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How To Identify Antique Spoon Lures

Spoon fishing lures have been used since the 1800s. They are one of the most popular and simple types of lures to use. The silver color attracts fish when the lure moves, due to a shimmy action similar to the movement of a bait fish. Spoon fishing lures were first made by disassembling a spoon at the "drop," which is the point right above the bottom part of the spoon. This worked so well that the spoon lure was eventually professionally manufactured, still retaining the bottom shape of a spoon.

Things You'll Need

Magnifying glass
Digital scale

Instructions

- 1
  Turn the antique spoon lure to the back part and look for any maker's marks.There were two distinct manufacturers of spoon lures; the most notable being Julio T. Buel, the inventor of the antique spoon fishing lure around 1850. Hofschneider Tackle Co. in Rochester, N.Y. made a fishing lure called a Red-eyed Wiggler. Look for old lures with red eyes craftily attached within the spoon to resemble a fish.
- 2
  Check the size of the antique spoon fishing lure to determine if it is a casting spoon. Casting spoon lures came in 1/36th ounce size for small fish, and on larger fish, 1/4th-3/4th ounce. Casting spoons are used in both salt and freshwater.
- 3
  Weigh an antique spoon fishing lure to determine if it is for trolling. They weigh 1/8th of an ounce, and generally measure three inches. Compare a trolling spoon to a casting spoon. Trolling spoon lures are much thinner and lighter, and were often designed to accompany a weighted rigger. They were used mostly in freshwater.
- 4
  Look to see if the spoon has a vinyl or rubber feather skirt attachment. According to Wade Bourne, the topwater antique spoon fishing lures also go by the name "weedless spoons," and were made for casting and retrieving in marshy areas or ponds were there are aquatic plants. They won't get stuck in plants because they skim over the surface, when reeled in quickly. Check the spoon for a single hook welded onto the body, which is a distinct characteristic of this type of lure, enabling it to be snag free. The hook part may be shielded by a weedguard as well. Topwater spoon size antique lures range from 1/24th of an ounce to over one ounce.
- 5
  Drop an antique spoon into the shallow part of water and see if it sinks to the bottom. The jigging antique lures were designed to troll on the bottom of the ocean, pond or river floor for catfish and other types of bottom dwellers. Feel the spoon for thickness and weight. The antique jigging spoon lure will also be flat. There will be treble hooks on the tail part. They generally weigh from 1/8th of an ounce to over two ounces.

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