First introduced in Heddon's 1982 catalog, the "Devil Diver"™ was promoted as a "...hot producer of salmon, steelhead and walleye." According to the catalog, "Designed with the weight forward, the nose points down in a ready-to-dive position. That's the reason it dives so deep - 15 to 18 feet."
The Devil Diver™ came in 2 sizes, the 1/2 ounce, 2-1/4" (body length) size, assigned Heddon series #616 and the Baby Devil Diver™, 1/4 ounce and 1-3/4" (body length) size, assigned Heddon series #606. Both sizes were listed in seven (7) colors: Blue Shiner (NPB), Chartreuse Mullet (FY), Fluorescent Green Crawdad (GRA), Golden Bay Shiner (GFL), Perch (L), Shiner (NP) and Spotted Redhorse (RFB).
These were listed in the 1983 catalog in the same seven colors but in 1984, the last year they were cataloged, of the seven, the Golden Bay Shiner was no longer listed. Additionally, however, three (3) new colors were added: Metallic Blue (VBL), Metallic Green (VGE) and Metallic Gold (VGO).
 Blue Shiner (NPB) |
 Chartreuse Mullet (FY) |
 Fluorescent Green Crawdad (GRA) |
 Golden Bay Shiner (GFL) |
 Perch (L) |
 Shiner (NP) |
 Spotted Redhorse (RFB) |
 Metallic Blue (VBL) |
 Metallic Green (VGE) |
 Metallic Gold (VGO) |
In addition to the colors listed in Heddon's catalogs, another eleven (11) have been identified for the #606 model in Joan Lyon's book, Heddon Catalog Lures 1902 - 1984 from other company documents and were produced in limited quantities ranging from just over 300 to just under 1050. These include the following: Yellow Coach Dog (YCD), unknown color name (FOB), Blue Shore Minnow (XBL), unknown color name (FYS), Red Head Flitter (RHF), Citrus Chub (OGG), Yellow Shiner (Y), Coach Dog (CD), Hickory Shad (GSD), unknown color name (FGB) and Red Head (RH).1 All but FYS and OGG are pictured below.
 Blue Shore Minnow (XBL) |
 Coach Dog (CD) |
 Hickory Shad (GSD)2 |
 Red Head (RH) |
 Red Head Flitter (RHF) |
 Striped Alewife (FB)3 |
 Unknown name (FOB)4 |
 Unknown name (FGB)5 |
 Yellow Coach Dog (YCD) |
 Yellow Shiner (Y) |
Devil Diver™ packaging
The Devil Diver™ came in two different styles of blister packaging - note the promotional phrase: "Knocks the devil out of fish..."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1Joan L. Lyons, Heddon Cataloged Lures 1902-1984, (M. T. Publishing Company, Inc., 2017), Chapter 1, p. 83.
2The color code GSD has been well documented in Heddon catalogs and called Green Shad but for some reason the company reference document called it "Hickory Shad".
3Non-cataloged color not cited in catalogs or other references.
4Color name unknown but has been found in original packaging marked FOB.
5Color name unknown but based on the design of the FOB color, this is likely the FGB color.
This somewhat unusual fishing floater or bobber is called the Fish Fyter, originally made by Fish Fyter of Norwood, Ohio. Dating to the late 1940's, this cork float has folded aluminum 'wings' which opened when a fish struck the bait, thus, creating a 'drag' and according to magazine ads of the period, "...IT SET THE HOOK...IT FIGHTS THE FISH..." One of the 'wings' is marked FISH FYTER PAT PEND NORWOOD OHIO. Due to a change in ownership, another company, the Dayton Acme Company of Cincinatti, Ohio, took over production of this float and called it the "Wing-Bob" which were sold off a dealer display board.6
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6Robert A. Slade, The Encyclopedia of Old Fishing Lures Made in North America, (Trafford Publishing Co., 2011), Volume 6, p. 104.
If you have any further information on any of the items displayed on this page which you'd like to share, please send your comments to me and I'll update the page accordingly. Contributions of interesting items and/or unknowns are encouraged. Lures pictured in Lure Lore are not for sale.
Comments? EMAIL ME!
Web Author: Tom Jacomet
Copyright ©2019 by Tom Jacomet - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED