bagley, Mann's, Bomber.... No Japanese lures in the US, until the mid to late 1990s. I've been living in San Jose, CA since 1995, and I don't think there's a K Mart around here. About 10 years ago or so, BPS retail store opened in San Jose, too. The first time I saw some fancy Japanese lures was around 1997. That's when a local outdoor shop started selling Megabass and Lucky Craft. The things have changed over the years, but It's all good.

Many of innovations / gimmicks came from long time ago. I have no idea how effective the spring thingy in the Pulse Cod is, but it's a great popper. I have a feeling it's just as good without the spring thing. I bought it about 12 years ago, and didn't use it much, just because I didn't like the sound that's created by the spring weight. It sounds kind of like a Boing lures, which doesn't catch fish for me. Earlier this year, I caught many bass with a 40 years old Heddon Chugger Spook. I didn't want to lose it, just because I had it for over 40 years. So, I started using some newer poppers that were about the same size as the old Chugger Spook, 1/2oz ~ 5/8oz. Pulse Cod and Storm Arashi Popper worked very well. Now, the old Chugger Spook is unofficially retired. I still have three Chugger Spooks, so I'm sure I'll use them again, eventually. Both Pulse Cod and Arashi Pop walk very well, which I really like.

Booyah Prank was designed by Zell not too long ago. But, there were a few poppers that did shallow diving crank thing, like old Bomber Popper, which I bought in the early 80s and Baby Lucky 13 does pop and crank, and it's probably older than the Bomber popper. In fact, I think I caught more fish with the Baby Lucky 13 by just cranking it.

[Johnny A]

Tabu Tiny Tim out of production BUT RAID Japan has a similiar bait that I used for a trailer on finesse jig
https://www.bassfan.com/docktalk_articl ... :-tiny-tim

[Heitman]

Yep. Still have some Bagley's ET2's, Poe's RC7's. Bought those back when you mail ordered from BPS. I was probably in 6th grade. I'm 49 y/o now. I still have a Whopper Stopper chugger that had the vibrating spring weigh inside like the Deps Pulse Cod. That innovation actually came out in late 80's, and i caught plenty of bass on it.

Man, you brought back my memory, BPS mail order catalogues! I'm a little older than you, and I remember I really liked the BPS catalogues, and I ordered many times. Most of my fishing supplies came from BPS and K Mart, until the mid 1990s. That's when I graduated from a university and moved to California, and more internet on-line shops started showing up. K Mart was actually decent back then. They had Rapala, Heddon, Bagley, Mann's, Bomber.... No Japanese lures in the US, until the mid to late 1990s. I've been living in San Jose, CA since 1995, and I don't think there's a K Mart around here. About 10 years ago or so, BPS retail store opened in San Jose, too. The first time I saw some fancy Japanese lures was around 1997. That's when a local outdoor shop started selling Megabass and Lucky Craft. The things have changed over the years, but It's all good.

Many of innovations / gimmicks came from long time ago. I have no idea how effective the spring thingy in the Pulse Cod is, but it's a great popper. I have a feeling it's just as good without the spring thing. I bought it about 12 years ago, and didn't use it much, just because I didn't like the sound that's created by the spring weight. It sounds kind of like a Boing lures, which doesn't catch fish for me. Earlier this year, I caught many bass with a 40 years old Heddon Chugger Spook. I didn't want to lose it, just because I had it for over 40 years. So, I started using some newer poppers that were about the same size as the old Chugger Spook, 1/2oz ~ 5/8oz. Pulse Cod and Storm Arashi Popper worked very well. Now, the old Chugger Spook is unofficially retired. I still have three Chugger Spooks, so I'm sure I'll use them again, eventually. Both Pulse Cod and Arashi Pop walk very well, which I really like.

Booyah Prank was designed by Zell not too long ago. But, there were a few poppers that did shallow diving crank thing, like old Bomber Popper, which I bought in the early 80s and Baby Lucky 13 does pop and crank, and it's probably older than the Bomber popper. In fact, I think I caught more fish with the Baby Lucky 13 by just cranking it.

The idea behind the old Whopper Stopper Chugger and Pulse Cod isn't to rattle or make noise. It shines when paused, as the weighted spring in it vibrating causing small vibration in the bait while sitting still. Deadly over bass on beds.

[godshippy]

I didn't start bass fishing till 2008; so I don't have anything substantially old. If I had some lures that were 30+ years old--I'd be hanging those up on a wall!

[MK49]

The idea behind the old Whopper Stopper Chugger and Pulse Cod isn't to rattle or make noise. It shines when paused, as the weighted spring in it vibrating causing small vibration in the bait while sitting still. Deadly over bass on beds.

Yes, I know that, but the vibrating weight thing creates sound similar to Boing Lure. Either way, Pulse Cod catches fish, and Boing doesn't.

[Shadowcaster1969]

I'll be turning 55 soon and still have a couple of lures that I bought as a 11-12 year old... They are certainly in bad shape after all these years but most are still fishable!

Let's see... here is a list...

Rapala CD9
Rapala Original floating
Heddon Zara Spook
Cotton Cordell Pencil Popper
Rebel minnow
Rapala Shad Rap SR-7
Nilsmaster Spearhead
Abu Killer
Abu Toby
Abu Salar

I think there might be a few more but I need to dig through my storage...

[toddmc]

I have quite a few topwaters primarily, but also a few balsa cranks. I've got several large 10 gallon plastic storage containers full of handpours from the 1980's and 90's. Every once in while I will dig out a few to throw on a specific lake. I have a few topwaters from the 50's and 60's that were my grandpas. Those haven't seen the light of day in a while, but I did throw them in the 90's a few times.

[DarkShadow]

I still *have* lures that I bought when I was a kid, but there are probably at the bottom of the archeological dig that is my tackle room.

All the older stuff is at the bottom.

I found a few bags of hand poured worms that were popular in the late 80s and early 90s, but apparently rubber doesn't last too long when it's impregnated with salt.

Who woulda known.

[toddmc]

I still *have* lures that I bought when I was a kid, but there are probably at the bottom of the archeological dig that is my tackle room.

All the older stuff is at the bottom.

I found a few bags of hand poured worms that were popular in the late 80s and early 90s, but apparently rubber doesn't last too long when it's impregnated with salt.

Who woulda known.

You gotta keep em cool, but they still tend to fade.

[Dalleinf]

As a kid, perhaps 10 years old, I loved to fish. Had no money, no boat, old basic tackle. I used to stare at the beautiful and expensive rapalas, which were out of my reach. The local fishing shop owner, all around nice guy, needed rudd as baitfish for ocean fishing. He offered me a rapala f my choice, if I caught him a lot of rudd, which I did. I chose the most pretty rapala in the shop, at least to me. Unfortunately, it was a deep diver with a large lip, and therefore impossible for me to use while fishing from shore.
35 years later, last year, I pulled the old rapala out and (really) used it for the first time. Caught a PR perch of 2 kg.