Using antique lures is worth the challenge

A day of casting modern bass lures had failed to produce even a swirl. I decided to tie on an old wooden lure. Curiosity to watch the Dingbat’s action that was manufactured in 1937 – or 16 years before I was born – overrode common sense.
The bulky Dingbat soon sailed through the air and made quite a splash when it hit. I marveled at the vibration of grandpa’s old lure with action similar to modern versions. I made all efforts to cast the lure away from brush or anything that would snag and claim the antique for eternity. My next cast splashed closer to shore but still out of harm’s way. Several turns of the reel handle brought on a strike that doubled my bass rod.
I guessed from each deep run that a big bass had inhaled the old lure. The old girl was intent on sounding deep in an effort to brush the stinging varmint from her lip. I felt more concern about losing the antique lure than landing this fine bass. Fortunately my reel’s drag helped her feel enough exhaustion to give up for a quick picture and release. I clipped off the lure and placed it safely in my tackle box.
The big bass responding to my Dingbat was no surprise. Many of the old lures have qualities not found in most of today’s tackle. Any half decent lure will work on any given day. Conditions warrant when a certain type of bass lure is best.
Experts and lure designers claim that the old wooden lures produce more of a natural sound. Many look for this natural vibration in the spring when bass are moving a little slower and more attracted to a tighter vibration with little sound.
Color patterns on the older lures like the Creek Chub Darter and Dingbats are another factor that modern day lure designers have paid attention to. Bass in smaller impoundments seem to like duller colors over the modern, brighter versions. Pond and small lake fishermen have learned this lesson in small bass tournaments when modern day fishermen ended the day scratching their heads with an empty stringer.
I have written several stories over the past 27 years about anglers who only use tackle built before 1940. Jack Looney, of Independence, is a world-class antique lure collector who started wondering how his lures would look in the water.
“I started wondering about my old lure’s fish catching abilities,” Looney said. “I tried several lures from my collection that were flawed, making each piece less valuable. Fishing with those old lures showed me two things: some rare lures that collectors look for had lousy action and that the popular old lures still catch bass.”
Soon his lure collecting companions started repairing and fishing with their damaged antiques lures that would never be worth much. Today they have annual tournaments with tackle made before 1940 and likely most of the lures, reels and rods from the early 1930s.
The annual contest limits contestants to using only nylon braided line made from colored nylon, but monofilament leaders are allowed. Plastic baits are not allowed. Visit your sporting goods dealer and scan each row of lures. You will find that 99 percent are plastic. There are a few wooden lures on the modern market if you look hard enough.
PROBLEM IS: Investing in old wooden lures for fishing can be a challenge. A lure in excellent condition will command a hefty price tag. Anglers in their right mind would not want to fish with an expensive lure. Old lures are considered to be folk art by many. Some lures are even considered investment pieces.
Lures in poor condition are the best for fishing, after a little tender loving care. Special efforts must be made to protect the old wood. Each lure must be refinished, a simple process. Start by removing the hardware and polishing each piece with steel wool. Then fill in chipped areas with wood putty and touch-up paint. Next spray the wood with clear acrylic to protect the old paint. The paint will chip or peel off quickly without this additive.
After several dunkings, lures should receive a new coat of acrylic. Collectors claim that you can use these lures for many years by paying attention to these vintage finishes.
Beware of the vendor who tries to rip you off by selling vintage wooden lures. You can find many under $10, especially the lures in poor condition that you might want to repair. I might add here that lures lose most of their value with modern-day repairs, so make sure they are not in good enough shape to be considered collectable before making repairs or changes.
You can check antique lure prices by investing in a current copy of Carl F.  Luckey’s “Old Fishing Lures and Tackle” at most book stores or simply go on line to find a complete listing of antique tackle guides.
VINTAGE RODS AND REELS: I gained new respect for my great grandfather after casting a J. A. Cox antique reel made in the early 1930s with black nylon fishing line.
I probably should say that my new respect centered on clearing severe backlashes when the reel stops and the line continues moving. Handles on the old reels turned backwards too. Backlashes are almost automatic by failing to thumb the line or releasing the handle during a cast. Setting the hook and releasing the handle is another good way to create nests of tangled line. You either learn quickly or spend your fishing day clearing tangled line and spouting out phrases that once would have gotten your mouth washed out with soap.
Modern day reels have gear systems and braking systems. Old reels are just that, reels without drag systems, brakes or other guts that make fishing easier. You supply all of that with coordination, clear thinking and effort, or everything that I failed to produce during many casts. Your thumb applied to the line is your drag system.
Old reels are easy to find. Many are stored in old barns or attics and almost any good antique store has a couple under glass. The first step before using a vintage reel that has been stored for 50 years is removing old grease. Early lubricants tend to harden with time. The gears must be soaked until crusty grease breaks loose. Check your local sporting goods or hardware store for the best solutions to use.
Gently turn your reel handles after applying a good lubricant to loosen the stiff gears. This may take some time to loosen a lifetime of stiffening. Be patient and continue working the gears until your reel handles easily turn. Add line and you are ready to fish.
The first rods were generally made of steel. A large fish will occasionally place a bend in the rod’s top end, sometimes permanent. You may have to tighten or even replace rod guides. I suggest replacing to old steel versions with modern graphite coated guides to prevent constant line wear.   
THE FIRST BASS TOURNAMENT: Modern day antique fishermen were not the first to compete with this type of equipment. The first bass tournament began with a challenge in 1910 published in Field & Stream and The National Sportsman. W. J. Jamison, maker of the Coaxer claimed:
“The Coaxer surface bait is superior to any other artificial bait on the market. We issue a challenge to put our bait against any other bass bait in the world.”
The Coaxer, designed in 1905, resembles a large popping bug that hoped across lily pads like an escaping frog. This productive lure was certainly one of the pioneers of modern-day topwater bass lures.
The challenge found only one taker, Mr. Ans B. Decker, the New Jersey manufacturer of the Decker Bait, a floating, torpedo-shaped lure with a rotary head. The blades gurgled like small buzz bait.
The first contest was held on June 16-18 on Congress Lake, a small Ohio lake. Bill Macy of Field & Stream and two other judges finally proclaimed Jamison the winner with 28 bass over Decker’s 16. This first contest resulted in thousands of dollars in advertisements. The contest was well publicized in several periodicals including Field & Stream.
Decker did not like to lose and requested another contest by offering $1,000 against $500 that Jamison refused. His desire for a rematch may have been fueled by Jamison’s advertisements that read, “The Coaxer won the contest with ridiculous ease,” and “The Coaxer took the lead in the first hour.”
Modern day bass fishermen know that both types of lure would have been more effective in the right conditions. Both still catch bass today, although most surviving Coaxers are generally not in good enough shape to fish because of its composition. The Decker is a better constructed lure.
Antique tackle is fun to fish with, especially when you are with someone who can explain how not to backlash the delicate reels. Try invading grandpa’s tackle box for a new fishing challenge.