You mention the Billy Bass topwater lure in your novice article. My grandfather and father both fished with Billy many years ago at Lake O’ the Pines. In fact my grandfather was one of the Billy Bass Lure investors. Now the question… Where can I get more Billy Bass lures?!? For most of my life, that was my lure of choice. I have easily caught more bass on a Billy Bass than any other lure I have ever thrown. But now I can no longer find them, even after searching the internet. Over the years, I have lost my fair share of them, and just found stores that stocked them to get more, but in the past decade, I just can’t find them any more. I would dearly pay top dollar (though certainly not collector prices) to refill my supply and enjoy some more serious topwater action again. Thanks! Richard
Let me tell you that I looked and asked everywhere before I decided to try looking at eBay. I found some vintage Billy Bass lures for $28. This auction will be over before you read this, but I still think you should keep a look out there for some of these lures. There are many different auction sites as well that you might try. I only tried the one, but if you have some time, you could check out all of them to see if anyone is selling them. You might get lucky at eBay if the guy did not sell them. The Billy Bass topwater lures were popular and it makes me wonder why they ever stopped making them. You dad and grandfather had these for fishing and probably caught many a fish with them. I remember hearing stories about these lures and how much anglers enjoyed using them. I myself do not have anymore. I would say that over the years they discontinued making them because of all the other topwater lures out there. It is sad that you cannot find these anymore. Keep looking at the auctions sites and see if you can find some. They are popular I guess with collectors, but then they are not going to give or sell them to you to use in fishing. They are more of collector item than they are for using. Keep looking and let me know if you succeed in finding some of these topwater lures in the future.
They do come up on Ebay every few months. I was able to amass a small collection over about a year. I have payed into the $20′s for new ones in the box and less than $10 for used ones. I will have to disagree that they are just for collecting- these are for fishing!!! Actually if aren’t obsessed with these exact baits like me, The Luhr Jensen Bass Oreno is basically the same bait and it is still in production. I would just add a bucktail treble hook on the rear to more closely simulate the Billy.
Billy is an absolutely fantastic topwater bait- works with a slow retrieve on the shallow dive or can make a vicious chug like a magnum pop-R. Or you can finesse it and just make it spit and skip across the surface (even backing up, if your good) , causing just the minimum amount of ruckus, and the WHOOOSH that big mossback crushes your Billy Bass!
Good luck and great fishing!!!
I just read your article. I used to fish with Billy Bass years ago. I took several clients and friends to Lake O the Pines, to fish with him. He gave me several lures because I fished with him so many times, and I bought no telling how many of them. I still have several of them. I sometimes fish with them and still catch fish on them. They are not my choice in most lakes, but I fish two tournaments on Lake O the Pines a year and always use them there. Sometimes I catch fish on them and sometimes I don’t. Would not part with them.
Good to hear others still try to find them.
I found your article as I was serching for more of them.
fished with this fellow 50 yrs ago he was a high school teacher in tyler texas…………i have about 20 or thirty of these fine old baits the skirts have gone ..but the baits are still like new condition i live in alaska now …….these babies have been in storage for yrs. i have a lifetime of baits collected over the last 50 yrs………..i am selling out my stuff………….if interested let me know………….capt jess motter