Another ever growing collection comprises found fishing lures found at the Falls of the Ohio State Park. Most of the ones I’ve found are battered. Fisherman lose these in the rocks and trees.
After the hooks dissolve away, the lures come loose and are free to ride the river. Here’s a sampling of what I’ve come across so far. Over the years, I have used some as elements in my sculptures.
Last two images are details of the lures showing some of the variety in forms and colors. Aside from natural baits (minnows, shad, worms, etc…) and soft jigs, these are examples of lures used on the Ohio River. Most of these float initially and dive once they are reeled in. Depth depends on the lure and speed of retrieval. The good lures that I find I put with my own fishing tackle.
Artist at Exit 0 Riverblog 
Hey I was wondering what it would take to buy some of these. It would be complete profit for you since you found them and I’d be willing to buy even some broken ones and fix them up. Please email me back dannygonzalezart@yahoo.com thanks
Hi Danny, I do the same thing you do! I fix up the better ones and put them in my tackle box and the rest that aren’t salvageable get used for my artworks. Thanks for checking out my blog and happy fishing wherever you are!
the funny thing about all those lures is they are the worst thing you can use there. The treble hooks snag on every bit of the rocky bottom. Unless they floated down from another spot.
You are right about that. Most of the fish I’ve seen caught down at the Falls were on natural baits. As for the lures…I’m sure many of them floated in from upriver. I think I have twice as many found lures now as shown in my collections photo. Might be time to rephotograph that collection. Thanks for your comment!
Please let me know if you find my son’s tackle box.
We were fishing at the Winfield Locks on the Kanawha River in West Virginia and the siren went off alerting us to the release of some water. My son was fishing close to the water and our calls to him to get his stuff picked up seemed to confuse him. He did save his poles and a small tackle box, but the big tackle box floated off the bank and out to the water. I tried my best to retrieve it, but it was a lost cause.
I have always hoped that someone found it and made good use of it before it made its way into the Ohio River.
Poor little guy was devastated. I gave him my tackle box to make him feel better. It really hurt his feelings that the rest of us found so much humor in the situation.
So, if you find his tackle box (it was green), please let me know. Thanks.
Will do, however, I fear that it is long gone. Fishing lures are expensive and I pick up the ones I find and occasionally will put the better ones in my tackle box. I need to rephotograph the fishing lure collection since I’ve added so many more from the time I first posted it.
I have a pretty good sized collection of tackle. I have some antique lures that belonged to my father. I always loved looking in his tackle box when I was a little girl. I would enjoy seeing more pictures of your lures. Lures are just so interesting.
I also enjoyed the float collection. As many as my kids have lost over the years, you may have stumbled upon some of ours.
We had some of the smiley faced ones at one time. It was funny seeing some of those in your collection.
Your duck collection is awesome! I am going to start looking for ducks. I brought a live Egyption Goose home from the river once because he was covered with ice….but that is something all together different. I returned him to the Madison,, IN riverfront when he was well again and soon saw his picture in the paper because he had been found wound up in a wad of fishing line. He has been gone from Madison for a while, but he lived there for quite a few years.
Both the fishing lure and fishing bobber collection have grown. When I started these collections…I had no idea that there were as many kinds of floats available as there are. I just try to keep one example of each type I find. Funny you should mention ducks! I’m working on an upcoming post on just that subject.