Shakespeare Submerged Minnow

Antique Fishing Lures by Floyd Roberts

Shakespeare Minnows

William Shakespeare Jr. started in 1897. In 1905 he purchased the rights and equipment including three patents of the Kalamazoo Fishing Tackle Co. from Mr. Jay Rhodes. The patents were the Jay Rhodes patented Frog, Fred Rhodes patented Perfect Casting Minnow and Bert Rhodes patented Mechanical Rubber Frog.

By 1907 William Shakespeare Jr. consolidated his line of lures with the Rhodes business that he purchased. The Shakespeare Co. was then offering three grades of minnows.

Kazoo Wooden Minnow - Their least expensive minnow was the Kazoo Wooden Minnows. These minnows were inexpensively made and were Shakespeare second line of lures. These lures first appeared in their 1910 catalogues and they all had bow type tube propellers. They had small glass eyes and the hooks were screwed into the lure body. The Kazoo minnows disappeared from their catalogues in the early 1920's.
Rhodes Wooden Minnow - Shakespeare offered the Rhodes Wooden Minnow. They came in 3 or 5 hook versions and had the Rhodes see through hook hardware. The Shakespeare Rhodes minnows were made of the same high grade materials and finishes as all of the other Shakespeare minnows. They were identically made except the Rhodes minnows had round bodies and they are usually found with Rhodes propellers. Starting in 1910 Shakespeare used Flat Plate hook hangers on these minnows. The Rhodes Wooden Minnow had disappeared from the Shakespeare catalogues by 1923.
Shakespeare Wooden Minnow - Shakespeare's Top-of-the-line minnow was the Shakespeare Wooden Minnows. They were available in many different styles, sizes and in 3 or 5 hook versions. The early minnows had "Gem-Clip" see through hook hardware, brass cups and "A" style propellers with high forehead bodies. Later the bodies were rounded off but they all still had shaped bodies.

Not Illustrated	*c.1905 "A" style propeller* Also known as "One Hump" propeller.
	*c.1907 Rhodes Propeller* The Rhodes propeller were used on the early Shakespeare Rhodes Minnows
	*c.1908 "B" style propeller* Also known as "Notched" or "Two Hump" propeller.
	*c.1911 Pointed End "Plain" propeller*
	*c.1920's "Marked" propeller*

Shakespeare and Pflueger "Gem Clip" Hardware - It is very easy to get confused between early Shakespeare and early Pflueger minnows. From 1905 thru 1910 both companies used "Gem Clip" see through hook hardware. Shakespeare had a patent dispute over the Gem Clip hardware against Enterprise Manufacturing Co. (Pflueger) and took them to court over this matter. The Gem Clip hardware was originally patent by Rhodes in 1904 then Shakespeare acquired all rights when William Shakespeare Jr. purchased the Kalamazoo Company. Shakespeare finally won the patent dispute in 1910.

Shakespeare "Flat Plate" Hardware - After Shakespeare won the Gem Clip patent dispute in 1910 they changed the design of their hook hardware. In 1911 Shakespeare changed to "Flat Plate" hardware and used flat plate hardware for all of their minnows.

*Gem Clip Hardware*	*Flat Plate Hardware*

Gem Clip Orientation - The Gem Clip is easily recognized by looking at the orientation of the internal clip. Note the clip is in the vertical position inside the cup. You can see all the way thru the cup very easy with this hardware.
Flat Plate Orientation - The Flat Plate hardware can be recognized by the horizontal orientation of the flat plate inside the cup. It is also possible to see all the way thru the cup with this hardware.

Orientation of the Internal Clip Hardware

Gem Clip - Vertical Orientation	Flat Plate - Horizontal Orientation

Rhodes Wooden Minnow

Rhodes Torpedo #33 - This lure is 3" long, two propellers and has 3 treble hooks (two opposite side hooks and a tail hook). This lure often gets confused with the Heddon Killer but the see thru Gem Clip hardware identifies this lure.
Rhodes Wooden Minnow #33 - This lure is 3" long and has a round body. It has two propellers and 3 treble hooks ( two opposite side hooks and one tail hook).
Rhodes Wooden Minnow #43 - The early version of this round body lure measured 3 1/4" long until 1910 then it measured 3 3/4". It has two propellers and 3 treble hooks (two opposite side hooks and one tail hook). The #43 did not show up in the 1913 catalogue.
Rhodes Wooden Minnow #44 - This round body lure measure 3 3/4" long, two propellers and 5 treble hooks (four opposite side hooks and one tail hook).

Rhodes Wooden Minnow #33

c.1907 - c.1910 Rhodes Minnow measures 3" long. It has Gem Clip hook hardware with Rhodes propellers.

Rhodes Wooden Minnow #44

c.1907 - c.1909 Rhodes Minnow measures 3 3/4" long and has Gem Clip hardware. It has yellow glass eyes and Rhodes propellers.

Shakespeare Wooden Minnows

Submerged Wooden Minnow #03 - This was a short, stocky 3 hook lure that measured 1 3/4" long. It had two side and one tail treble hooks, two propellers and was usually found with pointed props and Flat Plate hardware. Priced at 50¢ in the 1910 catalogue.
Floating Wooden Minnow #31 - The early (c.1907) version was 3 3/4" long and had one belly hook and one tail hook. It had front and rear propellers. The next version (c.1910) was 3 1/2" long.
Submerged Wooden Minnow #33 - This lure had two side hooks and a tail hook, two propellers and was 3" long. Priced at 50¢ in the 1909 catalogue.
Floating Wooden Minnow #42 - This lure featured a more streamlined body with two belly hooks and one tail hook, two propellers and was 3 3/4" long. Priced at 55¢ in the 1909 catalogue.
Submerged Wooden Minnow #43 - This 3 hook lure had two side hooks and one tail hook, two propellers and featured a #44 body (3 3/4). Priced at 50¢ in the 1910 catalogue.
Submerged Wooden Minnow #44 - This 5 hook lure had four side hooks and one tail hook and the early version (c.1907) was 3 3/4" long. The later c.1908 version was 3 5/8" long. Priced at 60¢ in the 1909 catalogue.
Floating Wooden Minnow #51 - The early version (c.1908) musky lure had one belly hook and a tail hook, two propellers and was 4 1/2" long. The next version (c.1910) was 4 1/4" long. Priced at 65¢ in the 1909 catalogue.
Submerged Wooden Minnow #53 - This 3 hook large musky lure had two side hooks and a tail hook, two propellers and was 5 1/8" long. Priced at 65¢ in the 1909 catalogue.
Musky Minnow #64 - This 5 hook musky lure had four opposite side hooks and one tail hook, two propellers and was 5 1/4" long. Priced at 70¢ in the 1909 catalogue.
Shiner #23 - This 3 hook lure measures 2 1/2" long with two side hooks and a tail hook and only has "one nose propeller". A "feathered tail hook" also helps to identify this lure.
Shiner #43 - This lure has the same characteristics as the #23 except the body is 3 3/4" long.
Slim Jim #52 - This bait has two belly mounted treble hooks and it was first introduced in catalogs in 1924 and was made into the 1950's. In 1924 & 1925 it was 4-7/16" long and c.1926 it became 4-1/2" long. The lure number changed to 6552 in c.1930.

	Shiner #23 This c.1908 lure measure 2 1/2" long. It has "B" style propeller and "Gem Clip" hardware. The Tail Feathers and Single Nose Propeller identify this lure.
	Submerged Wooden Minnow #33 This c.1908 lure measures 3" long and has "Gem Clip" hardware with "B" style propellers. Hand painted gill marks extend to the cups.
	Submerged Wooden Minnow #33 c.1911 lure measures 3" long and has "Flat Plate" hardware with B style propellers. Hand painted gill marks extend to the cups.
	Submerged Wooden Minnow #33 1911 lure measures 3" long and has "Flat Plate" hardware with pointed ends "Plain" propellers. The gill marks extend behind the eyes.
	Submerged Wooden Minnow #44 This c.1908 lure measures 3 3/4" long and has "Gem Clip" hardware with "B" style propellers. Hand painted gill marks extend to the cups.
	*Submerged Wooden Minnow #44* 1911 minnow is 3 5/5" long with Flat Plate hardware. It also has "Plain" unmarked propellers. The gill marks extend behind the eyes.
	*Slim Jim #52* This 1924/25 Slim Jim is 4-7/16" long an has two belly treble hooks. It has the typical 1902's marked propellers.

Kazoo Minnows

Kazoo Minnow #33 - This low budget lure has 3 treble hooks (two opposite side hooks and one tail hook), two Rhodes propellers and measured 3" long.
Kazoo Minnow #44 - This low budget lure has 5 treble hooks (four opposite side hooks and a tail hook), two Rhodes propellers and is 3 3/4" long.

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