Museum Archive: Vintage Mann's Bait Mann's Baby 1-Minus, 1/4oz fishing lure #17778

Measuring exactly 2 1/4" (6 cm), this shallow-running crankbait shows the honest wear of a tool that has spent plenty of time in the strike zone. The silver chrome finish on this Mann's Baby 1-Minus, product code 17778, features a distinctive black scale pattern along the back and bold red eyes that provide a sharp focal point. A clear, short diving lip is engineered to keep the lure in the top 1 ft (0.3 m) of the water column, making it a classic choice for working over submerged vegetation or timber. Weighing in at 1/4 oz (7 g), the body is stamped with "BABY" on the side, a hallmark of this American-made series from Mann's Bait Company. This specific floating specimen includes an internal rattle for added acoustic presence. Its condition is a solid 4/5, showing some surface loss on the metallic plating that reflects its history as a go-to lure for shallow-water bass. The original hardware consists of two belly-mounted treble hooks, still ready for use.