Eger Bait Mfg Co. has a long history of making quality lures. The first lures were patented in 1932 and made with others up to the 1970’s. During this time, the company was under several different ownership. The first three lure models were the Grass Frog, the Florida Special and the Fish Hawg. Perhaps the most novel Eger lure design was the use of real frog skin on a lure. The skin of a frog leg was slipped over the wood body and allowed to shrink and cure. The result is an interesting design that catches not only fish, but also fishermen. Eger received a patent on his frog skin design on September 7, 1937. Among collectors, the most desirable of the Eger lures is the early Florida Special and the Grass Frog. The most common lure is the Dillinger. It came in two sizes, with and without props. The Eger Bait Company also made other lures such as the Zig Zag, Bug Bait, Flutter, Frog and Pop Eyed Frog. Their largest lure was the Jointed Mammoth. Eger Bait Mfg Co. is considered one of the great Central Florida Lure Makers.
The First EGER Lures – Grass Frog, Bass Hawg, Florida Special
The FLORIDA SPECIAL Lure
The GRASS FROG Lures
The No. 54 NATURE FROG Lure
Evolution of the DILLINGER Lures
The No. 81 EGER’S FROG Lure
The No. 3000 MAMMOTH Lures
The EGER Small & Large Glass-Eyed Frog Skin Lures
The EGER 6-Pack Made For Brooklure
(Photo on Box Lid is of Ken Curtis and Bill Eger)
The No. 1100 FLUTTER Lure
The No. 30 BUG Lure
Early Lure Box Ad
DILLINGER 1948 Field & Stream Magazine Ad
WILLIAM EGER Lure Patents