Roller Flasher Bait

November 28, 1999 - Vol. 4, No. 11

Roller Flasher Bait

Roller Flasher

Sometime in the 1940's the Roller Flasher Co. of 17831 Hamilton Road, Detriot 3, Michigan designed and sold an advertised a lure named the "Roller Flasher". Their box catalog (pictured) states that the lure came in three models but only 2 are currently known, the #100 series at 2 1/2 inches in length and the #110 series at 3" inches in length. Both of these models were made of wood, had a wrap-around metal 'flash strip' on the lower body, a large metal divinig lip and large painted eyes.

Each model was offered in 10 different color choices numbered from 101 through 110 in the 3 inch and 111 through 121 respectfully for the 2 1/2 inch. The colors were:

Large Size (3")
101 Red and White with Scales
102 Red and White - plain
103 Green and White with Scales
104 Green and Green
105 Green and Yellow with Scales
106 Black and Grey with Scales
107 Black and Grey - plain
108 Yellow and Black - plain
109 Yellow and Red - plain
110 Orange and Black

Small size (2 1/2")
111 Red and White with Scales
112 Red and White - plain
113 Green and White with Scales
114 Green and Green with Scales
115 Green and Yellow with Scales
116 Black and Grey with Scales
117 Black and grey - plain
118 Yellow and Black
119 Yellow and Red
120 Black and Orange
121 Frog

Some colors are very rare, such as Frog, Black & Orange, and Yellow & Black.

The paint on the wooden lures is very thick and it appears it may have some sort of a coating or other material mixed with it to make it quite durable. On initial examination, they appear to be plastic but are actually coated wood.

The "Roller Flasher" was especially designed to give fisherman the flash and play of a spoon and the bouyancy of a plug. The highly polished metal plate on either side of the bait gave it the 'flash' as seen in the above picture.

The original lures were sold in a 3 1/2 inch long colorful 2pc. cardboard box (pictured above, top right). The top of the red & white box depicted a fisherman in a wood rowboat casting his "Roller Flasher" through the air above him.

Near the end of the 1940's there was a change of ownership and relocation. The later production Roller Flashers were made of plastic and the early 1950's were sold in a 4 7/8 inch long rather plain red & white 2pc. cardboard box. The box displayed the new company name and address as: B & J Tackle Co., 17100 Belton, Detroit 10, Michigan.

The current market-collector value of this lure in either box, ranges from $80 to $100.

Fred Paulson Prototype

The lure pictured above is a aluminum prototype lure designed by Fred Paulson of Illinois and dates to the 1920's. NFLCC member Dan Basore has written an extensive article on Paulson which will appear in the upcoming edition of the NFLCC Magazine. Information on Paulson is nearly non-existent with the exception of the Paulson Wobbler lure which appears in a couple of tackle reference books.

A special thanks to Dan for sharing the pictures with us!!!

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