Many anglers often question if the lures on the expensive end are any better than cheaper ones and if there are worth the extra money paid for them.
In this article, you will find if expensive lures are worth it and if the quality of your lure matters.
Here Is If Expensive Lures Are Worth It
Expensive Lures are worth it in terms of their durability, balance, quality, and other features.
However, when it comes to how well they catch fish, they might not be worth your extra money. There’s no guarantee that expensive lures will catch bigger and more fish than cheap lures.
Does Lure Quality Matter?
When it comes to fishing, the quality of lures you are using does not matter. What matters is your fishing skill and confidence in the particular lure you are using.
Nevertheless, there are cases where the quality of your lure would matter, and that depends on what exactly you are looking for in that lure.
When Your Lure Quality Matter
If you want lures that would last you for a pretty long time, then the quality should matter.
Good quality lures can survive being bitten a lot of times without extreme damage and wear off. They are painted with good quality paints and won’t peel off easily.
Their hooks are not left out as they are also of good quality and will not rust quickly.
Also, if you are after lures that look more natural, with good balance, realistic colors, and aesthetic features, you may need to consider the quality of the lures.
When Your Lure Quality Does Not Matter
On the other hand, the quality of lures will not matter if you are not after any special features or long-lasting lures.
When all you need is just a lure that can be cast into the water and is capable of catching fish like any other lure, you will have to worry less about the quality.
What Is The Most Expensive Lure?
There are quite a lot of expensive lures costing hundreds of dollars in the market. They have high price tags either because that is their original market price for being of high quality or merely because they are old and rare antiques.
Most Expensive Lure Sold At Its Original Price
Attributing the title of the most expensive lure to one particular lure sold at its original price may be unrealistic.
This is because fishing lures have a very high demand in the market, and new ones are constantly being produced.
So you should not be surprised if you find that there are varying opinions on the most expensive lure. That’s because the most expensive lure today will become the second most expensive if a more expensive one is produced the following day.
However, one of the most expensive lures to buy for its original price is the Roman Made Mother Chaser swimbait.
The Roman Made Mother Chaser swimbait is one of the popular swimbait in the market. The company that manufactures the lure is located in Japan and is owned by Mr. Takeyama. It has amazing features and a neat finish look.
The Mother Chaser is handmade and crafted out of wood with good stability to trigger a different reaction from fish. Also, it has a silicone pad in the joint area so that as it wiggles, it does not make any loud sound.
The Roman Made Mother Chaser Swimbait is popular for its incredible features, neat carving, and high price in the market. It cost about $1000.
Most Expensive Antique Lures
Other antique lures have been sold higher than their original estimated price. They are mainly purchased to be added to expensive collections and not for fishing purposes.
Here is a list of some of the most expensive lures ever sold, including their prices
- Giant Haskell Minnow
The Giant Haskel Minnow was made in 1859 by an Ohio gunsmith named Riley Haskel. It is one of its kind as it is the biggest of other rare Haskell Minnows.
It is made of copper, ten inches long, and has fish scales and fin design.
Although other Minnow lures have been collected, the Giant Haskel Minnow stands out from other lures made by Haskel because of its auctioned price. It was auctioned in 2003 at Lang’s Discovery Auction for $101,200.
There are many reports that it is still the most expensive lure made in the US and sold for $101,200.
- Shakespeare Muskellunge Minnow
The Shakespeare Muskellunge Minnow has three hooks and one propeller. It is one of the most expensive lures ever sold, although there are other lures sold at a much higher price.
It was made by the legendary lure maker, William Shakespeare Jr. The estimated final price was $5,500, but it was auctioned at $23,100.
- Comstock Flying Hellgrammite
The Comstock Flying Hellgrammite is a unique antique lure, one of the earliest lures with glass eyes ever made. It was sold for a value of $10,000.
The hand-made lure looks a lot like a dobsonfly. It was crafted by a lure maker named Harry Comstock in 1883.
- American Wooden Minnow
The American Wooden Minnow is another valued fishing lure whose makers were not identified. It was mysteriously found in the tackle box of Hiram Rice in Ohio.
This lure is one of the earliest wooden underwater lures reportedly made. It was auctioned in 2006 for $42,500.
- Musky Charmer Minnow
The 6 inches Musky Charmer Minnow is a rare lure made by the Charmer Minnow Company.
The body is made of cedar, and it has a unique striped painting. In 2018, it was auctioned at a value of $25,000
How Do I Know If My Fishing Lures Are Valuable?
If you want to know if your fishing lure is valuable, check the material it is made from.
Wood is commonly used to make a lot of valuable lures. Also, check if it has glass eyes.
It is most likely valuable if you find out that one of your old lures is from a brand like Heddon or Pflueger. Older fishing lures that have lasted for centuries are also valuable because of how long they have lasted.
Which Fishing Lure Is Best?
You may be wondering which fishing ĺure is the best, with many highly rated and relatively expensive lures out there. The best fishing lure should not be qualified by price.
The best fishing lure will be the one that works well for you and suits your type of fishing regardless of how much it costs.
Pointing out the exact best fishing lure is almost impossible because what may be best for one angler may not be the best for another angler.
Takeaway
Many anglers often wonder why fishing lures are so expensive. They also question whether the quality of their fishing lures matters and if the expensive ones are worth it.
The bottom line is that you don’t have to break your bank to get expensive lures. They may be made with good quality, realistic painting, and many other features, but that does not guarantee to catch more fish.
However, if you can afford expensive lures and do not mind taking the risk of losing them in the water while fishing, then you can get them and enjoy the good qualities that make them worth it.
Sources:
https://www.mybaitshop.com/pages/25-vintage-lures-worth-a-fortune
https://luresnreels.com/haskell.html
https://www.randysantiquefishinglures.com/misc-lure-companies.html