Use Those Old Lures

Use Those Old Lures
David Hutton
PFnF, installment #100
2 Jan, 2021

I've got a couple of refurbished lures here – “Oreno” style darters.

             

This type of lure was first made by the South Bend Tackle company in 1915, as the “Bass O-Reno.”

No kidding, that's what they called them.

Over the years, they made them in sizes from the microscopic, to broom-handle big, and they were in production for decades.
These, however, are not South Bend branded, and I don't know what kind of copies they are.
They are wood, and they appear to be cedar, like the originals.
Their finish and furniture suggests a modern interpretation; not rare, not valuable.
But this is my other favorite style of vintage lure, next to the Helin Flatfish.
And I do fish them...these O-reno style darters have caught bass pretty handily.

They have a very interesting dual action you have to experience.
On the surface they float, and you can "pop-pop-pause" their cupped head, much like any popper. It's quite appealing, really.
This is then followed up with a unique swimming action under water.
If you've never fished one, the action under the water is kinda hard to describe. It's a wide darting wobble, sort of a side-to-side lurching motion. It floats until you start the retrieve. Then that big scoop-nose makes it plunge beneath the surface and sort of swing and lumber back and forth as you reel... like it's drunk (or maybe wounded).

It's very much UNLIKE modern crankbaits, with their tight, high-frequency wiggling. Taken together, its a one-two punch that should be very popular. But they have been long gone from the modern fishing scene. I have never really understood why.
I've commented about these before, here: The Bass Oreno

And here: More Oreno's

So check 'em out!

A Little Effort
These two had some finish blemishes that needed correcting, and the yellow one had several holes drilled in it that had to be filled.
I didn't strip and rebuild the things - nothing like that.
These are just fixer uppers, intended for the tackle box.
I just filled the paint chips, plugged the holes and sanded a little. A splash of paint here and there, and that part was done.
Basically, I got them back looking better, according to my tastes.
The last thing to do is spray them with a gloss enamel to complete.

Value? Nil

They could have been used as they were, really, but I like to tinker with these, when I can get 'em for a price that doesn't border on the ridiculous.
The originals are going for some astronomical prices, these days, even the common models.
The lure collecting market has grown over the last decade or so, and the wagon jumpers don't mind paying some hefty sums for lures they don't actually use.
But the culls, commons and damaged lures can still be occasionally found for a fair sum, and these are perfect for buffing up into fishing lures.

And in case anyone wondered, I do preserve the original label insofar as possible.
I have a few older collectible ones that I don't molest in this way, but they're few and far between.
However, if I can keep the original South Bend name showing as part of the clean-up, I do that.
That's not an issue with these, though, as they had no name to start with!

Somewhere in the back of my fevered brain, I imagine that today's bass haven't seen one of these lures. No one but a few die-hards use them, anymore... and I'd like to think we have a secret others have yet to figure out.
And I may not be far from the truth on that.

Enjoy and thanks so much for reading.

David
Palmetto Fly n Fish

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