Heddon Hardware

Heddon Hook Hangers

Cup Rig :  One of the earliest Heddon style of hook hangers was the cup rig.  It was primarily designed to prevent the hook travel from damaging the paint finish of the lure body.  Heddon began using cup hook rigging in 1903 and exclusively utilized cup rigging through 1914 when they started to phase out the cup rig and began using L hook rigging.  By 1916 the transaction was complete and cup rigging was no longer utilized.  Along the way there were several versions of the cup rigging such as brass cup, nickel cup, deep cup or shallow cup but the basic design were all the same.

Cup Rig

1903 - 1914

"L" Rig :  The next style of hook hanger was the L-rig.  It was designed to screw into the body just as the cup with the addition of a humped arm that went over the cup lip and onto the body.  It was held in place with a second screw.  It was in use in 1914 but did not appear in catalogues until 1916.  The L-rig design gave the hook more holding power to the lure and the cup just as the previous version prevent hook travel from damaging the lure body.

L-Rig

c.1914-c.1934

Toilet Seat :  The following hook hanger was called the toilet seat.  It got it's name from the shape of the hardware.  It was made of heavy metal and held in place with two screws.  In came in use around 1927 until c.1936.  It was used on many early plastic lures such as the Luny Frog and Spook lures.

Toilet Seat

c.1927 - c.1936

Two Piece or Flap Rig :  The next hook hardware was the "Two piece" or also known as the "Flap rig".  It came into use around 1937 until 1945 after WWII.  It first appeared on the cover of the 1937 catalogue.  It was made of heavy metal and held in place with two screws.

Two Piece

c.1937-1944

Surface Rig :  The last version of hook hardware was the "Surface Rig".  It came into use after WWII around 1949 when Heddon began producing lures again.  It was a one piece metal stamping held in place with two screws.  This style of hanger was less expensive to manufacture.

Surface Rig

Began 1949

Heddon Line Ties

Pig Tail Line Tie :  The pig tail line tie came before the inchworm line tie.  It was only used for a short time c.1914 - c.1916.  Examples of this line tie have been found on the Deep Diving Wiggler, Near Surface Wiggler, Crab Wiggler and some Ice Decoys.

Pig Tail

c.1914 - c.1916

Inchworm Line Tie :  The inchworm line tie began after the pig tail around 1916 and had disappeared by 1920.  Examples of the inchworm have been found on the same lure bodies as the pig tail line tie.

Inchworm

c.1916 - c.1920

Heddon Tail Hook Hangers

Long Loop :  The long loop tail hook hook hanger is found on early Heddon, Vampires.  It was Patented by Stolley on August 20, 1918.    

Long Loop

Early Vampires

Short Loop :  The short loop tail hook hanger is found mostly on later Vamps but has been found on other Heddon lures.  It was a Stolley Patent issued August 1, 1922.  This tail hook design had disappeared when the surface rig appeared.

Short Loop

Vamps

Two Piece :   The two piece tail hook hanger was found on many Heddon baits.  The Two Piece tail hook Hanger stayed around until 1949.  It was also a Stolley Patent issued August 20, 1918.

Two Piece

Heddon Propeller Stages

Heddon Unmarked :  The Heddon unmarked propeller were an early Heddon propeller.   They are found on most early Heddon cup rig minnows.   They were used between 1904 - 1912

Heddon Unmarked

Heddon Marked :  These propellers were marked with the words "Heddon Dowagiac" on their propellers. They started using them in 1912 and continued to use this propeller through out the years.

Heddon Marked

"Unmarked Heddon Round End" Style Propellers :  This propeller is Heddon made.  It is very similar to South Bend unmarked blunt end props but Heddon used this style propeller at least 10 years before South Bend.  They have been found on lures that Heddon made for "non Heddon company's such as V. L. & A., Tryon and the Fletcher company.

Unmarked Round End

Heddon "Stanley" Propeller (early) :  Heddon purchased the Stanley company in the early 1920's.  This Heddon Stanley propeller is a early version.  Note the plain Heddon/Stanley stamp.

Early Stanley

Heddon "Stanley" Propeller :  The Heddon Stanley prop was added to many of the Heddon products.  They were first used on the #70 Weedless Pork-Rind lure c.1923 and they were continued to be used through out the years.

Later Stanley

Heddon Hardware Chronological Listing by the Bassman

  The two bottom charts are numbered illustrations of Heddon hardware along with descriptions.  The Heddon descriptions were all developed by Mr. Clyde A. Harbin the Bassman.  Mr. Harbin's close friend and fishing partner Mr. Robert Edward Ferguson did the artwork.

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