just4decoys.com

This is a wonderful example of an unknown carver from Michigan. Notice the carved mouth and gills, glass eyes and metal fins and tail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moonlight Bait Company Fish Decoy circa 1925-Original paint

The Moonlight Bait Company started business in 1908. Through various lure company aquisitions throughout the years it eventually became the famous Paw Paw Bait Company around the 1935 era.

In 1977 I met a gentleman at an auction house in Shippshewanna Indiana who stated he was a relative of an past employee of the Moonlight Bait Company in Michigan. (I cannot remember if it was his Dad or uncle who was the employee) This gentleman was carrying a fish decoy with him that he identified as an early Moonlight Bait Company fish decoy. He was showing it to me to state that he was wanting to purchase if I found any. He stated they were very rare. Needless to say , this is the event that sparked my interest in fish decoys. Since that time I have only seen three examples like the fish decoy he was carrying. One other gentleman from Michigan in the last two years verified that these were Moonlight Bait Company fish decoys also. I have listed one example, in original paint, on this website under "Fish Decoys -1" page and I will show another example below.

It is easy to see that these Moonlight examples resemble the later Paw Paw version with the exception of the large size (8 1/2 inches) and glass eyes that are on these Moonlight decoys. Paw Paw decoys were known for their tack eyes. If anyone has any further information on these great decoys, please contact me at Just2decoys@yahoo.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moonlight Bait Company Fish Decoy circa 1925-Original paint Perch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This wonderful Perch Fish Decoy was made by the Moonlight Bait Company of Michigan. It has glass eyes and original tie ring and fins. The filler over the weight has fallen out (typical of these old decoys) It is in original paint and is a very very rare large size.

 

 

 

 

 

This wonderful decoy was found around and used on Lake Leelanau, North of Traverse City Michigan. I estimate this to be circa 1930s.

 

 

 

 

This wonderful old Michigan decoy has original fins, tail, line tie, weight on the bottom and original paint. It also has carved gills, and mouth. It is estimated to have been carved in the 1920s/30s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a wonderful example of a Lake Chautauqua New York fish decoy. Lake Chautauqua fish decoys are said to be the earliest fish decoys ever used. This particular decoy, I am guestimating at around 1880. Notice the carved mouth and gills as well as the inset shell eyes. The tips of the tail has been broken long ago from many years of hard use.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ralph Bargo: 1927 -

I was honored to talk with Ralph Bargo who now resides on a lake north of the Grand Rapids area of Michigan. Ralph is 81 years young and his health is failing. At one time he was a millwright for GM in Michigan. He was also an early race car driver in the Michigan race circuit, but Ralph's true passion was for spear fishing and hunting. He was born in 1927 and raised in the Gobles Michigan area. He speared in Baseline and Muskrat lakes, and later in the Canadian Lakes region of Michigan.

 Ralph's Grandfather Leroy Bargo also fished and hunted and passed his only fish decoy down to Ralph.

 

 

 

 

 

Below are the decoys carved by Ralph Bargo of Michigan: Ralph stated that they were all carved in the 1940s and were fished. He stated that he always took good care of his decoys and this shows in the below pictures.

 

This is a big bellied sucker that Ralph carved in "honor" of a big bellied floor foreman he once worked for at GM in the 40s. He named the decoy John.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ralph stated that the missing paint on this frog (in the right hand picture) was caused by a huge muskie biting on to the decoy.

               

 

                           

                 

     

A great pair of unidentified Wisconsin decoys

The two Green Bay Wisconsin fish decoys I am listing were featured once last October. I did not get any response as to who might have carved them, so I am bringing them back for an encore performance.

These decoys were found in Green Bay Wisconsin and were carved circa:1920s. It is apparent they were both carved by the same person.

Green Bay Wisconsin and the surrounding area is the gateway to Door County and is known for being an old spear fishing mecca.