Bagley Bang-O-Lure Series

    The Bang-O-Lure was one of the first balsa baits produced by the Bagley Bait Co.. Not only did it end up being one of the most successful, it was also the all-time favorite of Jim Bagley. If you decide to start collecting Bang-O-Lures, (which I would whole-heartedly recommend because they are so readily available at bargain prices) you'd better buckle down for the long haul. With hundreds of colors and dozens of models in this series, the collecting possibilities are almost endless. Having 200 lures in your collection would be considered "a good start".

    Bang-O-Lures were made in sizes ranging from 1", for flyrod fishing, up to 7", for larger gamefish. The diameter of any given bait varied greatly. When Jim Bagley was asked why there was such a difference, he responded, "some fishermen prefer skinny women and some prefer hefty women". A more likely reason was, with the high cost of balsa wood, every scrap lying around the factory was put to good use.

    The diversity of the Bang-O-Lure line is difficult to chronicle on this webpage alone. I would highly recommend you buy Johnny Garland's Bagley Collector's Guide if you want to learn more about this storied lure. The pictures below feature a few of the components you'll need to learn to recognize on your way to being a Bang-O-Lure expert.

Series/Models Identification Pages