Actual Lure Spinner Minnow
The Actual Lure Company, Inc
New York, NY
1950s
August 2022
Want to cast a real bait…but hate losing it to fish when they strike? Then the Actual Lure is for you!
This lure was advertised as “a clean odorless bait encased in a durable plastic”. And yes, it is a real fish! The “resilient covering has withstood extensive test fishing for over two years”.
The minnows were available in two styles; a “wobbler”, which was formed with a curve for darting, and the “spinner”, which had permanently attached side fins. You also had the option to add a “red tip” on the minnow to make is appear “wounded”. These minnows originally sound for $1.50 each.
Not only shiner minnows, but other real bait could be purchased encased in plastic. These include shrimp, crickets, grasshoppers, and even frogs. But, shiner “wobbler” minnows are the most common baits found. The packaging they were sold in include plastic tubes (pictured), plastic cases, and sometimes even paper boxes with a clear sleeve.
Every one of these baits I see now seems to be a brownish color like the one pictured. Is this the color retained after they were first made? Or, could it have “browned” over time. My guess is that they have gotten darker over time, for the plastic case is also browned, and I am sure that was clear at one point. I am not sure the action is too great with these lures…so I wonder how they would work today with this discoloration.
You can be the judge if these baits retain their “lifelike appearance” after being encased for 60+ years….
