Oldie But Goodie? Let's Just Say "Unique"

That's one way to describe the circa-1973 Bass Charger, made by Katchmore Bait Co. Ads from that era billed the surface lure as "a fisherman's dream," or "one of the greatest topwater bass lures ever made."

What made this 3/8-ounce plastic-bodied lure different started with a twin set of free-floating hooks that were attached to the body with a set of metal pins. Each one was independent, but they closely resembled the popular twin-hook configuration on most soft-bodied frogs you find on the market today.

Another unique feature of this lure was that you took an Uncle Josh bass strip, threaded it through the plastic "spoiler" on the back of the lure, and then ran the end of it to the lure's head. A small removable screw then was placed through the pre-punched cut in the rind strip and tightened down to hold the strip in place. This setup left the tail of the strip dangling perfectly between the double hooks, similar to stranded skirts on frogs today.

"Think of it as a cross between a soft-plastic frog and a Johnson Silver Minnow," some would say.

The Bass Charger came in six colors, and you could add the colored pork strip of your choice to mix or match. The bait was designed to fish weedy, mossy, brush-clogged bass holes without constantly fouling the lure. They sold for $1.75 each, or you could buy five and get one free.

Obviously, the Bass Charger made a bigger splash in the water than it ever did in the marketplace. To the lure's credit, though, it was an interesting concept, even though it never lived up to the likes of the Arbogast Jitterbug and Hula Popper. Both of those surface lures have histories dating back more than 60 years and still are available on tackle-store shelves.