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Spring Hooks
Vintage ”Spring-Loaded Fishhooks” (aka “self-setting fishhooks & fish traps”, or just plain “spring hooks”) were a specific category of fishhook that used the stored energy of a tensioned spring to automatically power the ”hook, spear or jaws etc.” that caught the fish the instant the hook’s trigger mechanism detected a bite. Various types of springs (including tension springs, flat springs, torsion springs, etc.) were used to provide the required stored energy that powered the catching mechanism. …………. Their origins date back to an era when our waters were thought to have an endless supply of fish & the primary goal was often to just put food on the table, while at the same time, the sport fishing fraternity was still generations away from developing a commonly accepted concept of ”catch & release”. In the modern era “Spring Hooks” are illegal in most jurisdictions.
Below are Vintage “Spring-Loaded Fishhooks” from my Collection (just getting started, lots more to be added regularly). …… Sometimes the “captions” at the bottoms of the images will obscure part of the picture ….. to turn the “caption ‘on’ or ‘off’, just “right-click” on any part of the image:
Batwing Spring Hook (aka ”J.F. Klintin’s Mechanical Safety Hook for Fishing”) – Swedish Ad c.1869-98 (original SWEDISH LANGUAGE COPY courtesy of Bill Blauser, E. Eriksson, U. Westblom) – Was previously “Unidentified” & commonly known as the “Batwing Spring Hook” in the Vintage Fishing Tackle Collecting world.
Batwing Spring Hook (aka ”J.F. Klintin’s Mechanical Safety Hook for Fishing”) – Swedish Ad c.1869-98 (GOOGLE’s ENGLISH TRANSLATION of above original Swedish Language Copy) – Was previously “Unidentified” & commonly known as the “Batwing Spring Hook” in the Vintage Fishing Tackle Collecting world.
”Batwing-Klintin Spring Hook” c.1869-1898 – RARE (”Less than 5 of these fish traps are known to exist in the hands of collectors” per experts Blauser & Mierzwa’s iconic 2006 Spring Hooks book & updated 2023 Swedish collector research) – 9” long when sprung, 6 5/8” spread when set – (front shown as set) -1a
”Batwing-Klintin Spring Hook” c.1869-1898 – RARE (”Less than 5 of these fish traps are known to exist in the hands of collectors” per experts Blauser & Mierzwa’s iconic 2006 Spring Hooks book & updated 2023 Swedish collector research) – 9” long when sprung, 6 5/8” spread when set – (back shown as set) – 1b
”Batwing-Klintin Spring Hook”c.1869-1898 – RARE (”Less than 5 of these fish traps are known to exist in the hands of collectors” per experts Blauser & Mierzwa’s iconic 2006 Spring Hooks book & updated 2023 Swedish collector research) – 9” long when sprung, 6 5/8” spread when set – (front shown as sprung) – 1c
”Batwing-Klintin Spring Hook”c.1869-1898 – RARE (”Less than 5 of these fish traps are known to exist in the hands of collectors” per experts Blauser & Mierzwa’s iconic 2006 Spring Hooks book & updated 2023 Swedish collector research) – 9” long when sprung, 6 5/8” spread when set – (back shown as sprung) – 1d
Koch ‘Frog Head’ Spring Hookc.1914-c.1915 (3.69” set) Very Scarce to Rare & Highly Desirable -1dKoch ‘Frog Head’ Spring Hookc.1914-c.1915 (3.69” set) Very Scarce to Rare & Highly Desirable -1bKoch ‘Frog Head’ Spring Hookc.1914-c.1915 (3.69” set) Very Scarce to Rare & Highly Desirable -1aKoch ‘Frog Head’ Spring Hookc.1914-c.1915 (3.69” set) Very Scarce to Rare & Highly Desirable -1c
”Job Johnson 1846 Patent” Spring Hooks – EXCEPTIONAL & RARE GROUPING: (1-of-a-kind 7.75” hook, Rare4.63” hook stamped ”Job Johnson 1846” & Early Modified or Variant 4.25” hook with imported English bait hook stamped ”Redditch”) set -2aa
”Job Johnson 1846 Patent” Spring Hooks – EXCEPTIONAL & RARE GROUPING: (1-of-a-kind 7.75” hook, Rare 4.63” hook stamped ”Job Johnson 1846” & Early Modified or Variant 4.25” hook with imported English bait hook stamped ”Redditch”) sprung -7bb
”Gabriel Automatic-Setting Big Fish Trap” – PATENT DRAWING for Patent# US820640 (Patented May 15, 1906) -1za (Page 2)
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“Gabriel Automatic-Setting Big Fish Trap” (reference copy from Blauser & Mierzwa’s Iconic 2006 Collector’s Reference Book ”Spring-Loaded Fish Hooks, Traps & Lures”)-1de
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“Gabriel Automatic-Setting Big Fish Trap” (reference copy from Jeff Kieny’s excellent 2008 Collector’s Reference Book ”Patented Hooks, Harnesses & Bait Holders”)-1de
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Spring Hook – ”Gabriel Automatic-Setting Big Fish Trap” (1906-c.1918) – steel & spring steel 8.63” long x 4.75” dia. – 60 serrated teeth – ”Gabriel Big Fish Traps” are prone to setting/trigger mechanism breakage & are VERY SCARCE to RARE to find in complete & full working condition like this example from my collection – Shown in ‘SET’ position -1aa
Spring Hook – ”Gabriel Automatic-Setting Big Fish Trap” (1906-c.1918) – steel & spring steel 8.63” long x 4.75” dia. – 60 serrated teeth – ”Gabriel Big Fish Traps” are prone to setting/trigger mechanism breakage & are VERY SCARCE to RARE to find in complete & full working condition like this example from my collection – Shown in TRANSITION BETWEEN ‘SET’ & ‘SPRUNG‘ positions -1bb
Spring Hook – ”Gabriel Automatic-Setting Big Fish Trap’‘ (1906-c.1918) – steel & spring steel 8.63” long x 4.75” dia. – 60 serrated teeth – ”Gabriel Big Fish Traps” are prone to setting/trigger mechanism breakage & are VERY SCARCE to RARE to find in complete & full working condition like this example from my collection – Shown in ‘SPRUNG‘ position -1cc
Spring Hook – ”Gabriel Automatic-Setting Big Fish Trap” (1906-c.1918) – steel & spring steel 8.63” long x 4.75” dia. – 60 serrated teeth – ”Gabriel Big Fish Traps” are prone to setting/trigger mechanism breakage & are VERY SCARCE to RARE to find in complete & full working condition like this example from my collection – Shown in ‘SPRUNG‘ position -1dd
Spring Hook – ”Gabriel Automatic-Setting Big Fish Trap” (1906-c.1918) – steel & spring steel 8.63” long x 4.75” dia. – 60 serrated teeth – ”Gabriel Big Fish Traps” are prone to setting/trigger mechanism breakage & are VERY SCARCE to RARE to find in complete & full working condition like this example from my collection – Shown in ‘SPRUNG‘ position -1ee
Spring Hook – ”Gabriel Automatic-Setting Big Fish Trap” (1906-c.1918) – steel & spring steel 8.63” long x 4.75” dia. – 60 serrated teeth – ”Gabriel Big Fish Traps” are prone to setting/trigger mechanism breakage & are VERY SCARCE to RARE to find in complete & full working condition like this example from my collection – Shown in ‘SET‘ position -1ff
Spring Hook – ”Gabriel Automatic-Setting Big Fish Trap” (1906-c.1918) – steel & spring steel 8.63” long x 4.75” dia. – 60 serrated teeth – ”Gabriel Big Fish Traps” are prone to setting/trigger mechanism breakage & are VERY SCARCE to RARE to find in complete & full working condition like this example from my collection – DETAIL of ‘SETTING/TRIGGER MECHANISM’ in ‘SET‘ POSITION’ -1gg
