Crawford Brown Buster

marginal man

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Thought I'd post a few jigs I've been picking up here and there when I can find them. This is a Jack Crawford Brown Buster pattern hair jig. Old Fishing Facts readers will remember them well. From what I've been able to gather, Jack tied his jigs for his own company until about 1975. At that point, ads in Fishing Facts started listing the Crawford Tackle Co. as a division of (Dan) Gapen's Fishing World. Next time I see Dan I'm going to ask him about this. I believe at some point in the future Mister Twister ultimately ended up acquiring the design and jig rights with their "Nature Series" of jigs, many of which were identical patterns and ties to original Crawford ties shown in the pages of Fishing Facts back in the early 70s. Jack Crawford lived in Wisconsin for most of his life until 1997 when he and his wife moved to Minnesota. He passed away two years later in 1999. If anyone has any additional details they'd like to add I'd love to hear them.

Edit: Just noticed the forum above this for Vintage Tying Tools & Jigs. Mods feel free to move this thread if it should be in the other forum. My mistake.

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AtticaFish

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Yup, those would bust a few brown backs no matter what year it is. Looks like they have held up well for 30+. Great post!
 

Hawnjigs

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Mr. Crawford appears to have mastered paint eyes. The head looks similar to a Doll Fly.

Haha, he named his creations after a famous shoe brand in his day.

JiggerJohn was a Fishing Facts writer, maybe he could add some details?
 

Pup

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Fine examples of really interesting jigs and a nice little writeup too. Would be a real treat to meet and speak with Dan Gapen. His jig designs have influenced my tying (Hairy Worm/Ugly Bug).

I marvel at how the commercial tyers of that period (1970s) could produce jigs of such quality for the mass market. I tire quickly of tying the same two patterns in a row, let alone the same pattern for most of an afternoon or day.
 

AtticaFish

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hookup - I was wondering what all materials were there also. Looks like a mix of buck and maybe 'coon or 'yote to me. Some duck flank feathers added also.
 

dbeam

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What is will be again. Or maybe quality and good design last forever would be a better quote. I have no idea when the plain white Maribou crappie jigs came out, but year after year they are a great bait. Those would be just as good now as they were then.

Darrell
 

marginal man

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hookup said:
Bucktail?

AtticaFish said:
hookup - I was wondering what all materials were there also. Looks like a mix of buck and maybe 'coon or 'yote to me. Some duck flank feathers added also.


According to a 1975 ad description, Brown Buster was "Brown perfection heads with red eye. Brown/white mallard; yellow, red, brown bucktail."

Pic below is from 1973 and shows Jack hand painting his eyes onto a jig.


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AtticaFish

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If you look at the bottom jig in that 1st picture..... the tan fur looks fuzzy and has white tips like sections of raccoon has some times. Coon has a fairly similar look and action as bucktail but tends to have more fuzzed up fibers that make it bulkier. Just my observation, so would go by what the book says.
 
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