Bite Em Bait (Warsaw And Fort Wayne Indiana Lures)

The Bite-Em Bate Company (also known as the Bite-Em Bait Company) made wooden fishing lures starting in 1917. "Bate" and "Bait" were both used in the name and both versions can be found on Bite-Em boxes.  The company began operations in Warsaw, Indiana then later moved operations to Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The Bite-Em Bate Company made the following old fishing lures: 

Bite Em Bug Bait

Bite Em Lipped Wiggler

Bite Em Pork Bait

Bite Em Under Water Minnow

Bite Em Water Mole

Bite Em Revolving Bait

Please contact me if you have any unusual Bite Em Lures (indianatravis@gmail.com).   Also, visit http://www.indianafishinglures.com for more information on antique Indiana fishing lures.

Greider's Retreating Minnow

Thanks to The Great Jack Leslie for letting me add this cool bait to my Old Indiana Fishing Lure collection!   The Greider Retreating Minnow was made in Cromwell, IN circa 1930s.

What makes this lure so unusual is that the hook tie is on the opposite end of the mouth and eyes, so when it is reeled in, it appears to swim backwards!  This is one of the rarest Indiana lures ever made.

I am still looking for a box for this lure so please contact me if you have a Greider Retreating Minnow box (indianatravis@gmail.com).   Also, visit http://www.indianafishinglures.com for more information on antique Indiana fishing lures.

Ed Lasek's Tackle Box Baits (Columbus, Indiana)

The Honey Bee Lure Was made by Ed Lasek’s Tackle Box Baits.  The company was located at 1319 Locust Drive, Columbus, IN and manufactured these lures sometime around the 1950's.

This lure is often misidentified as a Creek Chub Prototype lure.   However, this and others were found in the original Ed Lasek package so we know it is not a Creek Chub lure.

The lure is made of plastic and has soft, leather legs.  I have found three different colors of this lure so far.

If you have additional information on this Indiana fishing lure, please contact me at indianatravis@gmail.com.

For more information on this and other Indiana-made lures, visit my web site at http://www.indianafishinglures.com

I "found" the following great lures last week.   The Tropical Bait Company lures came from a generous man in Ohio who found my web site (http://www.indianafishinglures.com) and offered the lures to add to my collection.   The boxed Stormy Petrel Lure, Daily Double and Bugeyed Babbler still in the original package had been passed down in his family and he decided he didn't need them.

The Yellow/Orange Staley Twin Minn lure was purchased at an auction the week before.

This Winchester June Bug Lure, made in Indiana, was purchased at the NFLCC National Show in Fort Wayne June 15th, 2016.

This very tough to find Clark Brothers "Clark's Make 'Em Bite Bait", in the original box, was purchased at the NFLCC Auction

This 18-inch Catch-Em-Quick worm in a 10 inch box was made by Sportsman's Products, Inc. in Marion, Indiana.  I'm not sure if this was a display used in bait stores or if it was actually used for musky fishing?????

After I just walked by a booth and missed it, my wife found this at the NFLCC show and what a great find it was!   This is a 1920s Hayes Feather Minnow in the original box.

If you have any fishing lures for sale, please contact me at indianatravis@gmail.com.

Thanks to a kind person, I was recently able to add these 4 lures to my Indiana lure collection.

These C.E.Z. Shurlur Baits were made by the Garrett Manufacturing Company sometime around the 1920s-1930s.    It is thought that the makers of these lures were employees of the Creek Chub Bait Company who were fired and used some "stashes" to make lures.   There are at least 4 different box types for these lures and one is marked "Rosenberry Baits" referring to the original founders of the company, Frank and W.T. Rosenberry.   Please visit www.indianafishinglures.com or email indianatravis@gmail.com  if you have more information on this company.

Doodlebug Lures

The Homarth company produced a neat little lure called a Doodlebug.   This same lure has ties to Joseph Neukam of Jasper, IN.    I have found many different types of Doodlebug lures.....some have unmarked lips, some are stamped "Homarth" and some are stamped "Brown". 

I recently found a Doodlebug on an original card made by the Fall City Bait Company in Kentucky.

If you have any Doodlebug lures or other Indiana-made baits for sale, please contact me at indianatravis@gmail.com or 317-216-4331.

Bailey & Elliot, Manitou Minnow, Rochester, Indiana Antique Lure

The Manitou Minnow is probably the most sought after Indiana lure ever made.  This 3 3/4" wooden, glass eye lure has 5 hooks and the hooks rest on a long rod that goes completely through the lure.   This rod can be removed, and the hooks changed, using a small brass wrench that came with each lure. 

This old lure was made in Rochester, Indiana for a very short time during the early 1900s.  It came in 4 colors, but the green/yellow one pictures seems to be the most common color.  The four colors offered were:  Solid Red, dark green with yellow body, dark green with white body, pale green with white belly.

If you have any antique fishing lures for sale, please contact me at indianatravis@gmail.com or visit http://www.indianafishinglures.com .  I collect mostly lures that were made in Indiana and if you are from Indiana I can meet with you to see what you've got!!!!