Museum Archive: Vintage Mann's Bait Mann's M35, 2/5oz fishing lure #8970

Scale-patterned gold sides transition into a dark black back on this Mann's Bait Company M35, a classic representative of American-made deep-diving crankbaits from the USA. Carrying the product code 8970, this 2 1/4" (6 cm) specimen features a prominent clear plastic diving lip designed for reaching depth while casting for zander or pike. Weighing in at 2/5 oz (11 g), the body construction includes an internal noise chamber, identifying it as a rattle-type lure. The paint scheme is a striking combination of a black dorsal area, textured gold scales along the flank, and a high-visibility neon orange belly. Its visual profile is punctuated by oversized yellow-and-black painted eyes near the front of the head. This floating lure remains in excellent 5/5 condition, showing well-preserved hardware and crisp "M35" lettering stamped near the tail.