South Bend Manufacture Dates

Antique Fishing Lures by Floyd Roberts

South Bend Minnows

#903 & #904 Underwater Minnow - The 903 & 904 minnows were made exactly the same. They both measure 3" long and have 3 treble hooks (2 side and 1 tail). The only difference between these lures was the lure finish. In 1924 the #904 was no longer listed and all the finishes were assigned to the #903. In 1914 the #903 sold for 50¢ and the #904 sold for 55¢. The #904 was made from 1912 thru 1922 and the #903 was made from 1912 thru 1939.

*#903 - 1914 Colors*	*#904 - 1914 Colors*
Rainbow	White Body, Red & Green Spots
Yellow Perch	Yellow Body, Red & Green Spots
Green Cracked Back	Red Body, Black Spots
Sienna Cracked Back	Imitation Frog Color
Red Cracked Back
White Body, Bark Shaded Back
Red Body, Dark Shaded Back
Solid White
White Body, Red Head and Tail
Solid Aluminum

#905 & #906 Underwater Minnow - The 905 & 906 minnows were made exactly the same. They both measured 3 5/8" long and had 5 treble hooks (4 side and 1 tail). The difference between these lures was the lure finish just like the #903 & #904. In 1924 the #906 was no longer listed and all the finishes were assigned to the #905. In 1914 they both sold for .65¢. The #906 was made from 1912 thru 1922 and the #905 was made from 1914 thru 1939.

*#905 - 1914 Colors*	*#906 - 1914 Colors*
Rainbow	White Body, Red & Green Spots
Yellow Perch	Yellow Body, Red & Green Spots
Green Cracked Back	Red Body, Black Spots
Sienna Cracked Back	Imitation Frog Color
Red Cracked Back
White Body, Bark Shaded Back
Red Body, Dark Shaded Back
Solid White
White Body, Red Head
White Body, Red Head and Tail
Solid Aluminum

#913 Panetella Minnow - The #913 Panetella Minnow was made from 1912 thru 1942. It was 4 1/4" long with 2 side treble hooks and a treble tail hook. They were manufactured with glass eyes and tack eyes. The early Panetella's did not have a tail cap they added brass painted tail caps later on. The purpose of the tail cap was to prevent the thin tail from splitting. In 1926 they modified this lure by moving the side hooks to the belly.
#915 Panetella Minnow - The #915 Panetella Minnow was made from 1914 thru 1942. This minnow was the same as the #913 except it had 4 side treble hooks and a treble hook. In 1914 the 5 hook version was listed under the #913 Panetella as a special order bait for an additional 10¢ and was supplied in all the standard colors.

*#913 - 1914 Colors*	*#913 & #915 - 1921 Colors*
Green Cracked Back, White Belly	Green Cracked Back, White Belly
Rainbow Color	Rainbow Color
Yellow Perch	Yellow Perch
White Body, Dark Shaded Back	White Body, Dark Shaded Back
Red Body, Dark Shaded Back	Red Body, Dark Shaded Back
White Body, Red Head	White Body, Red Head
	Scale Finish
	Red Head, Aluminum
	Imitation Frog Color
	Scale Finish, Red Blend
	Gold Finish, Red Head
	Red Head, White Body

#933 & #934 Worden Combination Minnow - The #933 was produced from 1912 - 1925 and the #934 was produced from 1914 - 1921. The #934 was the same as the #933 but came in Hex patterns with different colored buck tails. The early Worden Minnows had "B" notched front propeller with hand painted gill marks with either white, white & brown or white & gray buck tails. The second version had unmarked pointed front propeller.

*South Bend Propeller Stages*
Not Illustrated	*c.1910 - c1912 Notched (Shakespeare) Propeller* The first South Bend minnows had propellers that were identical to the Shakespeare "Two Hump or B Style" propeller. These lures are most likely found with the "Early Shallow Cup" hook hardware.
	c.1912 - c.1915 Unmarked Pointed End Propeller This propeller is unmarked and the ends come more to a sharp point. The early (1912 - 1913) South Bend lures with unmarked pointed end propellers most likely have "shallow cup" hook rigging and the later lures have the "standard cup" hook rigging.
	*c.1915 - 1920 Unmarked (Heddon) Blunt End Propeller* These early South Bend minnows had propellers that were identical to the "Unmarked Heddon Round End" propellers that Heddon used on lures they made for Non-Heddon company's.
	*c.1920 - 1942 Marked Blunt End Propeller* In South Bend's 1920 catalogue they showed a #901 Midget Underwater Minnow which had marked South Bend propellers. This is why it is believed that the marked blunt end propellers began at this time. This propeller is still identical to the previous stage but now it has the words South Bend stamped on them.
	Later Unmarked Pointed End Propeller This pointed end propeller is identical to the early pointed end propellers. I found this example on a #915 Penetella "tack eye" 1942 minnow.

*Hook Hardware Stages*
	Screw Eye Hardware 1912 - 1918 Screw eye hardware the eye was bent closed and the hooks could not be easily changed.
	Easy-Off (early) Hardware 1919 - c.1924 South Bend changed to easy-off hook hardware in 1919. It look very much like the screw eye that had been bent open. This was done to allow the fisherman to easily change hooks.
	Easy-Off (later) Hardware c.1925 - 1950 In the mid 1920's the easy-off hook hardware now was cut to a sharp point. It now looked more like a fish hook.

Cup Hardware - The early minnows had "Shallow Cup" hook hardware. They began using the "Standard Cup" hardware c.1914 and continued to use this hardware until 1950 when the Surface Rig era began.
Painted Cups - South Bend began painting their cups around c.1933 and continue to painting them until c.1942.
Glass Eyes to Tack Eyes - After 1936 the transition from glass eyes to tack eyes had been completed.
Hook Placement - It can be difficult to differentiate early Heddon underwater minnows from South Bend underwater minnows that have unmarked propellers because they both have the same basic line ties and identical cup hook hardware. The difference in these minnows can be seen in the hook placement. Heddon lures the left hook is forward and South Bend minnows the right hook is forward.

Hook Placement

Confusion of Hook Placement on South Bend Baits

Left Hook Forward Baits - South Bend underwater minnows have surfaced which have the left hook forward instead of the right hook forward. Recently an experienced South Bend collector e-mailed me pictures of an #903 & #905 minnow that had the left hook forward. Both of these lures were in rainbow color and had marked blunt end propellers. I also purchased a #905 lure in rainbow color with early easy-off hardware, marked blunt end propellers that has the left hook forward. All of these lures are definitely South Bend. I have been unsuccessful in finding any evidence that South Bend manufactured their underwater minnows with the left hook forward. I do not believe that South Bend intentionally made these minnows with the left hook forward but the fact still remains that these lures have been found.

I have a theory of why South Bend minnows have the left hook forward. I believe it may be the result of "Poor Quality Control". It think is entirely possible that the bait was put in the drill jig upside down and drilled incorrectly. From points of measurements taken from a left hook forward baits the measurements were an identical mirror of the #903 & #905 minnows.

If anyone has more information of why the left hook forward or can add to my theory please drop me line. Your assistance will be greatly appreciated.

	Underwater #903 Minnow (1922 - 1925) Red with a black nose was a rare color for this lure. This lure has marked blunt end propellers, unpainted cups and easy-off hook hardware.
	Underwater #905 Minnow (1920 - 1925) This lure has marked blunt end propellers, glass eyes, unpainted cups and easy-off hook hardware.
	Penetella #913 Minnow (1920 - 1925) This lure has marked blunt end propellers, easy-off hardware, unpainted cups and a tail cap.
	Penetella #915 Minnow (1942) This lure has unmarked pointed end propellers, painted cups, sharp easy-off hook hardware. South Bend is stenciled on the back.
	Worden Combination #933 Minnow (1925) This lure has marked propeller and later version easy-off hook hardware. The red head, white body color is a tough color.

South Bend also made lures for Hibbard, Spencer & Bartlett Company of Chicago. These lures can best be identified by the propellers. They stamped the propellers with their trademark "OVB" (Our Very Best) on them.

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