March 2009
The Scandinavian Sockaroo
Scandinavian Bait Co
Stillwater, MN
1930s
Being of Scandinavian decent and a resident of Minnesota, choosing my first "Lure Of The Month" was easy.
In Stillwater, MN there was a lure company called the National Bait Company who made a fluted wooden lure with a "metallic core" in the mid 1920s and '30s. Sometime in the 1930's, rumor has it that a few people left this company (or it may have closed) and started the Scandinavian Bait Company, also in Stillwater. They modified the Bass King (the most popular lure they manufactured) and called their new lure "The Scandinavian Sockaroo".
The lure was advertised as "The bait with plenty of vim, vigor and viggle", spoken like a true Scandinavian. As far as I know, this bait was only made in red and white, the hottest lure color of the day (and arguably still is most preferred).
The approximate present day price for this lure is $30 for the lure in very good condition and up to $150 to $200 for the lure and box together. As with some lures, the box for this lure is more valuable than the lure itself!
