July 2010
Chippewa (Pike Size)
Manufactured by Immell Bait and Tackle Co
Blair, WI
1909 - 1915
If you are a lure collector, you will immediately recognize the Chippewa fishing lure.
The Chippewa is a highly sought after lure by collectors for a few reasons. #1) It is an early lure with a very unique design #2) It was only made for a short time, and can be hard to find #3) It is just a cool lure!
The Chippewa is a wood lure with glass eyes and a spinning blade inside of it. Some later plastic lures had a similar design, but the Chippewa was the original.
It came in three sizes, normally called the Bass (3"), Pike (4"), and Musky (5") size. Most have a metal plate on the bottom to help them sink, but some "floaters" have been found. The blade in the lure is marked with the 1910 patent date.
There is not much known about the history of this lure. It was manufactured in Blair, Wisconsin and there was also a partnership of some kind with a nearby company called C.J. Frost of Stevens Point, WI. The rest of the history is a little clouded and uncertain. If you have more knowledge of the history of this lure and company, please contact me!
I bought this lure and several others from a very nice lady in Wadena. She is the lady that coined the phrase "retirement home for lures" and you can read more about it under my topic of "Why Retired Lures".
The Chippewa is one of my favorite lures. And, when I show my lures...it seems to get noticed right away and gets a lot of attention.
In June of 2010, a tornado ripped through the town of Wadena, MN.
I lived in Wadena for 2 years while I went to school and I still have family living near or working in Wadena. So, this month I decided to honor Wadena in a very small way by having a lure I found in this area as my Lure of the Month.
