Did You Know?

[Mobasser]

Most all of us have seen, or fished the famous Daredevil spoons. They've been in production  for 100 yrs.                    The Daredevil got it's start as the Osprey. Around 1918, the name was changed to the Daredevil.  It was named in honor of the Teufelhunden, the 4rth U S Marine battalion, who fought the Germans at the battle of Belleau Woods in WW 1.                                            The 4rth Marine Battalion was given this name by the defeated Germans. The name means "devil dogs".  The captured and defeated German soldiers gave the Marines this name because they claimed the Marines were the bravest, toughest, hardest fighting force in the world, and, could not be defeated.                                              A Detroit taxidermist, Louis Eppinger, invented these spoons. At the time, the word " devil" was offensive to many people. So, he changed the name to Daredevle  They're still a family business, and, they still sell well over 100,000 of these spoons every year.

[LrgmouthShad]

Used to sling one around on Oneida Lake and catch a good amount of both bass and pike on em. Really nice lure 

 

Thanks for the history!

[steve carpenter]

When I was young caught many species of fish with these and super dupers.

[Jar11591]

Used to throw the classic red and white Dardevle in ponds as a kid and would slay the pickerel and panfish. A true “classic” for sure. 

[Nelson Delaney]

Esox love em.  Don’t think I ever caught a bass on one tho.  
 

i have 2 3700’s full of various sizes & colors for pike fishin

[Scott F]

In Canada, the Daredevil 5 of Diamonds was the lure that I must have caught 1000 pike on.

[detroit1]

In the 70's there was a sporting goods store that was going out of business.  They were clearancing at .75 apiece. All they had left were the really small ones (minnie) about 3/4" long. Same patterns as the big ones: 5 of dia., red/white, blue/chrome...

very cute.

[gim]

They are pike catchers. But then again, a lot of lures catch pike.

 

I will say that they are very durable. Basically metal and a treble hook that flashes and wobbles.

[WaterOtter]

It's such an iconic brand.  I've looked them up before and they're located in Dearborn, a suburb of Detroit.  They have a company store, and I keep meaning to make a pilgrimage over there and to see if I can get a peek at their production facilities.  Their store hours are M-F 7-2:30, which must align with their production hours.  I have one of their lures and it's very high quality.

[Tackleholic]

In the 40's and 50's, the red and white Daredevil was challenged in it's Northern Pike catching abilities only by the Red Eye Wiggler (in my experience).  Is the Red Eye Wiggler still around?

[PressuredFishing]

Yes I ordered alot a few years ago and use them alot, hooks are very very poor but, other than that I like em.

[WRB]

The Daredevil IMP 2/5 oz chrome spoon w/ 3” white pork rind bass strip was a go to lure for Jason Lucas. Jay being my pen pal mentor I had to try out his suggested lures. The IMP spoon became my 1st structure spoon before I knew what a structure spoon was! Yes the hooks were not good in today’s standards but we sharpened all our hooks back in the day.

Thank you sharing the history?

Tom

[GRiver]

Thank you, Mobasser

Love tidbits of knowledge like that. 

[Catt]

Down on the Gulf Coast it was & still is the Johnson Sprite® Spoon. These types of spoons are absolutely killer on Bull Reds. 

 

Never seen a Daredevil spoon until my teenage years.

[Mobasser]

Some more info: the original Osprey was invented in 1906. Louis Eppinger made this spoon while on a camping/ fishing trip to the Canadian wilderness. His original weighed 2 ounces.                        He sold the Osprey spoon at his taxidermy shop in Detroit Michigan. He kept working on his design, and had it perfected by 1912. The original Osprey had one color pattern- black and white.                The Daredevle is maybe the most copied lure in history. They've lost track of how many cheap duplicates were made and sold everywhere.                                      The devil's head insignia was made by Louis Eppinger to show that his spoon was the best of it's kind, and to stop copywriter infringement.                                    Eppingers still make a good quality product. Most guys list this as a pike lure, and they've earned that reputation. But, they still catch bass too. My own favourite is the 1/4 oz Spinnie, in solid chrome. As WRB mentioned, the IMP is good for bass also.

[Mike L]

1 hour ago, Catt said:

Down on the Gulf Coast it was & still is the Johnson Sprite® Spoon. These types of spoons are absolutely killer on Bull Reds. 

 

Never seen a Daredevil spoon until my teenage years.

Ditto

A gold Sprite was one of the first baits I got when we moved to SW Florida in the late 70’s. 
Reds and Snook just can’t lay off, then and now. 

The way it zigs and zags with the flash, makes it excellent for bass especially in 

shallow tannic water. 
 

 

 

 

Mike
 

 

[Catt]

I realized years ago about iconic lures like the Daredevle, Creme Scoundrel, Yamamoto Senko & others is their simplistic design.

 

This is why my approach to bass fishing is K.I.S.S!