History of the Heddon Zara Spook (Greatest TOPWATER lure of all time?)

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Is the Heddon Zara Spook the greatest topwater lure of all time?
It doesn’t look like much. A boring, almost uninspired shape. No bells, no whistles, no rattles, props, clackers, or blades. A simple design that looks as though someone was given a broken broom handle and told you have 30 minutes to carve a fishing lure…go!
But put this particular lure in the water, tied to the end of a baitcaster in the hands of a skilled angler, and everything changes. The lure comes alive.
It bobs, it weaves, it dances, it walks. You realize you have mistaken simplicity for precision. It doesn’t need bells or whistles; it IS the bells and whistles. Today on Retro Bassin’, we are going to dive into the history of perhaps the most iconic topwater lure ever designed, the Heddon Zara Spook.
Considering the Zara has been in production in some form or fashion for over 100 years, there is no way to fully cover the topic in a relatively short RU-vid video. Fortunately, there was a wide swath of material to pull from for this video and I will link every source mentioned below in the video description. In particular, both the Dallas Morning News article on the origins of the Zara Spook and the In-Fisherman article on Charlie Campbell are worth a read, and the links to everything else are down below in the comments section.
JAMES HEDDON BASSFISHING HALL OF FAME
www.bassfishin...
IN-FISHERMAN CHARLIE CAMBELL ARTICLE
www.in-fisherm...
DALLAS MORNING NEWS ZARA SPOOK ARTICLE
www.dallasnews...
BASS FISHING ARCHIVES “WHAT IS A SPOOK” ARTICLE
bass-archives....
RANDY BLAUKAT CHARLIE CAMBELL VIDEO
• The Secret Charlie Cam...
HEDDON LURES N REELS COLLECTOR SITE
luresnreels.co...
OLD FISHING LURE HEDDON COLLECTOR SITE
www.oldfishingl...
HEDDONS ON LURENET
www.lurenet.co...
SOCIAL MEDIA
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Опубликовано:

25 сен 2024

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Комментарии : 77

@TheRedneckPreppy 9 часов назад

I was fishing from the shore a few years ago and had a Zara Spook Jr tied on when someone came by and saw what I was using. He referred to it as a "grandpa lure". What he didn't see was how battered that lure was from the mountain of fish I had caught with it over the years.

@RetroBassin 7 часов назад

Great tale!

@danbeatty765 9 часов назад

Were is r intro❤

@RetroBassin 7 часов назад

It'll be back, Dan! Just fixing the video clips...

@bayouburner281 9 часов назад

Best topwater ever produced 🤙🏻❤️I always have some sort of spook tied up all year long because it catches

@RetroBassin 7 часов назад

What's your favorite color?

@bayouburner281 7 часов назад

@@RetroBassin Bone or some type of Shad pattern

@robertstanisch3452 6 часов назад

For sure my #1 topwater confidence bait. I am certain 90% of all my largemouths have come on a wacky worm or the Zara Spook, they are just what I have always reached for. Even when Musky fishing I use a Zara copy (Musky sized, lol) from Poes called the Giant Jackpot. The action just drives the toothy critters crazy. Love this type of content! Can't wait for an eventual Mepps and Eppinger episode if the branding is a hint of things to come, both outstanding American icons as well!

@RetroBassin 5 часов назад

A great one-two punch, Robert!

@gibr22 9 часов назад

I call the spook the adrenaline rush. Great video

@RetroBassin 7 часов назад

You know it!

@brianwills4398 4 часа назад

I've always been a fan of Randy B I feel bad for him with all the hate he's been getting over the whole FFS thing. Respect to him for standing his ground.

@davidcornwell2896 2 часа назад

I have a large collection of spooks i have caught alot of big bass with them over the years it is a special bait

@RetroBassin 2 часа назад

Have any wooden ones?

@davidcornwell2896 3 минуты назад

@@RetroBassin i think maybe two or three are wood most are 80s era

@joshuagibson2520 9 часов назад

Best top water ever is my Chuck Woolery moto chug and moto minnow. 😁😁😁

@RetroBassin 7 часов назад

Don't tempt me, Josh!

@jasonsmith2439 31 минуту назад

I have a couple Chuck Woolery frogs in black and white and the feet wiggle when you give it a jerk. Would love to see a video about them

@thims1961 8 часов назад

OK Arbogast's Jitter Bug has been the best topwater of all time for 60yrs

@RetroBassin 7 часов назад

I need to do a Jitterbug history!

@jasonsmith2439 35 минут назад

@@RetroBassinYES PLEASE DO A JITTERBUG HISTORY VIDEO PLEASE!! I Love the jitterbug and the history behind it along with all the stories I have heard.

@Randy-j7q4s 3 часа назад

The jitterbug,if theirs a fish there, you caught it

@RetroBassin Час назад

A case could be made!

@jasonsmith2439 29 минут назад

@@RetroBassinplease do a video on the jitterbug

@dannyjackson4661 Час назад

Great video as always very informative could put one together on the old DALTON Specials thanks again.

@RetroBassin Час назад

That one is in the works!

@michaelbyrne8860 3 часа назад

With out a doubt it's the # One Top Water Bait! A close second would be the Original Rapala Minnow! Fished as a jerk bait!

@RetroBassin 2 часа назад

Good point, the Rapala could definitely be considered a topwater, depending how you fish it.

@stevefisher2121 9 часов назад

Great video!!!! Greatest of all time? Maybe, I’d put the jitterbug up there just because its ease of use. Great history lesson!!!

@RetroBassin 7 часов назад

The Jitterbug is an all-time great, for sure!

@ifitswims3498 7 часов назад

great vid! we would love to have you on the ifitswims podcast to chat.

@tedlincolnsfishinglife 8 часов назад

I think it is the GOAT over all. I still fish its copies on the daily as you know. Definitely bring those weedless versions out on our next trip 🎣

@RetroBassin 7 часов назад

They are already packed, Ted!

@blind_eye_fishing 8 часов назад

One more comment 😂. I never twitch the rod to make a spook style lure walk. I use a reel technique that o can change easily wiyhin a retrieve from slow methotical to fast fleeing minnow. Its all timing and reel bursts.

@RetroBassin 7 часов назад

Great pointer, BlindEye!

@robinallen8773 9 часов назад

This is thee number one topwater lure of all time, period ! I’m glad you announced the cities name right in this video, so many people have butchered trying to pronounce it and have failed it miserably! lol! Great work on the video ! With elaztech plastic they could come back out with the weedless version again, hint hint! Talk to them about it! lol! It’s time for them to back as the powerhouse they. Once was!

@RetroBassin 7 часов назад

I actually had to Google how to say Dowagiac! Hopefully I was close...

@blind_eye_fishing 8 часов назад

Best topwater lure of all time ehhh not really but it's one of the best for sure. The crazy crawler, jitterbug, pop r and most importantly the buzzbait all have claim to that best topwater list and all are still made. But three are the most popular. The spook, buzzbait and popper. Those three have the claim to best ever topwater designed.

@blind_eye_fishing 8 часов назад

Oh and all three of the best imo are and can be used in multiple species plus salt and freshwater to catch fish lol

@RetroBassin 7 часов назад

I shoulda mentioned the buzzbait...maybe need a full video!

@ronaldowens5025 4 часа назад

You left out the Devil Horse. Grew up on ( my back yard) the St John's river. Wade fishing on the grass lines, around landing docks, and up among the cypress knees it was always my top lure of choice. The other lure if you can call it that I always had with me was a red headed feather jig.

@blind_eye_fishing 2 часа назад

@@ronaldowens5025 the devils horse although a great toowater hasn't ever been as popular as the others I mentioned and isn't found as easy today as the others I mentioned. That's style but larger can be used in saltwater and for other species though. The devils horse and a few other prop style baits is what lead to the plopper design which is way more popular these days. It's a great lure I agree but i feel it's just not in the top for best topwater or best topwater of all time. As it's feel off so far in popularity after the plopper was introduced. Others and their style of lures are still widely used and popular.

@OldPoser85 5 часов назад

I'd say the FROG is the best top water lure ever

@RetroBassin 5 часов назад

Which toad?

@taichi8008 6 часов назад

My favorite lure is Heddon lure.

@RetroBassin 5 часов назад

All of them!

@dietwaffles5907 6 часов назад

I love the work you put into every video man, keep it up

@RetroBassin 5 часов назад

This one took a little research...glad you enjoyed!

@joshuagibson2520 9 часов назад

Its good, but I sure love my Pop'R too.

@RetroBassin 7 часов назад

Me, too!

@Motorcyclefisherman 6 часов назад

I love fishing a spook !

@RetroBassin 5 часов назад

What's your favorite color?

@keithhall4371 8 часов назад

Love it keep them coming

@RetroBassin 7 часов назад

Thanks, good buddy!

@samuelsellers3829 8 часов назад

I think that multiple casts in the same place help get fish mad and make them eat and also I have found that walking the spook around grass and shallow cover that technique works great

@RetroBassin 7 часов назад

Great tip, Sam!

@samuelsellers3829 7 часов назад

@@RetroBassin I have also found that if you know there is a fish or a school in a particular spot in a pond or area of a lake and they have been hit hard I take a Zara puppy and pick apart all the tiny good looking spots and not really cover water with it just really pick 6”-2’ areas apart with it and walking it around cover really helps especially with the small spots

@BASSIN101tipsandtechniques 8 часов назад

Well done buddy 👏 😁

@RetroBassin 7 часов назад

Thanks, Todd!

@Stumpjack 7 часов назад

Excellent video. Back in the Retro Lure History saddle. Fantastic! You covered all bases here. My opinion of the best topwater lure of all time says its the Jitterbug, but the Zara Spook certainly vies with Fred's creation for that spot. Your discussion of techinques to get the Spook to walk are excellent. Great job, Chris.

@RetroBassin 5 часов назад

Thanks, Dave! This one was waaay overdue! Which "History Of" should be next???

@Stumpjack 5 часов назад

@@RetroBassin You might do another Heddon lure. You could build on this video, with some of the history already taken care of. Or you could maybe pick another topwater lure, whichever seems to be the consensus best topwater lure other than the Zara Spook. That would make a nice bookend to this video, imo. Because you've got the perfect follow-up: "Lots of folks said such-and-such was their favorite topwater, so today we're going to look at that lure." Also, I neglected to mention earlier, I have that same tee-shirt. Love it! lol

@DsTackleBox 9 часов назад

Heddon's zara spook is the all time best topwater lure you can use, period. Can be fished in multiple ways and always a producer!! Tie one on and see for yourselves. ✌️🤠

@RetroBassin 7 часов назад

You have enough of them to know, D!

@DsTackleBox 5 часов назад

@RetroBassin just a lil bit! I did get to add another drop zara to the group!

@jasonsmith2439 40 минут назад

Caught a lot of big bass on the bullfrog spook and when I was 12 I had to cut one out of my step dad’s back and I have never gotten that image out of my mind lol. Great video as always👍🎣

@redtide941 2 часа назад

Geeat video. I really want to try those techniques now, especially tye deep water one

@joshuamurphy8270 5 часов назад

I think the heddon propbait's come is second after not knowing that technique getting around cove with the Zara Spook that I now know thank to you. And thank you for that.

@thims1961 5 часов назад

"If" I was to give the nod to Heddon I'd be pointing to the red head or scale of the River Runt & Vamp Spook's that dominated the market here in Canada (& I suspect North Eastern US)for over 50yrs. After that I'd go with the Creek Chub Pikie Wood Fishing Lures that turned up in tackle box's right next to the previous lure for over 50yrs In fact I never saw a Zara Spook till the Covid pandemic & started watching southern US fishing shows on RU-vid during lock down.

@gregchilders7643 7 часов назад

Have to agree with the spook as #1. I'm getting into bfs but I do have a eagle claw 4ft 10in pistol grip rod paired with a bps pro finnesse lite model PRL05HB with 6lb mono that use with the zarra puppy and tiny torpedo for 30 years now. Could you please do a video on the torpedo?