Museum Archive: Weedless Johnson Silver Minnow, 2/5oz fishing spoon #13466

Stamped clearly into the underside of the silver-plated bowl, the hallmark of this 2/5 oz (12 g) Weedless Johnson Silver Minnow highlights its origin from the Louis Johnson Co. in Highland Park, Illinois. This specific specimen, product code 13466, measures 2 1/4" (6 cm) and remains in unused condition, tucked inside its original orange box with the vintage 1.15 price mark still visible on the lid. The construction utilizes a specialized copper/zinc alloy spoon, intentionally thicker in the center to maintain a stable rocking motion that keeps the single hook upright. Plated with real silver rather than standard chrome, the finish provides a distinctively bright, white flash in the water, which the manufacturer designed to reflect specifically downward and sideways. A sturdy metal weed guard is integrated directly onto the spoon, allowing for precise casting into lily pads or heavy vegetation. Often paired with a pork rind trailer to mimic wounded baitfish, this silver-plated classic is a testament to early 20th-century lure innovation.