Old Baits?

BuckNutz · March 06, 2013, 09:54:37 PM

Ok guys. I'm 40 years old and can't ever remember NOT bass fishing. To say its been a lifestyle is an understatement. Me and an old buddy were talkin the other day about new trends in tackle and how far the fishing industry has come. He then asked me a question I that got me to thinking. He asked "why don't we use the same baits we use to?". Now in a lot of ways, the baits most of us use now are just newer versions of the ones we used then. For instance, now we have "swim baits" then we had big Sassy Shads. When I was younger I had one rod & reel set up for everything. If I wanted to fish a different bait I would cut the line and tie another on. I know, sounds crazy, right? What I want to know is do you have an old bait that just the thought of it brings back old memories? Mine was a Manns Grape Jelly worm. Ninety percent of the time that is what I had tied on. I caught a lot of fish on that worm and I don't even own one now.

twocold · March 07, 2013, 05:54:47 AM

Old Hula popper still have a few but haven't used one in a long time. Maybe it's time again!

West6550 · March 07, 2013, 06:12:03 AM

Sorry only been bass fishing a few years now. But it's funny you mention Mann's Jelly Worms because I just ordered a pack yesterday lol can't wait to try them out.

BHenke · March 07, 2013, 07:10:31 AM

Mine would be an Original Rapala Floating Minnow in the silver color. I remember catching tons of fish growing up with that lure.

Pacific NW Ron · March 07, 2013, 12:53:06 PM

What ever happened to using a real live worm? I must be really old, but that's the bait I remember starting out with. I remember a willow stick, store string, a hook and worm. Believe it or not, we did catch fish.

bass78 · March 07, 2013, 01:07:32 PM

Strike Kings (Bill dance series) Dancing Shad crankbaits ! These were some of the best wood crankbaits out there. If they were still available I would buy them now.

HDcustombaits · March 07, 2013, 10:58:27 PM

Larry Nixon series Bomber Model A crankbait. You can still find them on eBay every now and again. My advice to anyone trying to find discontinued baits is to check out ebay.

EdgemanP1 · March 10, 2013, 03:42:04 PM

I have a couple. A Snagless Sally spinner bait. To go even farther back in time, a Mepps in line french spinner. That's what they called them back in the day. The biggest size (#3... I think) would catch bass in the toughest conditions.

BuckNutz · March 10, 2013, 07:37:41 PM

Quote from: EdgemanP1 on March 10, 2013, 03:42:04 PM
I have a couple. A Snagless Sally spinner bait. To go even farther back in time, a Mepps in line french spinner. That's what they called them back in the day. The biggest size (#3... I think) would catch bass in the toughest conditions.

I remember catching them on the Meps Minnow, and the old standby Johnson's Beatelspin.

Facepunch · March 11, 2013, 12:16:27 AM

#1 bait ever is the red and white daredevil spoon.

Does anyone remember the MR. Lucky? I have caught a ton of bass and big bluegill on it and other inline spinners. I think that a lot of people count out Little George also, but when the bass are eating shad and you need to be able to get a long cast in, you can't beat it. My grandpa's favorite bass set up to this day is a Meps weedless spoon with a line tied from the hook about 12" long and a weedless floating worm on it kind of Carolina rig style. You would be amazed at how many times the fish will hit the spoon.

EdgemanP1 · March 12, 2013, 10:45:37 AM

@BuckNutz, my first 3 bass caught on a lure bit a Johnson's Beetle spin. That hooked me for life.

copnjax · March 12, 2013, 11:12:04 AM

Fred Arbogast's HAWAIIAN WIGGLER in-line spinnerbait using Garcia Royal Bonnyl line...what a bass catcher that was in the early 70's!!

tholmes · April 01, 2013, 12:04:59 PM

Quote from: EdgemanP1 on March 10, 2013, 03:42:04 PM
I have a couple. A Snagless Sally spinner bait. To go even farther back in time, a Mepps in line french spinner. That's what they called them back in the day. The biggest size (#3... I think) would catch bass in the toughest conditions.

The Snagless Sally was a killer! I've caught a lot of bass (and hammer-handle northerns) on those.

A couple of others I remember are the Heddon Punkinseed:

Heddon Bayou Boogie:

I bet these old-timers would still catch 'em today!

Tom

Mike Cork · April 01, 2013, 12:58:44 PM

Both the Bayou Boogie and the Pumpkinseed are valuable if you have the box

bassindude · April 01, 2013, 09:02:11 PM

The old and new Spence Scout has incredible action. Jim

Johnny Madd · April 02, 2013, 10:03:20 AM

mine would have to be the old woodchopper. The ones made out of real wood. I tried some of the news ones, but they just not the same. the last one i had ended up in a big cypress tree far off the bank my brother was fishing lol

like this:

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LgMouthGambler · April 02, 2013, 10:36:52 AM

Flying Lure! LOL

hook765 · April 02, 2013, 10:46:59 AM

I remember the flying lure was my first true bait that got me thinking about bass fishing.till then never thought just about bass fishing as a sport.still have some but yet to apply to my newly found skills

light wire · April 02, 2013, 11:49:44 AM

The yellow and baby bass heddon sonic the small one . A cold water fish catching
machine.

BuckNutz · April 02, 2013, 06:55:23 PM

I went to my father in laws house for Easter. He does not fish and hasn't for many years. While in his shop I noticed an old tackle box buried under a mountain of junk. I asked if I could dig threw it. He said sure and if you see anything you can use feel free to take it. These are what I found. Devils horses that had never seen water and some original " Red River" Rattletraps also unused. Also found this great looking top water plug called a Blabber Mouth. Never heard of it but it sure looks good! I will probably never through these but man I want to. Lol I will try to post pics when I get to a computer.

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Johnny Madd · April 11, 2013, 03:53:59 PM

@BuckNutz:

that striped devil horse in them pics was my Dad's ole go-to bait!!! Boy durin the summer he used to destroy some fish with that!! he always had one tied on - that and a tequila sunrise worm

Warhawk · April 12, 2013, 09:27:21 PM

I still have a bunch of old baits in an even older tackle box.

Snagless Sallies were THE bait in a private lake I used to fish in Kansas, it was full of "Warmouth bass" (largemouth green sunfish, and held some very nice largemouths. It was also full of weeds and trees, and the snagless sally was the THE bait to catch 'em all.

But my all time favorite would have to be the jig-n-pig, a 1/2 to 3/4 ounce jig tipped with some Uncle Josh's pork rind. I always threw jig-n-pig when my buddies were throwing plastic worms, and held my own just fine.

How about some old favorite topwater baits ... the jitterbug, the hula popper, and my personal favorite, the torpedo.

I'll bet they would all catch fish today.

SenkoSam · April 13, 2013, 01:26:47 PM

My first plastic worm and favorite was a 6" Mr. Twister purple with firetail curly tail. Was blown away that bass would go after something so unreal looking! Still have a bunch but haven't used them in years.

Same thing for the ol #4 pork frog. Wouldn't even think of owning them now with all the great soft plastic trailers on the market and those I hand pour. I remember the first time I cast it out, left it in the water, forgot about it and started moving the boat. At first I thought pole was going overboard because of a snag, but a 2# bass had grabbed it and the line was going sideways. That day I caught a limit on that jig combo and many fish thereafter. What a memory!

Don't use the Spook much but still remember the wake of many a large pickerel that smashed it in 2'. Caught many more that first day of perfecting my walk. What a thrill to see such aggressiveness! Have a bunch but now only banana shaped surface plugs.

Mr Twister 4" yellow grub on a 1/8 oz was a lure I never thought would catch a smallmouth. Man was I wrong! A tip led me to try it and overcome my ultra-skepticism.

bigjim5589 · April 13, 2013, 02:48:41 PM

I've still got some old lures I bought many years ago. I have 2 Mepps Aglia spinners that are about 40 years old, and a couple of Hula Poppers that I know are at least 36 years old. I've got some Jitterbugs too that are about 40 years old. I still throw them sometimes. The dressing & the hooks on the Mepps hooks has been re-tied & replaced, and I've replaced hooks on the others. They're probably not valuable as a collectors items, as the hooks are not like original, but they still catch fish, so have some value to me.

I have a banged up Hawaiian Wiggler, but don't use it, as I'm afraid of losing it. It no longer has the wire weed guard.

I have several old Johnson's Silver Minnow spoons, as well as newer ones and use them quite a bit.

I have a Creek Chub Plunker & and a Pikie Minnow I bought many years ago too, plus a few other lures. I've been married for almost 34 years, and all of these lures were purchased at least a few years before I got married.

I have original Snagproof frogs & crayfish too, more lures I bought before I got married. Have not used them in a long, long time however.

I also have an Arbogast Spudderbug, but don't know how old it is. It was bought some time after I got married so is not as old as the other lures. It's another lure that I've replaced hooks on at least once. Still catches fish too!

I probably have other old lures but can't recall which ones, and are lures I don't use any longer.

allen howard · May 09, 2013, 01:16:27 PM

I have alot of the the old Heddon baits including two plastic nightcrawlers with brass rings on them that say Heddon. Have never seen any other like them.