Tag Archives: South bend

South Bend Pike Oreno Lure

South Bend Pike Oreno Lure

South Bend Pike Oreno Lure The South Bend Pike Oreno Lure was given a model number 957, by the South Bend Bait Company of South Bend, Indiana. The wooden antique lure went through a host of changes in its 21 years. The lure was first introduced in 1931 and lasted all the way until 1952. […]

South Bend Panetlla Minnow

South Bend Panetlla Minnow

South Bend Panetlla Minnow The South Bend Panetlla Minnow was first introduced in 1912. For three decades this lure a model series 913 was present in the South Bend Bait Company lure catalogs of South Bend, Indiana. I don’t think this lure is given the credit it deserves for its longevity and place along side […]

Voices from the Past: South Bend’s Customer Service

Voices from the Past Fishing for History

The following article appeared in the trade journal The Printer’s Ink for October 1921. It covers in enormous detail the customer service department for South Bend Bait Co. of South Bend, Indiana. If you ever wondered why the firm grew so large so quickly, look no further than the manner in which they tailored letters […]

Louis A. Paeth: The Man Behind the “Fish and Feel Fit” Logo by Peter Paeth

Louis A. Paeth: The Man Behind the “Fish and Feel Fit” Logo by Peter Paeth Recently I received a wonderful series of emails from Peter Paeth, the son of painter Louis A. Paeth. Peter has graciously agreed to allow me to reprint pieces of this correspondence on the blog to share this information with everyone. […]

Friday Fun House February 22nd Edition

Good Reads The American Angler’s Book: Embracing the Natural History of Sporting Fish, and the Art of Taking Them Over one and a half centuries after its original publication, Thaddeus Norris’s The American Angler’s Book remains a classic heavily sought after by fishing enthusiasts and collectors. Considered father of American fly fishing, Norris’s encyclopedic compilation of nineteenth-century […]

Tight Lines Tuesday Win-Oreno

Tight Lines Tuesday Win Oreno

Tight Lines Tuesday Win-Oreno by John Etchieson This very rare Win-Oreno brand Irish Linen Cuttyhunk line coiled on a card, is not found in any of the company’s customer retail catalogs but was found featured in the 1935 South Bend Bait Company Dealers’ catalog. It was illustrated with a leaping bass taking a South Bend […]

South Bend Better Bass Oreno

South Bend Better Bass Oreno

South Bend Better Bass Oreno The South Bend Better Bass Oreno, is a model number 73. This vintage lure produced by the South Bend Bait Company is made of wood as was the traditional model. Trying to improve upon its already mastered production of the generational Bass Oreno, a model series 973, the Better Bass […]

Ed Wood Sunspot Spoon Lure

Ed Wood Sunspot Spoon Lure

Ed Wood Sunspot Spoon Lure The Ed Wood Sunspot Spoon Lure is a rather tough one to come by. Sometimes value and scarcity don’t line up equally on the same line and this Sun Spot Spoon is a great example. This is the predecessor to the later version, the South Bend Sun Spot Spoon. This […]

South Bend Midget Surf Oreno Lure

South Bend Copper Midget Surf Oreno Reinforced Hardware

South Bend Midget Surf Oreno Lure The South Bend Midget Surf Oreno Lure is a model series 962. This lure is touted as being one of the South Bend Bait Company out of South Bend Indiana’s longest lasting lures. The lure first appearing in 1916 and lasted all the way through 1952. Its no wonder […]

South Bend Lil Rascal Antique Lure

South Bend Lil Rascal Antique Lure

South Bend Lil Rascal Antique Lure The South Bend Lil Rascal Antique Lure is actually quite an obscure little vintage lure. The Lil Rascal was given a model series number 955 by the South Bend Bait Company of South Bend Indiana. This wooden lure is very similar to the South Bend Midget Pike Oreno that […]

South Bend Min Oreno Lure

South Bend Min Oreno Lure

South Bend Min Oreno Lure The South Bend Min Oreno Lure was first introduced around 1933 and was gone by 1939. This antique fishing lure made by the South Bend Bait Company was given a model number 927. The Minn Oreno fishing lures shown below are the Jr and middle sized version, or standard size, […]

South Bend Surface Floating Minnow Lure

South Bend Surface Floating Minnow Lure

South Bend Surface Floating Minnow Lure The South Bend Surface Floating Minnow Lure was first introduced in 1912 by the South Bend Bait Company. Assigning it a model 920-through 922, all are relatively the same with small or unique differences. The Surface Minnow lure is made of wood, has traditional glass eyes, measures 3 1/2″ […]

South Bend Plug Oreno Antique Lure

South Bend Plug Oreno Antique Lure

South Bend Plug Oreno Antique Lure The South Bend Plug Oreno Antique Lure was first brought to market in 1932. This wooden antique fishing lure produced by the South Bend Bait Company in South Bend Indiana was given a model number 959. This fly eater was in production for 12 years and was removed from […]

Best Of Luck Jointed Pikie Antique Lure

Best Of Luck Jointed PIkie Antique Lure

Best Of Luck Jointed Pikie Antique Lure The Best Of Luck Jointed Pikie Antique Lure was first introduced in 1935. The wooden antique lure is a model series number 931. Like the other large makers of fishing tackle, South Bend would have another company it would sell and create lures under, that company was Best […]

South Bend Spin I Diddee Lure

South Bend Spin I Diddee Lure

South Bend Spin I Diddee Lure The South Bend Spin I Diddee Lure was first introduced in 1952, and lasted only a dozen years and was gone by 1964. The South Bend Bait Corporation of South Bend Indiana assigned it a model number 916 when it first came out. The 916 came standard with two […]

South Bend Fly Rod Surf Oreno Lure

South Bend Fly Rod Surf Oreno Lure

South Bend Fly Rod Surf Oreno Lure The South Bend Fly Rod Surf Oreno Lure was a series model 961. Made by the South Bend Bait Company of South Bend, Indiana was first introduced in 1928 and lasted fourteen years through 1942.The antique Fly Rod fishing Lure measures 1 1/2″ in length and has painted […]

South Bend King Andy Lure

South Bend King Andy Lure

South Bend King Andy Lure The South Bend King Andy Lure was a very short lived lure. The King Andy was once again another antique lure that was a victim to the model sharing number scheme of the South Bend Bait Company. The lure was a model series number 975, which was also shared by […]

South Bend Midget Pike Oreno

South Bend Midget Pike Oreno

South Bend Midget Pike Oreno The South Bend Midget Pike Oreno Lure is a series 974. This wooden antique lure is 3″ in length and is the smaller version of the Pike Oreno. This lure unfortunately shares its model number not with one other lure but 2, making for a total of 3 South Bend […]