Museum Archive: Yakima Bait Worden’s Original Rooster Tail, 3/16oz Red / Nickel spinning lure #1873

Nickel-plated willow leaf blades like the one on this 2 3/4" (7 cm) specimen define the classic flash associated with Howard Worden’s early designs. Weighed at 3/16 oz (4.72 g), this specific lure comes in its original Yakima Bait Company packaging, showcasing the signature hand-tied hackle tail in a deep red. This specimen is unused, preserved in its vintage bubble pack, though the blue backing card shows shelf wear from its time at Fred Meyer as indicated by the handwritten markings on the vintage price tag. The salmon-pink colored body remains vibrant, contrasting with the nickel blade that carries the stamped Rooster Tail branding. Howard Worden originally developed these in Wisconsin during the 1950s specifically to provide a subtle entry for pressured trout, a characteristic seen in the streamlined profile of this 1873 product code item. The in-line spinner construction is centered on a straight wire shaft, allowing the blade to rotate freely around the weighted body.