Deconstructing Old Ads: Shoff's Casting Mouse (1931)

Shoff's Casting Mouse
With a huge thanks to Jerry Martin

From the pages of the May 1931 issue of Sports Afield comes today's ad (compliments of Warren Platt) for the Shoff's Casting Mouse. At first glance this bait looks like many flyrod deer hair mice. A closer read shows that this is no flyrod lure, but rather a baitcasting lure in both a Bass size (1/2 oz) and a Muskie size (3/4 oz). The ad claims it is a floater. Having experienced the tendency of deer hair flyrod baits to sink after a while, this seem remarkable to me. Not knowing all that much about the Shoff bait, I asked my friend Jerry Martin to give us some facts. Though I am seldom surprised by the depths of Jerry's knowledge when it comes to the history of flies and the companies that made them, I was not prepared for the amount of fascinating information Jerry provided. What follow is all Jerry Martin. After reading it you will know why I sure wish he'd publish that book he has been working on for many years...


"Clarence Shoff is recognized as the inventor of the clipped deer hair mouse. He filed for a patent for a “method of making a fish bait and the product thereof” on November 24, 1930. United States Patent No. 1,953,692 was granted on April 3, 1934. The patent taught the method for making clipped deer hair mice. Shoff found that the color and texture of clipped deer hair was ideally suited for creating realistic mouse imitations. He introduced the first fly rod deer hair mouse call Shoff’s Mouse in 1930. In that year a full page Shoff Tackle Company ad appeared in the Sporting Goods Journal Catalog. The first Shoff mice featured natural colored clipped deer hair bodies, black bead eyes, either leather or cord tails and deer hair whiskers. Tufts of deer body hair represented ears. Before the year was out the mice were tied with brown leather ears. Shoff mice were always nicely done—finely proportioned with densely packed hair. Shoff’s pioneering deer hair mouse established the general shape and conformation of the numerous mice of other manufacturers that were to follow. An all-white mouse was introduced in 1933. Advertisements appearing in 1936 said, “The New Shoff Mouse—Now made of reindeer hair.” Reindeer and caribou body hair yields dense, closely packed bodies with superior floatation properties. The hair, however, is more fragile and not as durable as deer body hair. Shoff apparently sold a lot of mice. Except for the musky size, which is very rare. Early fly rod Shoff mice were packaged in orange, two-piece, lift top, pasteboard boxes, printed in black. Later mice were packaged in plastic tubes with metal screw on caps. Shoff’s mouse is readily identified by the body shape. 

Shoff's mouse is the classic deer hair mouse and other makers emulated or copied the lure in violation of Shoff’s patent. I suspect that Shoff found that the financial returns of the deer hair mouse market did not warrant the legal costs associated with challenging in the courtrooms the host of copycats.
 

Clarence Shoff was born in Kent, Washington on April 30, 1894. He died on May 24, 1975 The Shoff Tackle Co. was founded in 1922. In the beginning the company sold fly tying supplies and artificial flies (standard patterns, bass and trout bugs) tied by several local women. The first national advertisement found for the Shoff Tackle Co. appeared in 1925. As the company grew most of the production was distributed to the trade though jobbers and large retail outlets, including Sears, Roebuck and Co., Western Auto Supply, Dave Cook Sporting Goods, Marshall Field and Co., to name a few. Until the mid-1939s Shoff’s bother-in-law, Ed Madsen, served as plant manager. At this point Shoff established a second plant, called Wesco Tackle in Portland, Oregon. Madsen managed the Portland operation until his death in 1959.

 In 1952 Clarence Shoff founded Lamiglas, Inc., a rod manufacturing business. Clarence's son Dave managed the Lamiglas operation from 1954-1959. Beginning in 1959 Dave assumed management of their retail store. Dave found he enjoyed retailing and assumed permanent management of the retail operation. The Shoff operation supplied several noted anglers of the time with flies including Zane Grey, Enos Bradner, C. C. Fields, Marvin Hedge and Eddy Bauer. Shoff also established a retail store in Kent. Dave was still alive a few years ago."

Thanks Jerry!

-- Bill Sonnett 

Deconstructing Old Ads: Bass Fisherman Will Say I'm Crazy (1958)

Bass Fishermen will Say I'm Crazy..........

Few ads in the 1950's are as ubiquitous as today's selection from the March 1958 issue of The Fisherman magazine. It appeared again and again in the many outdoor magazines that I was privy to in the 1950's and early 1960's. As this ad has been discussed on Joe's board several times, it has become obvious that a lot of young teenage boys (including myself) were mesmerized by Mr. Eric Fare's polished sales job and assurances that we would be hauling in the big ones from any available water as soon as we learned his “secret method”. We were assured in the ad that “there is no charge for this information.” I guess we skipped over the part about the “money back guarantee.” In any case, I (and apparently a lot of others) sent off for this “free” information only to find out that the cost was $15. (Apparently someone took umbrage at this slight of hand as Eric Fare, aka Eric McNair, got into trouble with the U. S. Post Office and agreed to stop making certain claims in his ad).


I agonized for weeks and finally decided that by using my only method of raising capital (mowing lawns at 50 cents a piece) it would take me a long time to come up with $15. After a while I received a second letter from Eric explaining that some folks had returned his “information and lure” and that these slightly used packages could be had for $7.50. Still too much for my budget.
 
Not too long ago on the Internet, someone found and put up for sale a complete Eric Fare kit in its original mailing tube. Curiosity got the best of me and I bought it. Now, only 53 years later, I was going to find out the "secrets" that had eluded me as a 14 year old. I must admit that the 24 page document was interesting, but it simply described (in almost tedious detail) the old time method of “skittering” for bass with a 15 ft cane pole rigged with 12 inches of line and using the “arrowhead" type spinner that was included in the kit. My immediate thought upon reading all of this was, "how much fun can it be landing a lunker bass in a 15 foot cane pole with 12 inched of line between the end of the pole and the lure?" My friend Clyde Drury in his lifetime work Books of the Black Bass has some interesting comments on Eric Fare and his "secret" method, but the one I like best is, “A good friend of mine once said that this method is as effective as a stick of dynamite, but it is also just as sporting.”

The following photos, courtesy of Jerry Cheek, show the Eric Fare kit in its complete form -- a mimeograph booklet and a pair of skittering spoons.





-- Bill Sonnett

Deconstructing Old Ads: Moonlight Trout Bob (1911)

The Moonlight Trout Bob

From the pages of the July 1911 issue of Sporting Goods Dealer comes this beautiful ad from the Moonlight Bait Company featuring their offerings for 1911.
 

Most noticeable in the ad is the new “Trout Bob.” Almost any lure collecting reference book will mention that this is a fairly scarce bait. In more than thirty years of searching in the field,I have been lucky enough to find one . Reading the ad, it is obvious that the Moonlight Bait Company expected more success from this bait than it eventually achieved. In retrospect, I think it is somewhat easy to guess why it did not have huge sales.

Today we would put it on a spinning rod and possibly catch Smallmouth Bass on it, if they were biting on top. In 1911 there were only three choices on how one would use a bait this small: a cane pole, a baitcasting outfit, or a flyrod. By 1911, the period when folks were using cane poles for surface lures was waining. The lure was too small to be effectively cast on a baitcasting outfit and as the name indicates, Moonlight was trying to sell this thing to trout fishermen, who then as today, preferred the flyrod. The “Trout Bob" is a fairly heavy chunk to be slinging around on the end of a flyrod. I can only imagine the “wake up call” received when the fisherman was smacked in the back of the head with this bait, as any flyrod bait will do on occasion. I have never read an actual account of anyone catching a fish on a Trout Bob, but it does have great appeal for lure collectors today.

-- Bill Sonnett

Deconstructing Old Ads: Live Bait and Red Thread (1920)

Deconstructing Old Ads: Live Bait and Red Thread (1920)

Today's ad from the April 1920 issue of Sporting Goods Dealer reminds me of a couple of aspects of bass fishing that have disappeared in my lifetime. The first is the large number of bass fisherman who for much of the last century depended on live frogs, minnows, crayfish and many other forms of live bait. How often today do you find someone fishing with live frogs for bass? Unless one lives near the right habitat, procuring a supply of live frogs may not be all that easy. I have had several folks, now in their eighties, tell me that they made money as boys catching and selling live frogs to local bait dealers. One gentlemen recently told me that his father maintained a large pit in a wet, grassy swale, where he daily removed and sold the harvest of stranded frogs. Well folks, the Anglers Company from Chicago, Illinois has come to your rescue if live frogs, minnows, crayfish are unavailable. They not only sold live bait, but many varieties of preserved baits that could be called on, at a moment's notice.


What really caught my eye in this advertisement is the pork rind bait pictured with yarn tied around it. Toward the bottom of the advertisement, the statement is made that, “All Pork Rind Baits are properly strung with red yarn.” If you are a reader of articles and books on bass fishing that were written between 1900 and 1960, you will have regularly come across advice to thread some red yarn through a pork chunk or pork frog to make it more effective. Indeed it was not too long ago that such pork rind baits with red yarn were still available from Uncle Josh, though I have not seen them of late. Just the other day someone posted a picture on Joe's Board of a 1905 Heddon #100 with gobs of red hair or cloth tied to each of the hooks. A few years ago when pre-1920 tackle boxes were still turning up regularly, it was not unusual to see underwater minnows with a strip of red felt or yarn attached to each hook. The thinking was that red felt, red yarn or red painted on a plug represented blood trailing in the water, indicating to a bass that the bait represented an easy meal. Lately the same idea has been put forth in using red hooks on lures. (there are very few “new” ideas in fishing tackle, most are recycled).

Recently, in two prominent fishing magazines, I saw the following question asked of two different “Professional Fishermen” ---   “If red monofilament line is advertised as being nearly invisible underwater, why are red fish hooks advertised as being an attractor to bass?”

Nether time was there anything approaching a clear answer given to this question.

-- Bill Sonnett

ADDENDUM

Mike Pollock forwarded me the following pics of the actual pork rind tin with the thread wrapped around the bait. Thanks, Mike, for letting us see this rare piece of pork rind tackle!




 

Deconstructing Old Ads: The "New Pikie Minnow" Intro Ad (1920)

The “New Pikie Minnow” Introduction Ad

One of the great things about advertisements in trade magazines like this one the April 1920 Sporting Goods Dealer is that they are aimed at dealers and not fishermen. So they often provide information on the introduction of new baits or new finishes. This ad contains a small note along the top margin announcing to dealers that this ad is about to appear in “leading Sportsman” Magazines” the implication being that as dealers you'd better stock up for the coming demand. Indeed the ad, in only slightly altered form, did appear in several magazines in the following months. I am fairly sure that no one at the Creek Chub Bait Company had any idea that this bait was about to become one of the best selling plugs of all time!


There are two, somewhat obscure facts tucked away in this ad. First is the testimonial written by A.F. Sydenstricker dated October, 11 1919. I have been unable to find out why old A.F. (the only A.F Sydenstricker I was able to find was Absalom born in 1851) knew about or received these baits prior to their formal introduction. The second often overlooked item is the small mention that the bait was “also furnished White with Blue Head” This leads to a personal experience many years ago when I found in the field an “ intro” Pikie box marked “#701” and it contained the seldom seen first model blue headed Pikie with its typical translucent blue-green head and earliest type Pikie hardware. After some investigation it became obvious that the next two colors added to the Pikie (white head-black body and red head-white body) were numbered 702 and 703. The numbers corresponding to these four colors all appear on the Pikie “intro” box. The numbers were changed no later than 1925 to their more well known color designations.

-- Bill Sonnett

Voices from the Past: William Heddon & William Stolley Bash Bronson (1928)

Bill Sonnett posted these several years back and I loved them, so with his permission (and credit to the Heddon Museum which owns the originals of these letters) here are two letters of great interest to reel collectors.

The first deals with William Heddon's opinion of Bronson made Heddon reels. Bill wrote: "Seeing Bronson-made Heddon reels reminds me of a letter that I came across at the Heddon Musuem which was written July 8th 1928 by William Heddon in Florida. He was writting to William Stolley, the plant manager, concerning Bronson-made Heddon reels that Stolley had send him to try out. Needless to say the portion I will quote here was not for the public's eyes.

"I am sending herewith one of our Meisselbach made reels (this was corrected by William Stolley in a reply that the reels were in fact made by Bronson, not Meisselbach) which was my choice of the 3 sent to me in Florida. You will note that was unable to turn down the crank screw tight enough with the fingers to keep it from backing off, so at Jack's (Jack Welch) suggestion, I cut a slot in same so I could use a screwdriver. Now the reel operates so poorly, especially is so rough in the gears and noisey, I claim no one but a "clodhopper" as you'd say who had never seen another reel would tolerate it. Preferably, take it out and fish with it and if you can't do that try it from the shore with a bait and have your mind on the reel rather than something you are trying out and advise me if you would pick it up dead in the road. Be sure and unscrew the crank and tighten it with your fingers and you will note that if you put any punch in your work it will loosen. If any of these make of reels are what you call worth the price we are asking when compared with Shakespeare or especially Pflueger at the same price , please send me one. Are you aware that positively the best level winding reel at any price is the Pflueger Supreme..."

Bill wrote in a follow up: "In answer to the above posted letter from William Heddon, William Stolley had this to say in his reply."

"The reel you returned and of which you complained was made by McMahon of Bronson Michigan and not by the Meisselbach people as you stated. This past season while up in Canada fishing, I tried out the McMahon reel, the same breed of which you returned, the one in question, and right off the bat, will say that it is one of the poorest reel contraptions I ever fished with. I told Charlie [Heddon] who was in the same canoe with me, that I would not give three whoops in hell for a cartload of them.

I am perfectly satisfied that this McMahon reel has given James Heddon's Sons not only one but two very pretty black eyes. It is a disgrace for our house to send out such truck considering the price we ask for them. May state that of course we have dropped all consideration of future McMahon reels on our program for the coming year, but have now tied up for a 10,000 contract with the Shakespeare Company.

You know "Shake" has always had a pretty good reputation when it comes to quality in mass production reels. I think that the Shakespeare product will give far better satisfaction than the McMahon stuff, but possibly would not prove quite as satisfactory as a reel of simular value produced by the Enterprise Comapny. We tried the Enterprise company but impossible to interest them in any proposition to build and supply us with a jobbing reel, so we had to take Shakespreare."

I find it fascinating that Pfluger refused Heddon on any terms to make them a reel. Perhaps they were in too much direct conflict, but more likely it would have sent the hundreds of wholesalers for whom Pflueger already made reels into a tizzy.

Awesome stuff! Thanks to Bill and the Heddon Museum for sharing.

-- Dr. Todd

Deconstructing Old Ads: The Rush Tango Victory Set (1920)

The Rush Tango Victory Set

From the pages of the April 1920 Sporting Goods Dealer magazine, comes this advertisement for the Rush Tango “Victory Set”. The  "Victory Finish" was named in honor if the United States victory in World War One which ended with an armistice agreement on 11 November of 1918.


What more could a lure collector ask for that to run across a complete boxed set as illustrated? I have always been amazed, given their age and beautiful paint jobs, how inexpensive  Rush Tangos are that are seen for sale at meets. I guess I've been a closet collector of these baits for many years as they always seemed too beautiful to sell for the small amount they bring. I kept setting them aside for 20 years, and the next thing you know, I had a small collection.

I have had occasion to fish a small, slim version of the Rush Tango and was amazed at the frantic, wiggling action that it displayed. It dug into the sand and gravel bottom with an enthusiasm that one seldom finds in the various “wigglers” and “wobblers” of the period. It shook the rod right down into the handle during the retrieve. Its success was also demonstrated in the many copies which other lure companies produced. Anybody out there have a complete “Victory Set”? We would love to see a picture.

-- Bill Sonnett

UPDATE

Ron Mize writes: Here's a picture of a complete set of Deluxe Tangos in the box that I took a number of years ago. I have a LOT of Rush lures but this is not my set. I agree with Bill that Rush lures are an unappreciated and beautiful lures that are underpriced. Sorry for the glare but it was on the photo I had to scan. Ron Mize, the Tangoman, Collector of Rush tackle.




Pretty awesome stuff! Thanks for sharing, Ron!

Deconstructing Old Ads: The Dying Flutter and the Dying Quiver (1958)

The Dying Flutter and the Dying Quiver

Today's ad comes from the April 1958 issue of Fisherman magazine. It introduces the Heddon “Dying Flutter” and “Dying Quiver.” I was aware of the existence of these two baits in 1958 because an adult, who saw my strong interest in fishing at age 14, subscribed to this magazine for me. Also a neighbor had given me his copy of the 1958 Deluxe Heddon Catalog which I devoured on many evenings, dreaming of the day when I would actually be able to afford the many “killing baits” that were offered there. I never actually saw these two baits until many years later. Growing up in rural, northwest Ohio, my only source for plugs at that time was the local hardware store where choices were pretty much limited to River Runts, Flatfish, and Creek Chub Plunkers. When I started to attend lure shows in the mid 1980s it wasn't long before I got my first look at the real items. I had read an account by an author who really sang the praises of the Dying Flutter, but had not run into anyone who had actually used one.


These two baits were fairly common at the National NFLCC Meet about 15 years ago and could be picked up for $5 or less. On the second or third day of that meet, I stopped by my friend Ken Webb's table and as we were talking, I asked him if he had ever used ether of these two baits. Ken leaned forward and in his southern drawl proceeded to tell me that he had gone fishing in the bayous of Louisiana one morning and stopped in a small, backwoods Bait & Tackle store where, on a shelf, he saw one each of these two baits in dust covered boxes. “Bill,”he said, "I bought those two baits and had both of them taken away from me by bass before the end of the day!” That was all I needed to hear. I picked up a dying quiver with the intention of using it at first opportunity. My friend Ken passed away a few years later and the bait went unused and forgotten in the bottom of my tackle box for several years.
 
     I am a evening and night fisherman who likes surface plugs almost exclusively at that hour. About three years ago I was working a great spot at the end of the lake in a foot of water when I repeatedly had strikes from a nice bass who knocked my plug in the air and returned to his lair a few feet away among the lillypads. I waited a few minutes, changed baits, and the whole affair was repeated. In desperation I looked through the tackle box for something “different” --- something he had not seen before. There in the bottom of the box, partially covered by other items was the forgotten, white Dying Quiver. Remembering Ken's enthusiasm, I attached the bait to the line. Three things surprised me: how heavy the bait was and how well it cast; how it floated in a vertical position and reminded one of a bobber as it bobbed up and down: and the last surprise was the vicious attack by the heretofore cautious Bass that resulted in him being landed and released.

Thanks Ken.



-- Bill Sonnett

Deconstructing Old Ads: Bill's Pride (1928)

Bill's Pride

It would be easy to confuse William C. Miles with William Mills as both were from New York and both sold fishing tackle. In fact that appears to have happened in Kimball's Early Fishing Plugs of the USA. As far as I have been able to determine William C. Miles only made and sold one lure, but boy was he proud of it! I personally have never seen this lure in the field but have seen it advertised in several outdoor magazines. Today's advertisement comes from the June 1928 issue of Field & Stream.


Not long ago on Joe's Board, Nick Monteleone posted this picture of a beautiful yellow example he owns. The lure was later advertised as coming in two colors: Yellow and the ubiquitous Red and White. It appears to be well made and sold for $1. Apparently it was not a big seller if one is to judge by the number that are found today.



-- Bill Sonnett

Deconstructing Old Ads: The Dazzler Bass Fly (1918)

The Dazzler Bass Fly

While looking through the pages of the May 1918 issue of Field & Stream I noticed this prominent ad for the “Dazzler Bass fly”. Though I've done some fly rod fishing for bass, old flys have never held my interest the way old wooden baits do. What stopped me in my tracks was the name of the manufacturer, Paul W. Gallaher.


I have always collected pre-1960 bass fishing books and the name Gallaaher immediately rang a bell. It is not a name I run into very often and it is the name of the author of a classic book on bass fishing. If I were to make a list of my ten favorite bass fishing books, ones I've read over and over through the years, Black Bass Lore by Wallace W. Gallaher (1937) would be on the list. He spent a large portion of the book on the subject fishing for bass with the fly rod. More importantly he was a great story teller and had some extremely funny ones to tell.
 

Have you noticed that current books on angling are dominated by trout fishing books? Authors of these trout books are often good story tellers and they concentrate on people, places and their interesting experiences while angling. Most bass fishing books today are strictly “how to” books that are about as interesting as the instructions on how to assemble a new gas grill. There are a few notable exceptions.

When I open my copy of Black Bass Lore, I see the signature of the author Wallace W. Gallaher. Immediately below that is the signature of his son who illustrated the book, Paul W. Gallaher.



-- Bill Sonnett

Deconstructing Old Ads: The Abbey & Imbrie Glowbody

The Abbey & Imbrie "Glowbody" Minnow
 
Today's ad is from the March 1920 issue of National Sportsman. It celebrates the centennial of Abbey & Imbrie as well as introduces their new "Glowbody Minnow". Years ago these glowing, glass-bodied baits were regularly seen at lure shows. I don't see them that much any more. Because the material they contain is radioactive, there was always a question about whether they were safe to have in one's collection.


Rather than make a mistake here, I contacted Jerry Martin (the smartest person I ever met) who is an expert in these matters and who has been working for many years on the definitive article on glowing baits and the possible hazards involved. The Glowbody is not a bait that needs to be exposed to sunlight to be "charged up." It glows all the time as it contains radium. Jerry assured me that with radium the type of radioactive rays emitted cannot pass though glass, but there is real danger should one break the glass or should the radium somehow leak out. The danger lies not so much in the exposure to the small amount of radiation, but rather in the possible ingestion of even minute amounts of it. Many are familiar with the story of the ladies who painted radium watch dials and pointed their brushes with their lips and tongues. Ingested radium eventually ends up in ones bones where very bad things happen, including a very painful death.

As far as the danger subsiding with time, Jerry tells me the half-life on this material is just over 1600 years. If you have one of these baits, be very very careful.

-- Bill Sonnett

Deconstructing Old Ads: G.M. Skinner (1905)

In March, 1905 The National Sportsman ran the following ad for the "Skinner's New Casting Spoon."


Already this spinner was over three decades old, but the company (which by now was being exclusively distributed by H.A. Whittemore of Boston) continued to use very old catalog cuts to advertise the spinner. This ad uses the image first developed after the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, when Skinner won a First Prize for its display and lures. This same catalog cut, and advertising copy, was used until the 1920s.


It is interesting to watch these sell on eBay. Sellers who tout this is a an "1893" spinner usually get more money per item, despite having no ability to tell if it was a ca. 1920 spinner or a ca. 1893 item. Regardless, they are sufficiently abundant, even on the card and in the envelope, so that any metal collector should be able to find one without much trouble.

Since G.M. Skinner sold over 100,000,000 spoon hooks in the over 100 years it was manufactured, it has to go down as one of the greatest lures ever made.

Rumor has it that Steve Hay's long-awaited history of Skinner will be available in the near future.

-- Bill Sonnett

Deconstructing Old Ads: The Recreation-Outdoor Library

The Recreation-Outdoor Library
 
Today's Advertisement comes from the April 1934 pages of Outdoor Life. The Recreation-Outdoor Library has a somewhat storied background. Outer's-Book magazine was combined with Recreation magazine to become Outer's-Recreation. This was then renamed Outdoor Recreation. In the late 1920's this was then combined with Outdoor Life to become Outdoor Life Combined with Outdoor Recreation. The cumbersome name was quickly changed back to Outdoor Life. In the process Outdoor Life acquired the rights to the Outer's Book Company's, “Recreation Library.” They quickly added a few additional volumes and sold the individual books (which averaged about 90 pages each) for 25 cents each or six for 1 dollar. The earlier volumes by Sheridan R. Jones show up quite often at lure meets and generally can be purchased today for around $5.


Sometime ago I came across the only complete set of all eight volumes I've seen. Better yet, they were in mint condition in their original shipping box. Weighing better than one pound, the box was shipped from Denver, Colorado to Montclair, New Jersey for 12 cents postage! The authors of these volumes were all highly respected authors in their individual fields. Charles Askins, Horace Kephart, Cal Johnson, Sheridan R. Jones and Major Townsend Whelen are all legendary names in outdoor writing.



-- Bill Sonnett

Deconstructing Old Ads: The First Jamison Coaxer Ad?

First Jamison Coaxer ad?
 
It is always exciting to me to see what I believe is the earliest ad for a well know tackle maker. In checking with the most experienced  Jamison collector I know (Joe Nelson), I believe this might qualify. The first picture and write up shown here appeared in the March 1905 National Sportsman. The last ad appeared in the June issue and several subsequent issues. Now just about the time that you think you have something like this nailed down, some one will show up with an earlier ad. Bring it on, we would love to see it!




-- Bill Sonnett

Deconstructing Old Ads with Bill Sonnett: The Henzel Booster Bait (1912)

The Henzel Booster Bait

Today's ad comes from the Spring 1912 Sears, Roebuck & Co. Catalog courtesy of Gary Miller.



The Booster Bait, which was patented in 1907, is seldom seen today as to was made from cloth and filled with food stuff of your choice. This was suppose to entice fish through taste and smell, but food would also promote decay of this somewhat fragile affair. At 12 cents it must have been among the least expensive lures even in those distant times. Who better to tell us about the Booster than that ultimate promoter, Dixie Carroll in his book Fishing Tackle and Kits?


-- Bill Sonnett

Deconstructing Old Ads: The Bronson "Reel-O-Mine"

The Bronson “Reel-O-Mine”

Today's ad comes from the April 1934 issue of Outdoor Life. I must admit that the first casting reel I ever picked up and tried was my Dad's “Bronson Lashless.” He was at work and I proved on that first cast that the reel did not live up to its name. After reeling in the line over an impossible backlash, I spent the day waiting for my dad's return and preparing to “Face the Music” over my unauthorized adventure.




Bronson is known among reel collectors as a company who made a lot cheap and mid-grade reels along with many “reels for the trade” for such stores as Sears Roebuck, Montgomery Ward, Western Auto etc. I was somewhat surprised to see that they had produced this high quality reel that cost $25. I was even more surprised to see that they picked 1934 to do it. This time period was in the depths of the Great Depression and few folks could even dream of spending $25 on a casting reel. My curiosity led me to question long-time Bronson Reel collector Dave O'Rourke as to the scarcity of this reel. As I suspected he told me that he had only seen this reel advertised in 1934 and that it was extremely scarce. He prizes his two examples very much and asked me to mention how grateful he was to fellow collector Arne Soland for providing him with the best example in his collection.



-- Bill Sonnett

The History of the F.C. Woods "Expert" Minnow in Ads

The History of the F.C. Woods "Expert" Minnow in Ads

Ads can often be misleading, especially when older pictures are used from years prior. The most famous example of this is the use of illustrations from the 1920s in Heddon catalogs from the 1950s. However this is not the case with the advertisements used by F.C. Woods during the few years that they produced baits. These baits though carrying the name F.C. Woods & Co were the product of Charles Shaffer. In an earlier column we showed this 1901 ad from Field & Stream for the Holzwarth Expert. This was Mr Shaffer's first commercial effort and was marketed by the Holzwarth Hardware of Alliance, Ohio.


Toward the end of 1901, Mr Shaffer (a silent partner) turned the manufacture and sales of the "Expert" over to F.C. Woods, owner of the Woods Engineering Co., located also in Alliance. In 1902 Mr. Holzwarth still sold a bait under his own name but had to call it the "Holzwarth Minnow." The name "Expert" was now reserved for the F.C. Woods & Co product. F.C. Woods made not only the Woods "Expert" but also the Holzwarth Minnow, the only difference being that one was now stamped "Holzwarth" on the side and the other stamped "Expert." F.C. Woods & Co introduced the new Wood's Expert to the trade in the following ad from the January 1902 issue of the Sporting Goods Dealer. Take note that there are no holes in the Spinners and the hooks are not removable.


Mr. Shaffer applied for a patent in November of 1902 which included the idea of perforated spinners. As the following ad from the June 1903 issue of Field & Stream shows that the patent was granted. The ad prominently features the claims for perforated spinners and removable hooks.


The 1904 ad shown next is from the May 1904 issue of National Sportsman. It shows few changes if any to the Expert. It was, by all accounts, the best selling minnow in the United States at this point; however things were starting to stir in Dowagiac, Michigan in the form of the Heddon #100


After a long search by many people a 1905 ad for the Woods Expert was finally located by our good friend Joe Stagnetti. This ad appeared in the May 1905 issue of Field & Stream and shows the Expert as having a larger spinner in front and a smaller spinner on the rear. It also claims that they have been making them for "Ten Years." Hmmmm….thought they just claimed it was new in 1902? Well, Mr. Shaffer had been fooling around with the bait for some time for his own personal use.


The February 1906 Sporting Goods Dealer carried the following ad for the Woods Expert which now sported new spinners that, with the exception of the holes, look very much like those on that pesky competitor out in Dowagiac. It is obvious that they were feeling the competition and the ad contained the warning "Look out for imitations." After seeing the "new spinners" it appears that F.C. Woods & Co was doing a little imitating themselves.


The last ads to appear for the Wood's Expert appeared in 1907. As shown in this May 1907 ad from National Sportsman, the big change for the 1907 season was the new "Double Hook." Heddon was now dominating the underwater minnow business with superior paint jobs and hardware that did not allow the hook to scratch the paint. This appears to be an attempt to stay competitive, but changes were coming very fast from other lure companies, My guess is that Charles Shaffer (who worked for the Post Office) and F.C. Woods (who ran a large and very successful machine company) simply decided to sell the rights to the Expert (in this case to the C.A. Clark Manufacturing Co) and move on.



-- Bill Sonnett