Flat Fish Lure

[ravenlures]

I have this flat fish lure but never seen one like this Size is 23/4 long and 3/4 wide at its widest. weighs about 1/4 oz. Hooks are screwed in a slot on bottom. Silver and Black.

Pictures 

[Big Epp]

I wonder, do lures with the hooks screwed in like this have more trouble loosing fish than ones with free-swinging hooks? Interesting little bait.

[JD_mudbug]

It could be an old Flatfish X5. The X stood for ‘Expert’. Helin got the patent for the Flatfish in 1936. It could also be a knockoff of the Flatfish as it was widely sold and copied through the years. I don’t think it is a Kwikfish which came after the Flatfish. The Kwikfish usually has traditional type hook arrangements. It does not appear to be Lazy Ike which is narrower than a Flatfish. It also does not appear to be a Brooks Reefer or a Beno lure.

Your lure has the body length and weight of a Flatfish X5 which came out in 1947-8. It was available in wood or plastic. The hook setup on your lure is different from the typical X5 which had 3 trebles, a tail treble and two belly trebles mounted to the ends of a single wire spreader that had a loop in the middle that went through the belly hanger. Helin called that hardware setup - ‘gang hooks’.  Some of the models could be ordered with two double hooks or gang single hooks.

The older Fly Rod Flatfish models came with a single hook that could swing on a piece of wire imbedded in the center of the belly. Some of the bigger fly rod models had 2 single hooks mounted gang style. The biggest Fly rod model was the F7 which was 2-1/4” long.

Your bait looks like an X5 but with a fly rod type hook set up. The line tie wire also looks like the line tie on some of the Fly Rod Flatfish models. Your lure looks like it was an attempt to use the X series to make a bigger model in the F series.

From what I have read, Charlie Helin was concerned about increasing the chances of a hooking fish that did hit the lure. He created some unusual hook layouts and designs on baits to keep hooks facing away from each other or on opposite sides of the bait.

I would not fish with it. It could be worth something. It could be one of Helin’s designs that was only available for a short time. Even if it is a knockoff, some of the older well made knockoffs can be worth something. 

 

helin hook assembly us2621438.pdf

[ravenlures]

First, I have no plans on selling this lure, I will try and find more information on the X5 and see where it goes.

Too bad there are no markings on this lure that would really help.

Thanks Guys!

Wayne

[ravenlures]

Thanks MudBug

Does anyone know of a site that I could get more info on this lure.

Wayne

[JD_mudbug]

Unfortunately, some of the early Flatfish had no markings. Some had the model number ink-stamped near the tip of the lip/diving surface which wore off easily. Later, they model number was put on the top of the back.

I don’t know if you have any old Bassmaster magazines. Karl White used to do a series called “What is it worth?” on older lures. His email address was at the end of the section where people could send in photos of lures. He retired and opened up a tackle museum with his collection. I couldn’t find any old Bassmasters with his lure articles. You might try that email if you can find it in an old Bassmaster.

You could try to track down the 1996 book “A Collectors Guide to the Helin Tackle Company” by Jack Turner.

These links have some Helin and Flatfish info:

https://www.mybaitshop.com/pages/helin-tackle-company

https://helintacklecollector.wordpress.com/

This link has a list of sites on old tackle. I have not been on all of them. Maybe you can get lucky and find some info on one of them.

https://lurelore.com/links.html

Good luck on your search.

Jim

Edited March 8, 2022 by JD_mudbug

[ravenlures]

Thanks

Mudbug this will help alot.

Wayne

[ravenlures]

Well this lure is not a Helins lure instead It is a Flatfish or Lazy Ike imitation bait. Value 5 to 10 bucks I think I will just keep it.  He said he has had a few of these baits. Keith at https://www.mybaitshop.com/pages/helin-tackle-company was very helpful.

Thanks Guys especially Mud Bug.

[JD_mudbug]

Your welcome.  Sorry to hear it is not worth more. So many Flatfish were sold, genuine and knockoffs, it seems that they don't get the collectors' love that the other brands do.

Your lure has the Helin body lines. Based on an X4 or 5, it looks like what I would envision a Flatfish F8 or 9 would have looked like if those existed. The hook setup in the grooves is definitely notable enough to be in a display case even if not worth a lot.

I once built a bottom crawling sinking hard bait with 2 top-mounted single hooks in a groove in the center of the back. Your pics reminded of it. The hooks were set in the groove like your 'flatfish' but could swing out on a screw eye. The hooks were held in the groove by a magnets. It was a dud. 

Jim