Recently came across this vintage lure collection and was wondering if any of them were worth anything, rare, etc. I am new to fishing and collecting and not sure how to look these up. A lot are unmarked some say Japan and few other names. Thanks!

For years I've been reading "What's it Worth?" in Bassmaster. I'm continually surprised at how little most vintage tackle is worth.

I may be wrong, but I'm gonna guess that their real value is on the end of your line catching fish.

Yeah well many many vintage lures sell for a lot of money on ebay, they are highly collectible so you never know which vintage lures could be worth a lot. People pay hundreds of dollars every day for old tackle boxes with lures, ive seen dozens of individual lures go for $200 + in just a few weeks. I know people who have sold vintage lures for $2,000 just for one lure so better to ask =) I buy em whenever i see them if they are cheap now, guess i should get a few books.

I hope you're right. Best of luck.

It takes a pretty special piece, though, to be worth a lot. You have some old Bombers in there that might be worth investigating, there are a couple of old minnow baits in there, too. Most, though, are as stated- they're worth the most at the end of your line catching fish.

Thanks for the info

If you're collecting/asking what they're worth, get some collectors books before you buy them

I agree with Hooligan. Those bombers may be worth looking into.

The Heddon Sonics (the little rattle traps with the oversized fins) might be worth quite a few bucks if you list them as a 'lot'.

If the jitterbug is a wooden one then you should be able to get around $10-20 for it on ebay.

Let us know how you do.

Are you sure you want to sell them?? I got into collecting old fishing lures and tackle. Its a good fun hobby i can do with the misses while going to tag sales and flea markets. You have a good head start there already....

That heddon fish thats yellow with the lightening z on it was the very first lure i caught a bass on one sping.

Checkout ebay to see what some are worth.

Anyone know what the rattlebait is in the upper left? The eyes look smithwick like, might be worth something to smithwick collectors.

The wigglewart could fetch you a few bucks for sure. I'd keep them on display if it were me, worth $ or not. Old baits look cool.

Yeah i decided to keep them for now I only paid $50 for the entire lot plus got a ton of other free stuff in the deal. Seems like some of them might be worth some money based on what you guys said and from some recent research I did. Im going to use some of the newer/less valuable ones to fish and display the rest in old/vintage tackle boxes i find.

It is def fun hunting around for old fishing stuff. I almost always buy any tackle boxes i find, i take out the good stuff and then i resell the tackle boxes as starter fishing kits or just the empty tackle boxes and make a lot of my money back, sometimes a profit. Good way to fund my hobby!

I have no idea what these lures are worth. OTOH, I can tell you that I used most of them earlier in my life. I have no idea how many bass I caught on a Heddon Sonic. Then I caught many on a Cordell Spot which is still made. I never caught much on a flatfish, but did catch quite a few on a bomber and some on a Hellbender. Jitterbugs are still made, but I caught more on black than yellow. Devilshorse is still made and I caught lots on that lure in the Spring. In 1971, I caught my first 4lb bass using baitcasting reel (Abu Garcia 5000) on a LIttle George.

So these lures are now vintage antiques. I guess at 57, I'm getting up there, but these lures worked very well in the late 1960's and early 1970's. I have fairly recently used some like the Devilshorse and Spot.

it looks like there is around 50 baits there, if you only spent 50 dollars on them you could easily double or triple your money.

you cant buy a used, new, or antique lure for less than 2 dollars on ebay. not to mention some have got to be worth 5-10 dollars a piece.

sell them and make 2-3 times your money back, or keep them and just admire them.

search google for tackle collecting forums, i followed one for awhile but slowly got out of that hobby. the forums will help you a lot in how to determine prices, condition, if they are real or not, etc etc.

My dad gave me his old tackle box and there area a lot of lures in it that are nearly identical to the ones pictured, only with some color variations. I never considered that they may be valuable. They only go back to the 70's and 80's. I was about to sell the whole lot along with the tackle box on Craigslist for $20. Maybe I should hang on to it.

I always assumed valuable lures would be wooden ones that are 5+ years old.

Those old Bombers and Hellbenders are good bass cathing lures and that is worth a lot. Looks like you might have some Hot Spots also.

Yeah even the more common vintage lures can be worth money I am finding out. Thanks for the info everyone I'll be sure to use some of them and just hold on to the rest for now!