Many decades ago, the Shakespeare Company of Kalamazoo, Mich. made a dandy bass/pike lure called a Swimming Mouse (see photo above). This lure is made of wood, painted in many hues, and sports a tail made from some sort of fiber. Designed to run about 2 to 3 feet deep on a normal retrieve, this lure drove fish wild with its seductive wobble. And when pulled in front of lily pads in Indian Lake (in western Ohio), it was a real bass-killer.
Today, prime specimens of this vintage bait sell for $35 to $40 each...and sometimes higher...online. So, the question becomes, "Why would anyone in his/her right mind want to fish one of these 'treasures'?"
Well, one answer to that question came from retired history teacher, historical re-enactor, and avid outdoorsman John Bennett, who admitted that, despite the fact he might be committing heresy by saying so, he still fishes some of these great lures, because they still catch lots of fish.
Said Bennett, "Now, I do keep my best models high and dry, but the old beat-up ones hit the water on a regular basis...and still pull in the fish to this day," he added.
He went on to explain that South Bend produced many great lures over the decades, and two of his favorites were and still are the Bass-Oreno and the Nip-I-Diddee.
"The Oreno I pick is red/white, which can be used on the surface or driven about 2 to 3 feet deep by increasing the speed of your retrieve," said Bennett. "Once, up in Ontario, I saw the swirl of a northern chasing suckers in a small bay where we docked our boats. Two casts on the surface produced zilch. The next cast, though, the Oreno was driven under the water and elicited a healthy strike from a 9-pound pike. I definitely would like to know how many fish anglers have caught on this old reliable lure."
I can't speak for anyone other than myself, but I'm here to tell you that I watched my dear ol' Pop pull many a nice largemouth from the strip-mining pits in southeastern Kansas on this bait. As a result of his success with the Oreno, I still carry some in my box, too.
Back in the 1950s, Bennett's late uncle was casting a Nip for smallmouths in Lake of the Woods when a 25-pound pike engulfed his lure. After a spirited fight, with the behemoth going through the bottom of the net, the fish finally was landed and eventually ended up on the wall in his den.
"The Nip works just as swell today as it did then," said Bennett. "Early in the morning and late at night is when fish are going to bite. Cast the Nip--or a similar vintage Neal Spinner--into shallow water and retrieve with a steady cadence. If any bass are near, something is going to happen. Pause it for just a split second until you feel the weight, and then set the hook hard."
According to Bennett, he's not a wealthy man and doesn't like to lose expensive lures. He uses premium line, usually FireLine, and a quality rod and reel to fish these old standbys as carefully as he can.
"I'm very careful, but I'm not going to miss the fun of catching fish on these heroic lures from days gone by just because one might get away from me," he said. "Having a challenge is half the fun.
"Hang these on a display board at home, or cast them to the fish. Either way, appreciate these 'old-timers'," Bennett concluded.
No comments:
Post a Comment