Outdoor-Fishing

04-01-2012

Here ya go dugger. this is the old bait I found in that dirty bag of old boxes/lures at the antique furniture store.

The history: Moonlight began about 1913 in Paw Paw, MI with a line line of very simple wooden lures- but each had a unique design and a different action. Some of their early plugs were the Floating Bait, Trout Bob, Fish Spear, the 99% Weedless (I guess they had to hedge here a little?) and "The Bug". They were painted very simply in one color, or two tone. But they were "different" and caught fish and met with success with fishermen anxious to use their new, inexpensive multiplying reels that actually allowed them to "cast" wooden lures!

In the early twenties, after a series of smart acquisitions and mergers, they evolved into the Paw Paw Bait company--- one of the "Big Five" of vintage tackle companies!

Ah- what the BUG in the picture's story is? Look at the box lid. It says "The Bait for the True Sportsman". My thinking is that since the Bug had only a single treble (at a time when most wooden lures had 3-5 trebles), that this made it easier to return unwanted fish! Could be a very early suggestion for "Catch and Release"?

Hiope you enjoyed. Best---- JoeW

bass or bass? · 04-01-2012

Thanks for the story JoeW.

mo65 · 04-01-2012

Boy howdy...that one has some age on it! Cool lure Joe.

dugger · 04-02-2012

See that's why i ask to see it good story bet DB could widdle one! Thanks Joe

04-02-2012

LOL, both of you!

Mo--- it's really interesting- the BOX is worth more than the lure! Seems like wood holds up better than cardboard! And those real early lures just didn't have the finish that later ones did- no sealer, fewer coats of paint, and no clear coat. Tough to find those pre-1920's with ANY paint on them! I tell ya- old lures can pop up anywhere, so be watching!

And dugger--- db and toad, and the others here, do a MUCH better job carving and painting! This one wouldn't even be a challange! They were made to be produced quickly-- on a lathe, with as little "hand work" as possible. Moonlight's "Fish Spear" was just a block of wood with pointed ends! I should do a pic post showing what later Moonlight Baits looked like after they got their act together. They ARE works of art!

Glad you enjoyed! Best----- JoeW

04-01-2012	#2
bass or bass? Moderator Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Phoenix Arizona Posts: 3,007 Thanks: 678 Thanked 346 Times in 283 Posts Trader Rating: 4 reviews	Thanks for the story JoeW. __________________ ~Outdoor-Fishing Moderator~N.A.F.C.~B.A.S.S.~BoatU.S.~N.R.A.~A.M.A. ~

04-01-2012	#3
mo65 I FEAR NO FISH Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Chillicothe, Ohio Posts: 1,855 Thanks: 148 Thanked 438 Times in 307 Posts Trader Rating: 0 reviews	Boy howdy...that one has some age on it! Cool lure Joe. __________________ *OUTDOOR-FISHING MODERATOR* The Final Boss of Braid PROUD WALMART SHOPPER Hanging Out with "Tools" Ashes to ashes...dust to dust...if it wasn't for my super smooth carbon drag...my 30 year old Trilene would bust! *mo, mo, mo your boat...*

04-02-2012	#4
dugger Bronze Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: santfe newmexico Posts: 1,425 Thanks: 104 Thanked 101 Times in 86 Posts Trader Rating: 0 reviews	See that's why i ask to see it good story bet DB could widdle one! Thanks Joe __________________ Most of my lures catch more fishermen than fish !!! Fishing is God's way of saying he loves us! Wishing I was Fishing

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04-02-2012	#5
JoeW Guest Posts: n/a	LOL, both of you! Mo--- it's really interesting- the BOX is worth more than the lure! Seems like wood holds up better than cardboard! And those real early lures just didn't have the finish that later ones did- no sealer, fewer coats of paint, and no clear coat. Tough to find those pre-1920's with ANY paint on them! I tell ya- old lures can pop up anywhere, so be watching! And dugger--- db and toad, and the others here, do a MUCH better job carving and painting! This one wouldn't even be a challange! They were made to be produced quickly-- on a lathe, with as little "hand work" as possible. Moonlight's "Fish Spear" was just a block of wood with pointed ends! I should do a pic post showing what later Moonlight Baits looked like after they got their act together. They ARE works of art! Glad you enjoyed! Best----- JoeW