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In the field of antique tackle
collectibles, it's not uncommon to find conflicting or misinformation about
lures and collectibles. This months article contains some fun
"true or false" questions to help expand your collecting
knowledge of the South Bend Bait Company.
Note: All
photos and content copyrighted 2001and 2002 by Marie R. Munson. Please contact me
at bbroreno@aol.com for permission to use
any and all photos or content on this Web site.
Questions
1. True or False? This
miniature anchor is really a "salesman sample" that
was used to market a full size boat anchor sold by the South Bend Bait
Company.
Click here to find the answer...
2. True or False? One
way to tell South Bend underwater minnows from other manufacturers
(e.g., Heddon) is the fact that they always have the "right cup"
forward (whereas other manufactures have the "left cup"
forward). See picture below of a 903 Underwater Minnow with the
right cup forward.
Click here to find the answer...
3. True or False? The
word “Oreno” is a registered trade-mark of the South Bend Bait
Company and is coined from the slang phrase:
“Peach-Oreno.”
Click here to find the answer...
4. True or False? This
Fish-Obite color is known as "RWT" which stands for Red
Arrowhead, with Black Tiger Stripes.
Click here to find the answer...
5. True or False? The
Better Bass-Oreno and Better Babe-Oreno were only made with tack eyes.
Click here to find the answer...
6. True or False? This
rare South Bend Ice Fishing Decoy was made only in 1923.
Click here to find the answer...
7. True or False? South
Bend "Minnow" boxes are only found in the 6 inch size seen
below.
Click here to find the answer...
8. True or False? The
South Bend "Optic" was not the first plastic bait made by the
South Bend Bait Company.
Click here to find the answer...
9. True or False? This
is a 1930 greeting card from the South Bend Bait Company.
Click here to find the answer...
10. True or False?
Shakespeare sold South Bend lures in their catalogs.
Click here to find the answer...
Answers
1. False
Starting in 1922, South Bend sold a "Fisherman's Anchor"
(No. 253). The anchor was made of cast iron, dull black finish,
and weighed 15 pounds. Height overall was 7 3/4 inches, width at
base 7 1/2 inches. One year later, in 1923, South Bend sold a
smaller version of the Fisherman's Anchor, called the "Decoy and
Throw Line Anchor" (No. 254). It was identical in design and
construction to the No. 253 anchor, only the size was about 3 inches
high and 2 1/2 inches wide at the base. It weighed just 8
ounces. It was advertised as being excellent for decoys or throw
lines.
Click here to return to question 2.
2. False
Many examples of South Bend minnows can be found with the left cup
forward. Below is a picture of a 903 Underwater Minnow with Single
Hooks with the left cup forward. The right cup configuration is
the more commonly found of the two, but don't be surprised to run across
the left cup forward varieties. The right cup example is
shown again for comparison.
Left Cup
Forward
Right Cup Forward
Click here to return to question 3.
3. True
As noted in many South Bend catalogs:
The name Oreno really had its derivation from the expression
"peach-oreno." In searching their minds for a name
suitable for the now famous Bass-Oreno, one member of the group
said: It's a d--- shame we can't hit upon a name that'll fit such
a peach-oreno of a bait." The instant the words
"peach-oreno" were uttered someone remarked, "Why not
Bass-Oreno?" And from then on the name Oreno grew and grew,
until today there are few anglers who do not associate it immediately
with "South Bend Bait."
Click here to return to question 4.
4. False
This Fish-Obite is an uncataloged color and was found without the
box, so the color code can not be identified. This color is not
listed in either retail or dealer trade catalogs from 1939 to 1953.
Click here to return to question 5.
5. True
The Better Bass-Oreno and Better Babe-Oreno were first
introduced in 1933. (Yes, 1933 not 1934 as is commonly
sited). The lures were made only in tack eye (a glass eye model
has yet to surface), although South Bend was still producing other baits
with glass eye baits during the 1933-1935 time period. It is very
likely that the tack eye had to be used, because a metal plate went
through the entire length of the bait. This likely made the
installation of glass eyes impractical and more costly.
Side View of a Better Bass-Oreno
Click here to return to question 6.
6. False
The South Bend Ice Fishing Decoy (No. 258) was made for 3 years,
from 1922 through 1924. (Yes, for three years, not one
year.) The Ice Fishing Decoy first appeared in the dealer trade
catalog No. 45, copyright 1922, for the 1922-1923 fishing season.
The decoy was also featured in the dealer trade catalog No. 46,
copyright 1923, for the 1923-1924 fishing season. (Special thanks
to Don Vaughn for providing information from this catalog.)
The decoy was available in two colors for all three years, SF (scale
finish, green) and RHA (red head, aluminum body).
Click here to return to question 7.
7. False
The 6 inch South Bend Minnow box is by far the most common
variety found. However, a smaller 4 1/2 inch South Bend Minnow Box
does exist. The author has only seen two examples of this
box. Both box ends are worn, so the model number is
unknown. Given their size, it is likely that they contained
903 Underwater Minnows. Based on their rarity, the author
speculates that they were used around 1915 or so. If you have a
box like this that is marked, please contact
me with the information and I will post an update to this article.
Click here to return to question 8.
8. True
The South Bend Optic was made from 1958 to 1963 and was not the
first plastic bait sold by the South Bend Bait Company. Prior to
that time (late 30's and early 40's), South Bend made other plastic
baits molded from "tenite" such as the Bass-Obite and
Two-Obite.
Click here to return to question 9.
9. True
This Season's Greetings card was in fact made by the South Bend
Bait Company in 1930. The inside features a picture of a man (Ivar
Hennings?) holding a muskie and is embossed with Ivar's signature at the
bottom.
Click here to return to question 10.
10. True
Shakespeare sold South Bend lures in their early catalogs (e.g.,
c.1916). Below is an example of a rare Shakespeare box (notice the
Shakespeare logos on either side) for a Bass-Oreno. It is likely
that a box such as this exists for the Surf-Oreno and Babe-Oreno (which
were also sold in Shakespeare catalogs), but no examples are known to
the author.
Click here to return to the start of the
questions.
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