From the April 1938 issue of Outdoor Life comes this ad for the Paw Paw Pike Caster. Many years ago I found one of these baits and was very impressed by its actual resemblance to a small Northern Pike or Chain Pickerel as well as its beautiful paint job. The lead-in ad is the only ad that I have run across for this striking bait.
I contacted my friend Henry Norris, who has the best Paw Paw Caster collection that I know of, to find out a bit more about this striking bait. I was surprised to learn that it came in several different colors as I had only seen ones with the color pattern shown in this ad. I was also surprised to find out that it came in two sizes and in both jointed and straight models ( I guess I should have read the ad more carefully).
Henry was kind enough to send along several pictures of a few of his Pike Casters. I have been going to NFLCC Lure Shows since 1985 and there are more Pike Casters in these photos than I have seen in all that time. Enjoy!
To read more of Bill’s Sunday Sonnetts, please click this link.
Looks much like the famous Radtke Pikie Minnow created in Wisconsin in, I believe, the 1960s. Surely the Radtke was heavily influenced by the Paw Paw. Beautiful lure!