South Bend Lures

A storied name in the fishing tackle sector is South Bend Lures. John H. Weed, a well-known businessman and fisherman, founded the corporation in South Bend, Indiana, in 1906.

Weed began creating fishing lures as a pastime, but his creations quickly developed a reputation for their fine craftsmanship and success in luring game fish like bass and pike. This resulted in the founding of the South Bend Bait Company, which rose to prominence as a producer of fishing gear.

The Oreno, the Bass-Oreno, and the Pike-Oreno are just a few of the new lures that South Bend Lures has introduced over the years. The Bass-weedless Oreno’s hook and the Pike-jointed Oreno’s body were just two examples of the distinctive designs and characteristics that made these lures stand out.

Moreover, South Bend Lures made a substantial contribution to the growth of fishing as a sport. The business supported a number of fishing competitions and exhibitions to promote the activity and show off the potency of their lures.

South Bend Fly-oreno

South Bend Fly-oreno

The South Bend Fly-oreno Lure has its roots in the South Bend Bait Company, a renowned fishing tackle manufacturer founded in 1906 in South Bend, Indiana. The company was established by Frank G....

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South Bend Two – Oreno

South Bend Two – Oreno

South Bend had a lot of lures that shared numbers over time, including the South Bend Two Oreno Lure, which was a series model number 975 and for some reason shared a model number with a King Andy...

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South Bend Babe Oreno

South Bend Babe Oreno

The South Bend Babe Oreno is a vintage fishing lure that was first produced in the 1930s by the South Bend Bait Company. The lure was popular among fishermen for its realistic design and durability....

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South Bend Callmac Bug

South Bend Callmac Bug

For twenty years the Callmac Bug was produced (1921-1941 or 42). Designed for flyrods they had a cork body and a single hook. A South Bend Catalog describes them as: "The famous Callmax Bass and...

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South Bend Nip-I-Diddee

South Bend Nip-I-Diddee

The South Bend Nip-I-Diddee was first seen in the Late 1940's and was a very popular south bend lure. It went through many variations of hardware and hooks so there are many versions available. It...

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South Bend Woodpecker

South Bend Woodpecker

The South Bend Woodpecker (Catalog Series 923-926) are generally found with a red head and white or luminous body. The body length is approx 4 3/4 inches, 3 treble hooks as shown below and a smaller...

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South Bend Spin-I-Diddee

South Bend Spin-I-Diddee

The South Bend Spin-I-Diddee produced until the mid 60's by South Bend. It was available with treble hooks and sometimes a double hook. It is very similar to the Wee-Nippee but slighlty smaller....

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South Bend Babe-Oreno

South Bend Babe-Oreno

The South Bend Babe-Oreno (Catalog Model # 972) is a very early South Bend Lure. First produced in the mid 1910's it was available through to the mid 1960's. A great selling lure, it must have...

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South Bend Bass-Oreno

South Bend Bass-Oreno

The South Bend Bass-Oreno (No 973) first entered the lure market in the mid 1910's. As a lure it had a long lifespan being produced well into the 1960's The lure had three treble hooks and was...

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South Bend Wee-Nippee

South Bend Wee-Nippee

The South Bend Wee-Nippee was a short lived lure for South Bend, made from 1952 and 1953.  at 2 3/8" long it wighs 3/8 of an ounce. it comes with two double or treble hooks.   It had two spinners,...

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