The South Bend Lure Company Roots


The South Bend Lure Company got its start in the late 1890’s with the Worden Bucktail. A very similar lure to the Shakespeare Revolution so similar it should be of no surprise that the lure was being sold though Shakespeare. Its first Company name was the Specialty Manufacturing Company then to the Worden Bucktail Bait Company and on finally to South Bend Bait Company in 1910. While the Worden underwater minnow baits excluding the Buck Tail seemed a bit crude in comparison or not as refined as say the Heddon minnow they still filled the need for the 1910 and prior American fisherman who was becoming obsessed with 3 and 5 hook Minnows through the teens. One should note as well the early rights that were acquired for the anti backlash reel by the South Bend Bait company who’s reel sales the company would rely heavily upon later.

Another Neat tidbit is there was actually another South Bend company focused on lures and was part of the South Bend Bait company. The South Bend Dowl and Rod company which sold the wooden blanks to many of its partner companies competitors. The greatest thing probably to happen to the South Bend Lure Company was its purchase or acquisition of the Patent Rights to what would be come one of the greatest selling South Bend Lures of all time. The Bass Oreno Lure took the South Bend Lure company to another level and it is that best selling lure the company would ride on for decades. The lure is a great one to collect with all the variations and color combinations available.

With its roots and complete biographical history yet to be written and completed. This major maker of  old fishing lures and sporting goods finds its part of its roots, or at least its location in its name sake, South Bend, Indiana . 

   There lies a lot of uncertainty as to South Bends role in the lure industry and how it was formed early on. There have been documents recently found showing relations between other old antique lure makers. Showing the outsourcing or jobbing of painting of lures, using certain paint patterns and even using  similar if not the same hardware early in the South Bend Lure company life. There is some great reading on this in a few articles of  recent NFLCC magazines; another great testament to the role a club can play in any hobby.