INTRODUCTION TO BAITCASTING TACKLE

Baitcasting in America Vintage Tackle Boxes

Two Generations of Tackle Boxes

Largely because of Dr. James A. Henshall’s May 1, 1881, publication of the Book of the Black Bass, baitcasting rapidly gained popularity. Tackle became increasingly available, angling techniques were cultivated and literature published.

This particular tackle review begins in 1889, when Henshall declared that minnow casting was firmly established as an original American angling method. It ends forty years later in 1929, at the beginning of America’s Great Depression, a time similar to the period following the Revolutionary War when Americans had little money to spend buying tackle.

Two immediately descending generations of hypothetical American baitcasters would have used the tackle up for review.

1. Box 1. Tackle and gear from c1889-1914 (download PDF)
2. Box 2. Tackle and gear from c1915-1929 (download PDF)

In 1929, tackle boxes such as the ones we will explore might have been available for our perusal; in 2017, this is not the case. Finding fully equipped, period-correct tackle boxes is no easy task because old, undisturbed tackle boxes are virtually non-existent. Antique tackle is highly appreciated by collectors and monetary values have soared over the past few decades; businesses like eBay have made the sale of these items available only to the highest bidder. The discovery of a complete tackle box often results in cherry picking and selling the highly desirable items in the box and dispersing or discarding the less valuable items. As a result, both tackle boxes up for examination are reconstructions.

One caution – this is not a comprehensive collection or discussion of all antique and vintage baitcasting tackle used during the forty year period identified above. It does provide, however, representative examples of the gear two early baitcasters would have used for angling during that time. For those readers who may be unfamiliar with how to determine the age of old baitcasting lures, please see the Identification and Dating Guide (Major Tackle Manufacturers’ Lure Hardware) provided on this website.