Kenny Klimes

Unfortunately most Vintage lures are just “old” lures. I have many too that I bought when I was a boy. Here is an article I found to distinguish between lure of value and just lures. Also, look on Ebay and type in the name of your lure to see what might be the going rate for an old time lure. I think only “lure” collectors will pay the “price” for a special lure.

OLD VERSUS ANTIQUE

The way to start is by ascertaining what era or age you’re talking about. Lures made forty to sixty years ago are old, but very few have significant value. They can well be used to catch fish today if you’re so inclined.

There are some exceptions, however. Certain wooden lures that were discontinued by their manufacturers a few decades ago but favored by anglers were hoarded by those in the know and can still fetch a good buck.

The original Big O, a balsa wood crankbait made by Tennessean Fred C. Young in the late 1960s, is one such lure, and it started the crankbaits-for-bass industry. While plastic versions are still made today, signed and numbered wooden Big O originals are legendary and valuable lures that are now in the collectible fishing lures category even though they’re not a century old.

Another example is the large Creek Chub Husky Pikie made by Heddon. A metal-lipped lure, it was especially popular with muskie trollers. Many were dismayed when Heddon started making this lure out of plastic, so the last wooden models were snapped up by anglers to fish with more so than to collect, although they are now viewed as vintage fishing lures.

The definition of vintage goes back further than the mid-20th century, and truly antique lures are those a century or more old, including some of the first wooden and metal lures ever produced in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some of these are worth many thousands of dollars, especially if accompanied by the original box they were sold in.

A one-of-a-kind Musky Charmer Minnow was sold in 2018 for $21,000, which is an eye-popping sum until you learn that the most ever paid for old fishing lures was $101,200 for a Riley Haskell Minnow in 2003. Vintage Heddon, Shakespeare, and Pflueger lures are valuable collectibles, but there are many from less well known manufacturers.

A friend of mine, Pat Salimeno, had one of the most valuable vintage fishing lure collections when he passed away over a decade ago. Like most true antique tackle collectors, Pat was astute and wary. He specialized in lures and learned his hobby over decades, finding bargains by doing a lot of pre-Internet legwork. I accompanied him to two eye-opening (for me) sales held by Lang’s Auctions, which is the premier antique fishing tackle auction house, and later sold Pat’s collection. If you sign up with them you can access past auction catalogs and search for previously sold items.

Another source of information is the National Fishing Lure Collectors Club, a nonprofit educational organization which provides member forums and publishes a quarterly magazine. If you become a member you can access their bibliography of educational resources, including antique tackle collecting books. Some such books have become collectible themselves and, though published two or more decades ago, have value for identification purposes if not for valuation of tackle in the current market.

Great story! I too have a bamboo rod that my late Uncle Jim owned. He had a fishing resort for many years back when I was a baby and little boy in Northern Minnesota (near Walker, MN). He didn’t fly fish for trout but would use a bamboo fly rod as he trolled for walleye. I would go with him as a young boy and be amazed how he would catch fish after fish. The fly rod was very sensitive and he could feel those “sensitive” biting walleyes every time. Of course , we ate the best fish in the world to eat – the walleye. I never could catch them like him. But many years after he passed away his sons presented me with his bamboo fly rod. Nothing fancy about it but he truly knew how to catch fish with it. I plan on cleaning it up, maybe restoring it a bit and hanging it in a special place.

Hey darodecap,

You may know all that I am going to say and it is NOT from experience at Busch. I have never fished the area in the winter. But for those that are not familiar, each year the MDC stocks many lakes in the STL area with trout. It is catch and release until February and then after you can keep. They stock when the water is cold and then when it warms the trout will die so they allow unlimited keep. Also, only certain lakes in the Busch Wildlife area are stocked. You need to check the MDC website to know which ones are stocked with trout.

With all that said, I have heard from others that fishing at Busch has been tough so far.  First, make sure the MDC has stocked your particular lake you are fishing. Maybe, just maybe, they have held back on stocking because the temperatures have been “too warm” so far this Fall. But if the trout were stocked AND because of warmer surface temperatures in the lakes, I would guess that the trout are down deep. So if you are not getting your fly down deep you may be nowhere near where the trout are feeding.

So. I would fish deep by 1) stripping buggers with weight or a sinking tip line or sinking leader, 2) if using an indicator make sure your leader/tippet is long and weighted.  Sorry, but since I usually do not fish this area that’s the best I got for you.

Fewer dry flies but generally the same flies we use all year. Since hatches are less then more nymphs and larva – midge larvae, pheasant tails, etc

Paul,

One guy to talk to about that area would be Tim Graham. He lived in Wildwood, MO but now lives in Windsor, CO. Contact Tim at [email protected]

We will also have a NEW section on our website soon.  Locations to fish throughout the United States.

You are correct in your assumption.  Salt water specific fly line is used because of many very hot situations when fishing some salt water areas.  Your fly line will be fine.  More important than the line will be cleaning your reel and gear with clean, fresh water to remove any salt after fishing.

This video may help you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x7C_xNEqGo