History of Ol’ Bens Baits: Better Than No Bait at All!

[@Darkman-Fishing]

I’ve watched this video twice now, think what stuck out the most was that you let him talk. Didn’t step on him at all, that’s my favorite trait in an interviewer. You just let him tell his story and that’s what made it great. You my brother ROCK!!!

[@RetroBassin]

I remember watching an interview with another TV fishing legend and the interviewer kept talking over every great story just as he got rolling. It was infuriating and as a fan, hard to watch. I had to really concentrate on not be my normal chatty self this time (and edited out as much of my dialogue I could), but in the end Michael has a passion for the business and endless stories, so you just gotta get out of his way and keep filming! As an editor, it’s not about where you leave fingerprints, but where you remove them…

[@LowBrowFishing]

Who knew that some of the biggest bait brands all ran through that one little hub in Shreveport? That place should be considered a historical monument.

[@RetroBassin]

100% beats the breaks off any museum!

[@erikkiser6882]

I’ve been going in that shop for over 40 years. Mike is as great a guy as you’d ever want to meet

[@johnm2617]

Man I could listen to this man's stories for hours ! Its amazing how they built lures back in the day ! Epic show ! Retro ! A part 2 would be great !

[@RetroBassin]

And Part 3, 4…

[@0017Bulldog]

I hoped this episode would never end. My goodness, the memories that come from these lures and stories. I am nominating you for the Golden Bass Award for this one.

[@funcygames]

These deep dives into old lures and lure makers are the best. I hope you find a way to do more of them.

[@depalebe]

Love this video. It's refreshing for someone to say "we copied other baits". You don't hear that today. Company's try to pass off copies as their own. Thanks.

[@davidparker9022]

This is one of the most informational episodes you’ve made.That guy is a walking encyclopedia of bass bait making history.Thanks for making this happen.

[@randallpinkfloyd7225]

Awesome video! We are rapidly losing all the great American lure makers to father time. They are national treasures. Thank you for keeping the memories alive!

[@RetroBassin]

Shoulda started this channel years ago…

[@andytheturtle87]

Fascinating, I never knew how interconnected all these companies were. Thank you for the history lesson.

[@RetroBassin]

Me either!

[@paulport814]

What a great history lesson. Interesting how all the companies were so connected with each other.

[@victorremick9721]

WELL that was 31 minutes of Learning unequal to none. I didn't say a word the hole time he was talking. Quite a seminar. Thanks

[@keithdurgin345]

Honestly the best vid on KZbin ! Anyone who misses out on this should be seriously bumming. Great job helping us learn so much about the history of all these cool baits! Who knew frog skin doesn't stretch and helps them jump so far!

[@RetroBassin]

I can’t wait to throw some frog skin this summer!

[@stevebrockway4738]

Stories, stories and more stories. You could make a documentary about all the early pioneers of bass fishing. You did good just letting him talk and talk. I think this is my favorite, even better than the "As Seen on TV" video. 👍👍

[@RetroBassin]

Definitely a different Retro Bassin’ format, but sometimes you just gotta let the legends tell their own story!

[@stevebrockway4738]

@@RetroBassin And you knew when to let him go. Without lure and bait innovators and makers, the big name pros and tv personalities we grew up loving and watching would probably be just fishermen.

[@linguine-lamborghini7032]

My thoughts exactly!! Mickey put👏

[@nathanielmcdonald1910]

Happy retro day. New Tattoo... come home to a fantastic bit of history. I absolutely love your enthusiasm and passion to educate. As well as help promote local communities. I would for sure go say hay if I lived in that region. This gentleman deserves the sales. Such positive energy. Dude. Thank you. Til next week...

[@johnszott956]

Unbelievably one of your best videos to date (and I say that to all your videos). The stories where unbelievable and it was awesome that all the lure makers interacted with each other. These videos are great! Maybe in t be future have a full documentary of your videos on the the history of the old school lures and their makers. Keep up the great work. I’ll be waiting for the next video and always be a bassin bud.

[@rossparker4374]

Wow what a story! I would love to hear all Mike’s stories from back in the day!

[@meaganmorgan2317]

I could listen and watch these stories all day

[@anthonygeiss9130]

Damn! That was an incredible video!! This should be filed into an archive so all of the great lure history is not lost

[@marcrobinson5498]

This is one of the best videos you have done. When people like this are gone, the fishing industry will take a major loss. The newer generation is really loosing out by not getting first hand accounts of all these events. Once they become 2nd and 3rd hand events they are truly gone forever. I really appreciate you keeping these stories alive

[@ghostofzefo9073]

Oh my gosh man! I was literally locked in from the intro. Enjoyed every last second of this vid. I wouldn’t necessarily consider myself totally“old school” as it pertains to fishing,but the old schoolers get all my respect. Love your channel bud!

[@donnaluvcats8074]

Love, love love!

[@reelcustomart]

Great episode. Not to many guest leave you speechless. I was awestruck as well.

[@mikemcelveen2973]

Some people do pub crawls,some people do barbecue trails and some do golf trails. Me,I'd love to do a coast to coast bait shop trail. Thanks man!!👊

[@TheRealFireTurtle75]

The best "Old School Gold" in this video is Mr Bacon. He's clearly a legend that not many know about, but they should. Thanks for letting him teach us some bait-making history. I have a couple of the Old Ben Torpedos that I scored on eBay. I knew nothing about them before I picked them up on there. I like to know how to get some of those Rolls Royce lures if he sells them & his frogskin baits. This guy is a true fishing treasure.

[@nunyabusiness102]

That was awesome! It's amazing how all those guys ended up getting together. It's like being Jason Bonham and being around the guys in Zeppelin all the time.

[@bmwstan1]

I so enjoy the history of my sport. Thank you so much for bringing out this history before it fades away.

[@CrankingYanking]

Being from Shreveport and visiting Bacons for lures often over the past 40 years, this episode hits home, great watch- thanks

[@RetroBassin]

It’s the way a local tackle shop should be!

[@H20chromer]

These videos are old school gold; priceless! thank you for all your hard work and travel from Buffalo NY

[@TerryBattisti1]

What an amazing guy. Talk about a living history lesson. Great job Chris!

[@jtorand4244]

I live right outside of Shreveport and I knew about smithwick starting here of course but the fishing history in a 30 mile radius around around this area just blows me away!! This video really hit home for me!

[@carlmchale8341]

An amazing man amazing history I hope he writes a book before he's lost to time

[@txhuntsman]

Love that you are helping preserve this history of a cool place and family. Enjoyed listening! 👊

[@RetroBassin]

Thanks, good buddy. This was a fun one for me!

[@phain3]

So much history in that shop!

[@richparks1966]

He points out the difference between the more commonly known living rubber skirts and what he made earlier, which could be called 'Rolled Skirting.' I just got through pointing this out on another older (Frenzy) epi comment, where I mentioned that thick Pradco Rebel 'Chipper' G-Finish. It's good to know where those rolled skirts everybody put on their lures came from, he had quite a monopoly.

[@terrykloster9121]

Americana at its finest 🇺🇸

[@linguine-lamborghini7032]

Sooo Freakin cool!! Great job Retro.. You should be making documentary’s !! My only complaint is it wasn’t long enough.😂

[@jacobcastlebury2681]

By far one of the coolest parts of fishing history all in one video

[@achristodd]

Retro, many thanks for making this video, and documenting this important piece of fishing history.

[@fishing_swo6398]

really enjoyed this side of the story he has some great stuff that would make a fine museum he enjoyed sharing his memories definitely a lot of history

[@joshuagibson2520]

Would LOVE to see the machinery and dies in more detail. Please dive deeper in the future when that stuff is available.

[@RetroBassin]

Great idea! Think we need to watch Michael build a lure start to finish.

[@Stumpjack]

Man, this was just fantastic! Mike is a treasure trove of history and great stories. I agree with other commentators who said that this is one of your best episodes yet. I've been in contact with Mike for the last several months waiting for him to get caught up on his frog skin lure making, so I can purchase a couple from him. He seems like a wonderful guy. Of course I really perked up when he started getting into his frog skin lures. Fascinating! I can't wait to hold one of those funky baits. But now I'm probably going to have to add a Rolls Royce to the list!

[@RetroBassin]

And Mike thought he was behind on production before the episode!

[@poppafish428]

This man is a class act. Calls the bait a Rolls Royce after the original designer.

[@SneakersAnonymousMatt]

idk why KZbin is showing me ur videos until like a day later or 2 days when I have reminder on and subscribed thats really annoying cause these videos are amazing and deserve way more attention.

[@keithdurgin345]

That's the coolest vid you put out yet! Love the history behind the lures we have all grown to love

[@RetroBassin]

It was one of the coolest to film!

[@brettnewman7389]

Awesome, thank you for seeking out your videos content amazing story to hear. Look forward to every Saturday morning with retro

[@RetroBassin]

Back on track this Saturday!

[@jessenunez9030]

So much history to take in.Awesome baits and just overall great video.Keeping it old school.

[@shawnmoorshead9135]

This video blew me away. I love hearing old timers tell their story. Keep up the great content.

[@rayhall3010]

By far your best video , ever , thank you so very much , for sharing this ,

[@robertstanisch3452]

Never can get enought of Bacon's! If I am ever anywhere near their, it's a destination I am hitting for sure!

[@bayouburner281]

Great episode, Retro!👍🏻

[@1MrVillain]

Fantastic!!!

[@WMBayouLures]

Wow this was so great to watch! Thanks so much for recording this amazing history!

[@brucegordon4924]

Awesome! I often wonder about how lures are made and painted, Thank You for sharing this history, as always a great Video!

[@jaredheadrick376]

My buddy told me about this channel the other day. I love it. Really takes me back. Subscribed and good work.

[@GO_OutDoors]

Love this stuff!! Learning about how these lures came about and where made! Hope you do more of these video's is the future! Keep It Retro!!

[@RetroBassin]

I would love to!

[@joshuagibson2520]

This was a good history lesson. Thanks Chris.

[@thehedgeknightnc3681]

As I watch the video I realized that all the collectors lures I'm seeing here, I'm fishing with. Wow I'm Old.

[@alandavis4885]

What an awesome educational piece ... Bravo! ... 😁👍

[@Darkman-Fishing]

Best video to date!!! Thank you.

[@erniemaddox8788]

Great Video! Tell Mike I said hello next time!

[@jeffreylunday1443]

Great video! Thank you. I just wish that I could have gone there when I was stationed at Barksdale AFB back in the '90's. Planned future visit.

[@dj-pizza]

I just left Ben's bait shop yesterday, I'm in Shreveport and shop there. Awesome video!!! I already knew some the history just by talking to Mike but this was more in depth. You can do more videos like this and more from Bacon's. Going to share this one on my social media. Thanks for the show!!!

[@chipyeahoo]

Awesome video. I didn’t know how related all of these bait companies were and how attached to one location they are. Now I know the reason behind the Mepp’s and Mister Twister connection. I have known that Old Ben’s lures used Smithwick components and figured Smithwick simply made the baits for them but I didn’t know how closely affiliated they were or that the owners of both companies were so closely associated, especially to one location. Great history lesson and a treasure trove of information.

[@doster59]

Absolutely wonderful! This is important history, thanks for putting these videos out.

[@richardsantillano7153]

Heck Yeah!

[@matthewgonzalez5019]

That was a damn good episode

[@stevecookson3201]

Man AWESOME interview! Just letting him go and tell the whole story...super stuff.

[@emilywoods9315]

Great episode

[@NorCalGetula]

THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH!! Information like this is PRICELESS!!. Please youngsters take note, talk to your elders please do not let them go with all this amazing knowledge. A vintage lure is almost nothing without its story. I could listen to this gentlemen for hours . Remember the bait shops with chairs in front of the counters? same Ol"Guys sittin in them no matter what time you were there. Keep up this AMAZING AMAZING work!!!!!

[@brunomahle1618]

Super cool!

[@robertveith2255]

This was really cool learned a lot thank you for sharing this truly amazing story.

[@SukatFishing]

Very interesting, loved it.

[@MarkPolsky]

Wow so cool, love the history there. Such great stories

[@RetroBassin]

Bet that’s 10% of them!

[@tyhorton2196]

Awesome video! Love the history and stories in these videos!

[@Swimbait_fishing]

Good job on preserving history, this is very important work!

[@paulenglish1741]

Chris can you do a video on spoonplugs sometime?

[@RetroBassin]

Man that been on the list! Any tips on how best to fish them?

[@DsTackleBox]

Great information that goes unknown if not for someone taking the time! Great details about all the names in lures we collect and love to fish! Nice video Chris!

[@BobbyBalsaRNM]

What an incredible story! Had no clue about the ties all these legendary companies had.

[@stevenmartins7671]

I don't know how this video doesn't have 50 million veiws!

[@RetroBassin]

Me either…Michael Bacon is a treasure!

[@sewerfish3672]

they know all the people in the fishing industry

[@RetroBassin]

Literally!

[@adwhite804]

Great video...that man has a huge wealth of knowledge I wish I could tap into 1/32 of it

[@RetroBassin]

This is one of the few episodes I find myself rewatching…

[@robinallen8773]

Awesome show retro bassin ! Does he sell any o them now

[@OfftheHookOutdoors99]

Just subbed to your channel from Small Water Charters live tonight. This channel is awesome I’m glad I got you!👍

[@RetroBassin]

Yeah buddy! Welcome, OTHO!

[@ThatShinerGuy]

Awesome video. So much history!! Nice job!!

[@mikewallis8999]

That was a great one could use more just like it 👍🏻

[@scottehrlich6653]

Thanks for sending me back in time. Terrific video

[@blindonion]

Wow, I've always loved going to Bacon's. I need to go visit soon!

[@rowlandjohnnie4972]

Another awesome vid..Thanx bro

[@RetroBassin]

Thanks for tuning in, good buddy!

[@brandonpatterson5705]

They all were so close to on another. I once heard you don’t have competition only lots friends in the same business. Thanks for this treasure of a video I hope to make a trip to bacons someday :) Amazing Job Congrats.

[@jasonking5560]

How cool is that!

[@RetroBassin]

I day I won’t soon forget!

[@garyl6190]

This was the best. Thanks

[@jebar01]

Thank-You somuch for this very informative video. Mr. Bacon is a wealth of information and was very enjoying listening to his narrative on his father's bait store and the lure makers around that time. Mr. Bacon could write a book on all this knowledge and I would buy it. I fish with Smithwick devil horses more than half of my life(67 next month) due to my Uncle Chad's favorite lure/bass catcher...the Smithwick devil horse! Again, thanks, Jim.

[@davidcloyd1296]

Dude!!! That was epic

[@michaelpatrickpucheu1056]

I have an old Devil's Horse. My grandfather said he caught his PB speckled trout on it.

[@camerongeary5514]

Best video you have done. Really entertaining

[@michaelbyrne8860]

Fantastic interview! Great video with ol' school lures! Glad I found your site! Except for that ear worm theme song! I'm working today staking out pavement with that damn song running in my mind! Wasn't sure if it's a catchy song? Or I was about to stroke out from the heat?? CMTFU! My Grandfather used to own a lodge "KICK A POO" on Indian lake in Dowagiac Michigan in the 50's and local people would would stay there and sometimes the people from Heddon Lures would spend the summer there. So now as a old man I collect, buy and fish the heddon lures especially if the box still says made in Dowagiac Michigan! And also the Louis Johnson Silver Minnow Spoon with the old box marked made in 40 N. WELLS STREET CHICAGO ILL. Oh crap here comes that song again! I need to play the song where everybody going fishing to change it up! "I betcha' goin' fishin' all o' the time Baby goin' fishin' too Bet you life, your sweet wife Is gonna catch more fish than you…"

[@piglord3.05]

I remember as a kid in Maryland getting boxes full of Ol Ben's lures....That's how I remember them. I knew my uncle Ben was from Shreveport and my maternal grandmother was Eura Bacon, she had a bunch of sisters, I really don't recall but think Ben was her brother. They grew up in a family business, maybe a boarding house or hotel or sth. There was Aunt Sang and a few other sisters. If I ever make it down that way again I'm stopping in.

[@vincebrown5158]

Great store and interview. Like Darkman below, you let him tell the story without the usual Q&A. I'm sure the store was amazing. Did you leave with some additions to your collection?

[@raulrobles3762]

That’s cool and very interesting