By Doug Bucha, Antique tackle historian

1907 Pflueger 3-hook Underwater MinnowThe Pflueger Manufacturing Company was one of the six largest fishing tackle manufacturing companies in the United States during the 20th century, all of which originated in Michiana.

The other companies that were a part of the "big six" were South Bend, Paw Paw, Heddon (Dowagiac), Shakespeare (Kalamazoo), and Creek Chub (Garrett, Ind.).

The company started out as the American Fish Hook Company in 1864. They manufactured fishhooks only, as the name implies. In 1886 the company was incorporated and renamed the Enterprise Manufacturing Company of Akron, OH, and under the leadership of Ernest F. Pflueger, the company changed its logo to "Pflueger" at the turn of the century.

Their first lures were made of metal, glass and rubber. Many of these early lures were covered with a luminous paint which, by today's standards, would be classified as hazardous materials.

Rubber was a relatively new material and gaining popularity in Akron, so Pflueger saw an opportunity to manufacture many of its lures from rubber in the late 1800s. (The city would go on to become the capital of the tire making industry in the U. S.)

In the early 1900's, Pflueger decided to create wooden fishing lures. This was done in order to compete with the rising popularity of the wooden "underwater minnows" offered by South Bend, Heddon, and Shakespeare. In addition, the company would soon become the largest reel manufacturing company in the United States, and probably the world.

As time went on, Pflueger sold to Shakespeare of Kalamazoo in the 1960s, which also bought the Paw Paw Bait Company at the same time. You can still find tackle manufactured today with the Pflueger name on it.

Many of the wooden underwater minnows discovered in old tackle boxes today are officially classified as antiques since they are more than 100 years old. Although underwater minnows are still popular among collectors, their values have dropped dramatically to one quarter of what they were attracting 10 years ago.

The photo with this story is a 1907 Pflueger 3-hook underwater minnow in a fancy finish to resemble a brook trout. The accompanying box indicates the lure is from the King Fisher Company, but Pflueger manufactured the lure for King Fisher like they did for other companies over the years.

(Contact Bucha at ndbucha@yahoo.com)