Pflueger, Enterprise Mfg. Co. - Akron, OH
Pflueger Enterprise Mfg lures were made for a long time. The Enterprise Manufacturing Company was first established in 1881 and incorporated in 1886. Pflueger was a part of, and had their tackle manufactured for them by, the Enterprise Manufacturing Company. Pflueger was one of the earliest fishing tackle companies. Enterprise Manufacturing was established in 1881 with Ferdinand Schumacker as President, Earnest A. Pflueger as Manager and Harry Comstock as Superintendent. Their first big success was the "Comstock Flying Helgramite" lure which incorporated Comstock's 1883 patent. The 1897 Enterprise Mfg. Co. catalog lists E.F. Pflueger as President, A.L. Conger as vice-President, E.A. Pflueger as Secretary/Treasurer and J.E. Pflueger as Superintendent. E.F. Pflueger is listed as the inventor of the "Pflueger Luminous Bait." At this time, Only metal and rubber lures were included in their catalog. They made a wide range of luminous metal and rubber lures. It wasn't until the early 1900's that they made wooden lures.
Their lures most sought after by collectors today are the Trory Minnow, the Flying Helgramite and the Crystal Minnow. The company name was eventually changed to just Pflueger Fishing Tackle in the 1910's. The earliest wooden lures had the hooks attached to the bodies with through-body wires and had no cup hardware as seen on the "Trory Minnow." The Trory Minnow design was the successor to the F.A. Pardee & Co. and the Samuel H. Friend style lures. The next hook attachment design was a see-through attachment of wire clips holding the hooks and attached to a central body axial post. In 1911, Pflueger patented their "Never-Fail" hook hardware. Pflueger also produced a less expensive grade of tackle and called that line the "Four Brothers" brand. The name referred to the four Pflueger brothers that ran the company. Pflueger Enterprise Mfg lures are considered to be made by one of the great early lure makers in the USA.
The Comstock Flying Helgramite, Fulton, NY, circa 1883
The PFLUEGER Luminous Crystal Minnow
The PFLUEGER "Monarch" Minnow
The PFLUEGER "American Spinners" Lures
The PFLUEGER "Kent Frog" Lure
The PFLUEGER 3 Hook Underwater Minnow with See-Through Hardware
PFLUEGER "Never-Fail Minnow" Lure
PFLUEGER "Never-Fail Minnow" Lures
The PFLUEGER "Never-Fail Minnow" Lure
PFLUEGER "Catalina Minnow" Lure
The PFLUEGER "Wizard Wiggler" Lure
The PFLUEGER "Globe" Lure
The PFLUEGER "Pal-O-Mine Minnow" Lure
The PFLUEGER "Live Wire" Lure
The PFLUEGER "Ballerina" Lure
The PFLUEGER Four Brothers Spinner
The PFLUEGER "Peerless Minnow" Lure
ENTERPRISE MFG. CO. 1883 "The American Angler" Magazine Ads
PFLUEGER Lures in 1896 Wilkinson Catalog
F.A. Pardee & Co. Lure 1900 Ad
Samuel H. Friend Lure 1905 Ad
PFLUEGER 1924 Catalog Pages
PFLUEGER 1924 Catalog Pages
PFLUEGER 1927 Catalog Pages
PFLUEGER 1927 Catalog Pages
The ENTERPRISE MANUFACTURING CO. 1904 Catalog Cover Page
Link to 1904 Enterprise Mfg. Co. (Pflueger) Catalog - Lures
Link to 1904 Enterprise Mfg. Co. (Pflueger) Catalog - Metal Lures