As anglers in many parts of the United States must wait another few days or weeks for the weather to warm up to enjoy fishing fun, it might be time to do some treasure hunting at your favorite thrift store or in someone’s attic. While you are searching for treasure, keep your eyes open for a Giant Haskell Minnow Lure. When one of these lures sold on November 8, 2003, it set the record for the most expensive lure ever to sell in the world fetching $101,200 at auction. It has continued to hold that record for over 15 years.
Riley Haskell of Painesville, Ohio, constructed the Giant Haskell Minnow Lure. It is doubtful that he set out to make the America’s most expensive fishing lure because he was better known as a successful gunsmith on the shores of Lake Erie.
Until that time, anglers used flat spoon or spinner type baits. Therefore, the lure that Riley created was a radical departure from what anglers commonly used. The lure measuring 10 inches long is one of the first to be shaped like a fish. The lure is the first animated American lure since the tail revolved. This lure also carved details into the fish’s copper fins and body. While Riley did patent the lure as the Haskell Minnow, it is unknown how many he created, because he soon abandoned the lure choosing to make a seven-inch model instead.
While you will be thrilled if you find a Giant Haskell Minnow Lure while you are searching for treasure, it is not the only lure that you may want to try to locate. The Bullhead lure made by the Paw Paw Bait Company in Michigan is another lure that you will want to try to find. This lure is shaped like a bullhead fish and features curved lips and hand painted whiskers. The extremely lucky treasure hunter will find this lure in its original orange box complete with the flyer describing this lure as new. This lure was the first made by Paw Paw Bait Company, but all of their lures are highly collectible.
Another highly collectible lure is the Klipon lure manufactured by the Green-Wyle Company of Brooklyn, New York. Making this lure extremely beautiful is its milk glass eyes that came in various colors. Designers went to a lot of hard work when they designed the spring-loaded hook hanger on this lure.
While there is no doubt that finding one of these lures would make your day, it is much tougher to find one of these lures in pristine condition than it is to catch a fish today, especially when you use one of the lures from Yellow Bird 😉
Yellow Bird Products
1803 Holian Drive
Spring Grove, IL 60081
815-469-9686
Photo Credit: Flickr/wsilver
