The "Dowagiac Expert" Perfect Surface Casting Bait

"Slopenose"

    In 1902 Heddon first produced it's first artificial bait.  It was patented on April 1, 1902 and Heddon named it the "Dowagiac Expert".  This bait is most commonly known by collectors as the "slopenose" lure.  The first slopenose's had a drilled hole for the belly hook, small line tie, friction hand painted  red collar with a very crude white paint job with no varnish.  The wood hole was a feature of the Heddon method of attaching hooks to prevent body and paint damage from the hook travel.  The exact date is not known but early in 1902 the blue nose and white body finish was introduced.  Sometime before the end of 1902 season the paint finish was improved and was replaced with enamel paint and varnish.  The collars were hand painted after they were mounted on the bait and usually the red paint was slopped onto the body but this was not always the case.  The 1902 1st edition  Heddon catalogue only listed the Dowagiac Expert in the catalogue.  This is known as the "one lure" catalogue.

1902 Rimless cup hardware and friction collar

  The 1902 second edition and the 1903 catalogue are known as the "three lure" catalogues.  Heddon's second method of hook hanging featured a rimless shallow marine brass cup which helped to protect the wood hole.  Many improvements came quickly for the slopes in 1902 - 1903 and many of these variations for this era have been found.   

1902 -  Rimless shallow marine brass cup and friction collar

  The "Dowagiac No. 2" first appeared in the 1902 second edition of the Heddon catalogue.  It was exactly the same as the "Expert" except that it had four treble hooks.  The catalogue stated that they did not advocate the use of the "No. 2" but offer this pattern to those who hold the false theory of "more hooks, more fish".  

  The third method of Heddon hook hanging utilized a wide brass cup or also known as  rimmed brass cup.  To the best of my knowledge a 1904 catalogue has not yet surfaced and the 1905 catalogue did not offer a four hook version of the expert so I assume the below four hooker rimmed brass cup bait is a 1904 or possibly as early as 1903.  

1903 - 1904 Rimmed Brass Cup

   Many slopenose baits have surfaced with collars that are not the normal deep solid red color.  These collars have a thin coat of translucent red paint and they may even appear to be red orange in color.  Just as the deep red collars these translucent red collars were also hand painted.  After the friction collar stage the collars were held on with one pin on the underneath side of the lure.  The early one pin collar baits had a small brass line tie which would date them back to the 1903 era.  

1903 - Brass Cup, Tail Cap & Small Line Tie - One Pin Translucent Red Collar - 4 1/4" Lg

    Heddon first assigned the Dowagiac Expert to the 200 series in 1905.  The 1905 catalogue listed this bait as the "Dowagiac" Surface Bait No. 200.  Brass hardware was utilized through 1905.  The next change came to the collar.  To better secure the collar they were now held in place by two pins.  One pin is on the top side and the second pin was on the underneath side of the bait.  The collars were still hand painted after they were mounted to the body.  The earlier brass hardware two pin collar bait with a small brass line tie dates these lures back to 1904 .  The later brass hardware two pin collar baits with a nickel plated teardrop line tie dates those baits to the 1905 era.

1905 - Brass Cup, Tail Cap & Teardrop Nickel Line Tie - Two Pin Red Collar - 4 1/2" Lg

  Different color variations of slope's have been found but the Heddon catalogues only listed a blue nose and white body throughout the entire production of the slopenose baits.  Heddon would take special orders and configured or painted different colors upon request.  These color variations are thought to be examples of these special ordered baits.  Only a few of these different color variations have surfaced and they are extremely rare.

  In 1906 Heddon began utilizing nickel plated hardware on all of their baits.  The 1906 catalogue states "All of the metal fittings upon the DOWAGIAC baits, including the hooks, are nickel plated and the spinners are polished to the highest degree of the plater's art."   Lures from the 1906 era through 1910 era were 4 1/2" long and had two treble hooks, one belly and one tail hook. 

1906 - Nickel Plated Hardware

  The 1911 catalogue illustrated the slopenose bait with three treble hooks.  It stated that the lure was now 4 3/4" long with two belly hooks and a tail hook.  The 1911 three hook version was only produced for a short time and they are a much rarer find than the two hook version.

"Dowagiac No. 2"  with 1906 Nickel Plated Hardware

   The 1905 catalogue no longer offered the "Dowagiac No. 2" so why does this four hooker have 1906 nickel plated hardware?  This is the very question I had for Bill Roberts a very respected and knowledgeable collector.  Bill explained that Heddon was in business to sell fishing baits and they used what they had.  This four-hook slopenose was most likely drilled earlier and then passed through the factory and had nickel hardware installed at a later date. 

Beginning of the "Pencil Nose" Series

  The 1912 catalogue stated that the 200 series were available in white body, blue snout and nickel plate collar and frog colors consisting of white belly and green spotted back..  This is the era when the slopenose was coming to an end and the pencil nose series began.  The 1913 catalogue illustrated both the slope nose and pencil nose version for the 200 Surface bait.  They were available in the same colors as 1912 but available with a luminous body for moonlight or night fishing.  The duel illustration remained in the Heddon catalogues through 1916.  The first version of the pencil nose baits had nickel plated collars which were held on by two pins the same as the slope nose baits.  They were now 4 3/4" long and had a tail cap.  

  Around c.1913 the nickel plated collar now had two flanges that the pins went through to secure the collar.  The collar still had no name on them.  Cup hook rigging was used through c.1915.

1913 - "Pencil Nose" - Cup rig - No Name on Collar - Two Pin Flange Collar  - Tail cap

  The 1914 version of the pencil nose surface bait came with more changes.  It still  was 4 3/4" long with cup hook rigging and a tail cap.  The changes were to the collar.  The nickel plated flange collar now had the words "Heddon's Dowagiac" printed on both sides and the collar was held on by three pins.

1914 - Cup rig - Name on Both Sides of Collar - Three Pin Flange Collar  - Tail cap

  1915 brought along more changes for this surface bait.  The hook rigging was changing and the 200 series was now being produce with the new L-rig hook hardware.  The name was still printed on both sides of the collar and was held on with three pins.  They also still utilized the tail cap.

c.1915 - L-rig - Name on Both Sides of Collar - Three Pin Flange Collar  - Tail cap

c. 1915 - Un-cataloged Red - Rare Color

  Another change for the 200 Surface Bait came in c.1923.  The collar now had "Heddon's Dowagiac" printed only on the collar front.  Tail caps were no longer used on the 200 Surface after 1923.

  The later L-rig versions (late 1920's) were the same as above but now the words "Heddon 200 Surface" were stenciled on the belly of the bait.  Also around this era the flange collar is now held onto the body with screw instead of pins.

c.1924 - L- rig - Name on Front Side of Collar - Three Pin Flange Collar  - No Tail cap

  Next after the L-rig hardware came the One Piece Bar hook hardware.  The One Piece Bar hardware was only used for a short period around c.1930 and are difficult to find.  They are considered rare by collectors.  The collar was now unmarked and usually is found with glass eyes.

    The last version of the 200 surface series was in 1933.  They had two piece hook hardware with a three flange unmarked collar with screws that held the collar to the body.  This bait is mostly found with glass eyes and "Heddon 200 Surface" was printed on the belly.

1933 - No Name on Collar - Glass Eyes - Two Piece - Heddon 200 Surface on Belly

  The 200 series Surface Bait was no longer listed in catalogues after 1933 and this great bait finally came to an end and was retired.  

  I am always interested in adding more slopenose's to my collection to continue my research.  If you have any for sale don't hesitate to drop me a line.

Easy Navigation Links

Learn about the world famous Bassman - Clyde A. Harbin Sr.

Heddon Index

CCBCO, Pflueger & Shakespeare Index

South Bend Index

Miscellaneous Subjects

Favorite link Page

E-mail Floyd Roberts from Bottom of Home Page

Copyright © since 2001 by Floyd L. Roberts

All Rights Reserved