I'm No Purist When It Comes to Old Fishing Lures

As baits go out of production, a lot of folks will salt them away and wait for their market value to increase. That's all fine and dandy for those interested in owning a bunch of antiques, but I'm with that other crowd--albeit a likely minority--that prefers getting some use out of things, even old things, as long as they make it worth your while. And as long as a bunch of old lures still catch fish, I see them as definitely worthwhile.

If that philosophy makes some people get all snooty with me, that's OK. At my age, I'm really not too concerned about those who go around with their noses so far in the air it's a miracle they don't drown when it begins to rain. In the meantime, I'll just keep on fishing my Jitterbugs, Dalton Specials, and TD Mouthwashers. I even plan to add my collection of Bass-Orenos to this list. Watched my dad catch a whole bunch of quality bass with the latter over the years, while fishing the clear water of Kansas strip-mining pits. My feeling is, "If they worked for him, they oughtta work for me, too."

What say we take a look at a couple of these lures of yesteryear, starting with the discontinued Team Daiwa Mouthwasher (left), which was made in Japan. One of the most exciting new offerings to be introduced circa 2005, this topwater popper displayed incredible detail.

Measuring 3 inches in length and weighing 15/32 ounce, the lure came in eight colors and generally retailed for about $16.95. Daiwa spiced up the bait by adding a prop inside the mouth (see below, right), water-thru gills, and a feather-dressed rear hook. It didn't end there, either. The TD Mouthwasher also had a larger lower-jaw design and a curved tail, both of which added to its overall appearance, as well as its performance.

In case you're wondering if it catches fish, the answer is an unequivocal "yes." It tricked all four of the keepers I put in the boat last Saturday. Further, anyone who knows my fishing habits knows that I often tag-team the TD Mouthwasher with another big Japanese topwater bait throughout the whole year.

Makes my hands cramp some kind of bad if I use one or both all day long, but if that's what the fish want, that's what they get. As in the old Camel 66 Express trucking logo, I'm "humpin' to please."

As for the Bass-Oreno (left), it's one of many great lures produced by South Bend over the decades. Nip-I-Diddee is another. The red/white Bass-Oreno has been and still is a favorite among anglers. Regardless of color, this lure can be fished on the surface, just below, or, by increasing the speed of your retrieve, driven about 2 or 3 feet deep.

Be advised, though, that bass aren't the only specie that targets this bait. Toothy-critters like pike also will pounce on the Bass-Oreno...same goes for the Nip-I-Diddee. I read about a a fella back in the 1950s who was fishing the latter for smallmouths when a 25-pound pike happened to snatch his lure. After a spirited fight with the giant, clean through the bottom of his net, no less, the fish eventually was landed and ended up as a wall mount in his den.

Don't get me wrong. I don't discount the value of these lures. Quite the contrary, as a matter of fact. I can't tell you the last time I left one of them hanging in the brush or bottom, where someone else could come along and find it. For starters, I'm always using 40-pound braid. And, too, I always carry an extendable lure retriever in the boat...just in case all else fails. I won't say never, but I will say never without one heckuva battle.