By Joe Cermele

Ah, mouse lures. They're super effective and really fun to use, because any fish willing to make a move on a helpless, swimming rodent has got to be worth catching. This particular mouse was entered into our vintage tackle contest by Josh Wiedel, who bought it at an auction. Lucky for Josh, Dr. Todd Larson of the The Whitefish Press and "Fishing For History" blog knows his mice.

Dr. Todd says:

"One of the best big bass (and brown trout) baits are artificial mice, and tackle makers have been trying to build the better mouse lure for a hundred years. You have one of the great mouse lures ever made, the Meadow Mouse Spook manufactured by the legendary James Heddon Sons company of Dowagiac, Mich. Originally made in wood and introduced in 1929, the "flocked" fur finish of your lure became available in the mid-1930s. The plastic Meadow Mouse Spook was introduced in the mid-1950s. It was a fine fish catcher and one of the more iconic of Heddon's lures. It is worth $10-$20 and should still have no problem catching late summer bass."

It's August, Josh. Pick a windless evening and launch that thing around the pads. Listen for a toilet flush. Set. Fight. Thanks for sending, and enjoy the Berkley Digital Tournament Scale that's headed your way.

If you've already sent me photos of your vintage tackle, keep checking every Thursday to see if I chose it for an appraisal by Dr. Todd. If you haven't and want to enter the contest, email photos of your old tackle to fstackle@gmail.com, along with your name, mailing address, and story of how you acquired the gear. If I use it in a Thursday post, you get a Berkley Digital Tournament Scale (left, $40).

Comments (5)

from buckhunter wrote 41 weeks 3 days ago

It's a wonder you don't see more mice lures on the shelves.

They give a whole new meaning to the James Cagney line, "You dirty rat!"

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from DSMbirddog wrote 41 weeks 2 days ago

Mouse lures aren't hard to find in the bigger stores. Most now are the hollw squishy variety with a weedless double hook tucked up on the belly.

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from SCFP wrote 41 weeks 2 days ago

I have one of those vintage Meadow Mouse Spooks; dug it out of one of my 5 tackle boxes this Spring - 1 which I hadn't even opened in years & added it to the lures in my current 'favorite' TB. I've used it a few times since and it's taken 3 nice bass, the biggest just under 4 lbs. I've had the thing about 35 years, but as I said, hadn't used it in a LONG time. Just adds more credence to the argument that these old vintage lures are STILL very effective if used right. I have taken a LOT of bass this year, and many of them - including virtually all of the LARGER ones - have fallen for old, vintage lures, of one type or another - many of these lures I've had for 30 to 40 YEARS. They're almost all AMERICAN MADE and are worth their weight in gold to me; I wouldn't give you 2 CENTS for most of the 'modern versions' of these same lures, produced largely in various Asian locations - cheaply-made knock-offs, which either aren't balanced correctly, or don't have the proper buoyancy, or simply don't act the same upon retrieve that their older "vintage ancestors" did/do. I thank my lucky stars that I had the foresight (and the cash at the time, as well) to stockpile a good supply of these old gems in my younger years.

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from Matt McKinney wrote 41 weeks 2 days ago

Very cool lure! Is a Jitterbug not meant to be a mouse? Absolutely right about old style tackle being just as good as most of the new; Rooster Tails and broken-back Rapala classic minnows are sure bets.

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from SubMOAnut wrote 41 weeks 1 day ago

Just looked up hard body mouse lures, the first hit was $75. Next up, a gold plated rattle trap.

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from SCFP wrote 41 weeks 2 days ago

I have one of those vintage Meadow Mouse Spooks; dug it out of one of my 5 tackle boxes this Spring - 1 which I hadn't even opened in years & added it to the lures in my current 'favorite' TB. I've used it a few times since and it's taken 3 nice bass, the biggest just under 4 lbs. I've had the thing about 35 years, but as I said, hadn't used it in a LONG time. Just adds more credence to the argument that these old vintage lures are STILL very effective if used right. I have taken a LOT of bass this year, and many of them - including virtually all of the LARGER ones - have fallen for old, vintage lures, of one type or another - many of these lures I've had for 30 to 40 YEARS. They're almost all AMERICAN MADE and are worth their weight in gold to me; I wouldn't give you 2 CENTS for most of the 'modern versions' of these same lures, produced largely in various Asian locations - cheaply-made knock-offs, which either aren't balanced correctly, or don't have the proper buoyancy, or simply don't act the same upon retrieve that their older "vintage ancestors" did/do. I thank my lucky stars that I had the foresight (and the cash at the time, as well) to stockpile a good supply of these old gems in my younger years.

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from buckhunter wrote 41 weeks 3 days ago

It's a wonder you don't see more mice lures on the shelves.

They give a whole new meaning to the James Cagney line, "You dirty rat!"

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from DSMbirddog wrote 41 weeks 2 days ago

Mouse lures aren't hard to find in the bigger stores. Most now are the hollw squishy variety with a weedless double hook tucked up on the belly.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Matt McKinney wrote 41 weeks 2 days ago

Very cool lure! Is a Jitterbug not meant to be a mouse? Absolutely right about old style tackle being just as good as most of the new; Rooster Tails and broken-back Rapala classic minnows are sure bets.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from SubMOAnut wrote 41 weeks 1 day ago

Just looked up hard body mouse lures, the first hit was $75. Next up, a gold plated rattle trap.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

Post a Comment

 

All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.