Non-Fly Dirtbag Tackle History

[SilverFly]

Visited the Western Antique Airplane and Automobile Museum in Hood River this week: WAAAM . Amazing collection of beautifully restored aircraft, cars, and military equipment. The surprise was a display of antique fishing tackle, mostly Luhr Jensen (Hood River based). I remember fishing some of this tackle when it was new.... anyone else here also now officially antique?

 

[Paige]

Yep have used a ton of that stuff back in the 70's and 80's drift fishing for steelhead. Still have a bunc.

 

[SilverFly]

Yep have used a ton of that stuff back in the 70's and 80's drift fishing for steelhead. Still have a bunc.

I remember Okie drifters being the standard drift lure back then. Hooked my first steelhead on a flame orange rigged with 2 hooks - just how it was done then. Can't remember if the "Pro-Steelhead Wobbler" in the 3rd image was the pre-cursor to, or a knock-off of the "Stee-Lee" wobbler. Looks identical. Caught plenty of coho and steelhead on the hammered brass/orange combo. Krocodile spoons and bolo spinners were also regulars in my box.

 

[Kashf]

More things change the more they stay the same it feel like

 

[headduck]

Funny how fickle the industry is... obviously all that stuff caught fish and still can.

Good share thanks.

 

[Buzzy]

I remember Okie drifters being the standard drift lure back then. Hooked my first steelhead on a flame orange rigged with 2 hooks - just how it was done then. Can't remember if the "Pro-Steelhead Wobbler" in the 3rd image was the pre-cursor to, or a knock-off of the "Stee-Lee" wobbler. Looks identical. Caught plenty of coho and steelhead on the hammered brass/orange combo. Krocodile spoons and bolo spinners were also regulars in my box.

I too caught my first steelhead on an Okie drifter rig (pink, with a tuft of white yarn and a dab of gooey roe). A little wild hen from a drift on the Skok.

 

[Stonedfish]

I too caught my first steelhead on an Okie drifter rig (pink, with a tuft of white yarn and a dab of gooey roe). A little wild hen from a drift on the Skok.

My first steelhead came on a Sammy Special. Silver body with red yarn. As mentioned, all that old stuff would still work today. Cool display @SilverFly
Luhr Jensen, another good company that went goodbye.
SF

 

[SilverFly]

I too caught my first steelhead on an Okie drifter rig (pink, with a tuft of white yarn and a dab of gooey roe). A little wild hen from a drift on the Skok.

I lost mine. We had just moved back to the PNW after 5 years in the MidWest. I was fishing the same solid-glass spin rod with a Heddon reel that I used for perch and bluegills in Wisconsin. Needless to say the fight didn't last long. After I picked my jaw up off the bank, I ran home and pleaded to Dad for an upgrade.

 

[SurfnFish]

My first fishing experience was as a pre-teen staying at my cousins family vacation home on the Russian River, wading the brush lined stretch in front of the house that teemed with small mouth bass, flipping a white Panther Martin lure with a Fenwick glass rod and Mitchel Garcia 300 reel, hooking up lot of bass. For a city kid it was heaven

 

[Russell]

I might be coming into Vintage but not yet antique! Still have a whole bunch of old trout and salmon gear from the old days passed on from my grandfather. Lots of vintage 80's gear I used as well.

 

[Greg Armstrong]

Orange and yellow Spin-N-Glow with a tuft of orange yarn in the leader loop fooled my first steelhead in the 60’s. I think I was nine or ten.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think it was Wardens in Yakima that made Spin N Glows back in those dreamy days of lots of Steelies.

 

[Wanative]

I used a wide variety of those lures
a long time ago. Still have some.

 

[Dustin Chromers]

Funny how fickle the industry is... obviously all that stuff caught fish and still can.

Good share thanks.

You gotta catch fishermen in aisle four if you want to win in the tackle game. Gotta market that uv scent infused exciter blade for maximum strike response in all predatory Gamefish.

 

[dep]

still have some of this stuff from when I was a kid. now to just remember what tackle box it is in

 

[SilverFly]

You gotta catch fishermen in aisle four if you want to win in the tackle game. Gotta market that uv scent infused exciter blade for maximum strike response in all predatory Gamefish.

Pretty sure plenty of bug flickers are hooked by marketing tactics as well. At least by judging by the number of fly rods, reels, lines, and the cubic yard or so of tying materials I own.