When my grandfather died ten years ago he was of the ripe ole age of 92.  He loved to fish, but I never really knew how much until he moved to Florida.  After his death, my father inherrited his fishing equipment.  Since my father did not fish, he gave the equipment to me.  Over the next few days I will post pics of his cherished baits.  He didn't have many but he sure loved Arbogast!  Perhaps it was because this well known company found it's home in Ohio, like my grandpa...

 

 

I don't have boxes for all of them but I search eBay daily in the hopes of finding the correct one.  I have discovered some info about this lure.  The hardware, including skirt hook and skirt went through 5 generations.  This lure is a fifth generation lure, according to the hardware.  The hardware has a narrow concave lip in both front and rear but with a skirt holder that is shaped like an arrow.  This helped secure the skirt to the lure and a return to using screws to secure the body to the keel.  Fifth generation hardware was used from 1972 until production ended in 1980.  From 1970 to 1980, the only colors produced were black, frog and yellow herringbone. (info taken from "Modern Fishing Lure Collectibles" - volume 5, by R. Lewis)

LM since 2005 Bushwacker Deputy Sherif from S.E. Pa.

Looking forward to seeing the rest of them Turnip.

Good luck on finding the boxes, maybe some of the members can help if you let us know what you're needing.

 

 

 

Dave D. Oklahoma member since 2003

Nice Pete.

Did you ever get to go fishing with your grandfather? If so have you got any stories to tell.

I hope all is well with you and Karen. I hope Karen is over philly withdrawl.

Aborgast and the spoonplug, two of the first lures my dad bought me. He was originially from Arkansas but told me hometown lures catch hometown fish. So hence the Hula popper and Jitterbug along with the Spoonplug were mainstays in my tacklebox. Still have all three rattling around my old lure collection.

Nice Turnip! Can't wait to see the rest

Sam, Lycoming County North Central PA NAFC Life Member ,Angler Legacy Ambassador

My grandfather died in Florida at the age of 104. He had a tacklebox full of the coolest old lures. When I went there to help my aunt with clearing out the house, the tackelbox was missing. I was quite let down. That was the one thing I really wanted most of my granfather's possessions. I did get his old side by side 12 guage shot gun and some collector item tools. A few other nostalgia items as well. Still, dissappointed by the loss of the tacklebox.

~N.A.F.C.~B.A.S.S.~BoatU.S.~N.R.A.~

 

These two jitterbugs were also in his box.  In an attempt to date these lures I had to look at the metal lip and the hardware.  The metal lip reads "Jitterbug Mfg. By Fred Arbogast Akron Ohio" on both of them.  The hardware tells a different story!  These two lures are from the 7th generation for hangers.  The frog pattern is a "Seein's Believin'" #630.  It is 2" long and weighs in at 1/4 oz.  This lure was made somewhere between 1980 and 1990.  My grandpa has been dead for about ten years so you do the math!  The "Yellow Coach Dog" is model #600, is 2 1/2" long and weighs in at 3/8 oz.  This lure was made somewhere between 1964 to present.  Neither of the metal lips has the patten numbers on them.  The earliest jitterbugs are found in wood and plastic  (Info from "Modern Fishing Collectibles", volume 1, by R. Lewis), but the vast majority are plastic.  These two lures are beautiful, colorful if you will.

 

My grandpa and I never wet a line together.  We always lived several states appart...I often wonder how much he could have taught me!  I do remember the days he spent teaching me how to skin muskrats and raccoons...Priceless!  I have three more pics to share and I will post them over the next few days.  If you have something special to share on this topic, please feel free to post it!  And with pics, please!

 

 

LM since 2005 Bushwacker Deputy Sherif from S.E. Pa.

Nice topic Pete

 

I fished just once with my Grandpa....our personalities didn't fit very well

 

For those of you interested in dating Jitterbugs....the easiest way is by looking at the hardware on them. If you scroll down to the bottom of this webpage you will see a chart that is most useful.

 

http://www.tacklecollecting.com/olderjitterbugcolors.htm

 

Here's 4 Heddon lures I got from my Grandpa though....the 1700 model isn't seen very often on Ebay.

 

Life Member David BB Linkmeister US Army '78-'85 West Central Wisconsin

I never knew either of my grandfathers, both passed before I was born. Closest thing I had was a great uncle who fished exactly 2 weeks a year in Ontario for Pike and Muskie. He had a heart attack 6 months before he was to take me along on his annual trip and never fished again. Sure would like to know what happened to his tackle. Tom
Fishin' fool in NE Illinois

 

Another lure that I found in my grandpa's tackle box.  This Arbogast lure came along in the 1960s.  At that time Arbogast claimed that was the most revolutionary lure ever developed.  This lure was catalogued in two sizes, 2 1/2" and 4 1/2".  That is overall size including the lip.  They were made in 12 finishes: white body with red head, frog with white belly, solid black, yellow herringbone, perch, shad, coach dog, yellow coach dog, willow cat, orange with spots, silver on body and silver flash (all info taken from "Old Fishing Lures & Tackle", 6th edition by C.F. Luckey).

LM since 2005 Bushwacker Deputy Sherif from S.E. Pa.

Great stuff turnip!