Museum Archive: Vintage Weedless Marathon (with sonic blades), 2/5oz Nickel fishing spoon #11343

Nickel-finished surfaces on this 2/5 oz (12 g) spoon provide a high-contrast flash designed to mimic forage fish. Attached near the hook are two elongated "sonic" blades, which serve to add visual interest and help mask the hook's presence. The underside clearly displays the "MARATHON" and "USA" stamps, hallmarks of the quality production that came out of the Wisconsin-based Marathon Bait Company between 1929 and 1979. Measuring 2 1/4" (6 cm) in length, the lure's profile is purpose-built for casting into heavy vegetation, aided by the integrated wire weed guard protecting the single hook. Its condition is a solid 5/5, showing a bright luster and sharp hardware across the entire body and the secondary blades. Product code 11343 represents a functional piece of mid-century tackle engineering focused on weedless presentation.