Lyman Plugs

Hey guys these lures seem to go for stupid prices, not sure why, but I have some laying around and was wondering if anyone knows how you value them. Like what makes one worth more then another. thx

There's not a "book price" for each, obviously. Somewhat just what someone is willing to pay -- how much they want that model. Some seem to command more for their "classic" history of having success widely (eg - white ladder back), or being favoured in an area (eg - white ghost along L. Huron shores). And, of course, the condition on the lure.

If you take photos and put them on fishing boards (or Kijiji) you'll get offers to establish which are prized. It's a fickle market with the some predator looking to score a deal (and likely to resell immediately!). Probably not unlike selling most things over the old InnerWeb.

Good luck.

These lures have been around for close to 70 years, mostly were made as a mom and pop business for a long time. Each one was hand shaped and hand painted. The business was sold a few times for different reasons and actually shut down a couple of times. The shut downs seemed to spur the price increase as people that had success with them tried to buy all they could find. This also seemed to spark interest in hand painted eyes opposed to newer ones with air brushed paint and their value rose. Most of these lures were made of cedar.
Production now is modernized as is the painting with many new colours and patterns.
So really, it’s all about what people will pay. The newer ones are more consistent in shape and colour but people seem willing to pay for older ones. The market for them has gone internationally, their popularity is rising. I personally haven’t bought any in a few years as I have a good supply, so I can’t comment on whether newer or older are better but don’t think I’ll be buying any for what some people are asking.

Right on, thanks for the insight. Mine are older, I'll just through them up for sale and see what happens. Can't see them being anymore productive then the more modern plugs, and if you want a certain paint job just get someone to paint them. It seems that alot of people are just buying and selling not actually fishing with them. On market place someones is trying to sell 25 for $1000 which seems rediculous.

It's like everything else, trucks for over $100K, houses for over a million, whatever dimwits want to pay.

Yes exactly

If your lyman has the treable on a chain going through the body, with a second treable attached to the first with string. Does this indecate it's older style?

No. It indicates that it isn't a Lyman.

A similar lure called a "J-plug" -- a brother by a different mother!

These actually say Lyman Lures Kelowna Made in Canada. I also have J-Plugs that say J-Plug on them. Any who I sold 8, 5 inch Lymans for $200. Apparently the 4 inch are more desirable, and if run across a 9 inch you've won the lottery lol. I've learned so much. Wierdly enough it seems you can purchase brand new Lymans for $15.95.

The new Lymans($15) are made of plastic, not cedar. They are also factory painted making them less expensive and desirable. I sold my boat and much o my trolling tackle, but could not part with my collection of older Lymans

Interesting this just came up since I just sold 40 Lymans still in their original packaging



all the laddebacks with the red front went for a really good price and 5 bucks less for the others

I was more than happy with the offers..can't say how much but far in exceass of the orignal price as 6 lures still had that sticker on them....5,49

I had 8 of the larger ones I could spare and they were gone in 48 hours

I got a mess of them still and have had them for years. I caught a lot of salmon with them in years past. I would hate to sell mine as they would be hard to replace.

Yes they would be impossible to replace unless you pay out the a##. Would be interesting if you ran an old wooden one, beside a new plastic one and see if the fish know the difference. The old ones catch alot of fisherman and colloectors though. They really are a nice looking lure if all you want is for display. I'm definitely going to ask my dad and his old fishing buddies if they have any lying around, it would blow their minds to here how much people are willing to pay.

Yeah it's wild, put them on market place and my messages lit up, probably could have have got more money but for lures I aquired when I bought my boat I was pretty happy. People wanted me to ship right away no questions asked lol.

I have them more as a collector item like hockey cards. I have tried Lyman in the past no fish to be had switch to meat and boom the heat is on. And fir the price people pay for one Lyman you can buy 2 packs of meat that’s 20 meat and almost guaranteed fish on every 1/3 meat and at the price of fuel Im going to run what produces.