Vintage Do-It Molds

[Partycrasher]

The recent closing/retirement of Reinke Brothers in Milwaukee had me thinking about some vintage Do-It molds that I got from them back in the day.  Here are a few oldies to reminisce.  Does anyone have any others that may even pre-date these?

Erie Head Spinner Bait
Weedless Spinnerbait (spinnerbait with a weed guard)
Nugget Spinner (Twin spin like the Hildebrandt Nugget)
Worm Barb Jig (lead spike to stab the head if the worm on and rig weedless)
Slide Along Jig
"Erie Dearie" shape Weight Forward spinner head
Erie Head Weight Forward Spinner head
Wally Head 1 & 1.5 ounce
Glider Jig (This is a great head... They need to re-introduce this one!!!)

[21xdc]

I have owned most of those and still have a few.

[Fatman]

Got a few of those!

[efishnc]

I have only had a couple of those, and still maintained some that had particular value to me.  The oldest is an original "Sportsman's" mold (produced at the former Waterloo address) that my dad and uncle both used, and then passed on to me in the 90s.  I can't even begin to tell of the smallmouth and walleye (plus other incidental species) that have fell victim to those jigs.  One of my earliest trophies (ca. 1978) was a 21.5" smallmouth caught on a sportsman's jig tied with blue dyed polar bear hair.  The mold now sits on a living room end table as a trophy unto itself.

[ctom]

I have several of the red Handled Sportsmans heads, some fly head if I recall without running out to check for certain. I've seen quite a few of them over the years and by far the most popular jig I've seen in this area. I've cast some up and have them somewhere in the work room. I'll see if I can find them and grab a picture for here. Ugly looking head.

[Partycrasher]

I'd love to see that mold or head.

Thanks,

Marc

[ctom]

The name on the mold is Rock Fly. 4 cavities. 1/8, 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2. Very similar to the walleye head.

Here ya go Marc.... a 3/8 cast on a 1/0 flat eye hook.



The head is weird. Look closely and you can see the head portion tilting downward from the collar and hook shank at about a 10-12 degree angle. Every head is configured that way. The eye pocket for the line tie is only on one side of the mold so the tie is offset a small amount. Everything on this mold is loose....the handles and the hinge/pin. There must have been a cavity-filling issue for someone who owned it prior to me as the gates have been drilled out. At one time I think I had six of this same mold but sold most thru our antique business back when. This was the best one of the lot. Somewhere I have a box with several other vintage Do-It molds, all with red handles....some jig, some sinker and all of the jig molds different from the one shown here.

On a funny note, when we were walking the mall prior to Christmas there were strands of lights hanging from way up yonder and each strand had a lead weight on it. I looked at the weights thinking they looked familiar. Sure enough, the bank sinker, 4 ounce. White powder coated to match the wire color.

[efishnc]

I should also have a Herter's 4G3 jig mold somewhere amidst my possessions, but I never casted any jigs with it.  I went online to look up any information relating to it's age and, to my surprise, I found that Herter's offered the tackle crafter multiple options to make custom soft plastics back in the 60s.

[ctom]

Good old Herters. I had a best friend move to Waseca from Rochester when we were in the 11th grade. A buddy and I would skip school and drive to Waseca and track him down in school and we'd all take off and spend hours in Herters. We maybe even drank a bunch of beers that maybe fell off a loading dock of a liquor store too. Those were the days. I was actually given an out of date Herters catalog by a neighbor guy when I was 12. That catalog was like porn to me. I cut the coupon out for a current catalog and sent the three dollars for the new one. I ordered a fly tying kit, the best they offered, and when I entered Jr. High School I made a lot of money selling flies to a phy ed teacher who took orders from his trout fishing cronies. Within a couple years I was making jigs in a couple wood molds a shop teacher and I made after school. The rest is history. Herters was my front door to the world of fishing and tackle making.

[efishnc]

I still use my Herter's vice for most tying applications because I have not found another vice that holds hooks as securely when pulling nylon thread super tight (which is absolutely necessary for deer hair bass bugs), however I would be lying if I said its overall nostalgia (being handed down from my uncle) did not play a part as well.

[Partycrasher]

Awesome stuff guys!  Thanks for sharing all this nostalgia.  Great story Tom... falling off a loading dock... LOLOL...

[chubs]

Reinke Brothers sure will be missed. It was one of the best hidden gems of a store. Bob was the best.

[bigjim5589]

I have a few of those old molds. 

[Shaunm81]

Just recently got one of those old Herters 4G4 Jig mold does anyone know of what hooks these used? Or something that would work? I have done a little bit of research and can't find out anything about what hook these took?

[ctom]

I'm pretty sure that a 630 Eagle Claw will fit that Herters mold.