Collector lures in vintage tackle

HOLLENBACK TWP. – There’s no magic lure for catching fish.

If there was, then Gerry Moyer wouldn’t have more than 200 varieties of fishing lures lining the walls of his shed.

Moyer collects antique fishing tackle. Lures, rods, reels, licenses, tools, and even little bottles of reel grease line his walls. Considering most of the items are from local anglers, the collection is a snapshot of the evolution of fishing in the region from the 1920s to the 1950s.

“There’s a lot of history that’s lost,” the 65-year-old Moyer said. “This is preserving a little bit.”

Moyer began accumulating vintage fishing equipment in 1990 when a friend, William Smith, gave him his collection. All of Moyer’s pieces have been collected since that time. Compared to today’s flashy tackle – much of which is made with plastic – the gear from decades ago is basic, yet well-made. Some of it can be considered works of art.

On one side of Moyer’s shed, more than 100 lures hang from a wire. The lures include a variety of Heddon’s, a Millsite Dolly Double (which can be fished from the front or back), and a Fred Arbogast Sputterbug. Most of the lures are made of wood. Some, such as the Heddon Vamp Spook made in 1934, are intricately carved with recessed eyes and a bill that resembles the head of a pike.

“These lures are pretty unique,” said Moyer, holding a Heddon Luny Frog. “Some even look pretty ugly.”

The lures show evidence of the workmanship that went into each. Most of the Heddon’s have two treble hooks attached via a plate screwed into the lure body.

Another pencil-shaped lure features a propeller blade on the front and an elongated body covered in supple leather that was hand-stitched along the back.

“I think it’s supposed to resemble a snake, and the leather is the skin,” Moyer said.

Several of the spoons are constructed with thick wire frames. The spoons are heavy and plated with brass or silver.

“They were made with good metal,” Moyer said, holding a 4 Brothers Willow Leaf spoon. “It’s neat the way stuff was put together back then. It really interests me.”

When it comes to craftsmanship, several of Moyer’s’ vintage rods and reels define the term. Some of the fly rods, such as the Oxford and South Bend models, are made of steel and are square rather than tubular.

Telescoping rods, such as the Nelson Pistol Grip and another made by the American Fork and Hoe Company, feature sturdy steel handles and grips.

The vintage reels are of similar quality, and some even raise the bar when it comes to style.

A fly reel made by the A.F. Meisselbach Mfg. Co., produced from 1886 to 1917, features an engraved metal outside with the company tag in the middle. Several of the old Pflueger reels have a bulldog engraved on the outside, and the vintage Shakespeare Criterion Level-Winding and the Bronson Gladiator reels are constructed with heavy metal to withstand abuse.

One of the more unique reels in Moyer’s’ collection is the Ashaway Slip Cast Reel. Made in the 1940s, the Ashaway reel is equipped with a trigger that is used for casting and doubles as a brake to prevent backlash.

A few of Moyer’s lures contain evidence of designs that came and went as fishing tackle evolved.

The Heddon Holi Comet, a jointed lure, has a hole drilled length-wise through the first half of the lure. Moyer suspects that water passing through the hole forced the lure to swivel.

“I come in here and study this stuff all the time, and there’s always something new and unique about them,” Moyer said.

Although the tackle has probably caught a fair number of fish in its day, chances are Moyer won’t be taking the vintage equipment out on the water any time soon.