Author Topic: What are these?  (Read 3318 times)

waywardangler

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What are these?
« on: January 06, 2010, 04:58:33 pm »
These were all found in a tacklebox years ago and I have never been able to determine what they are or what they are used for used for.  I do not think they have anything to do with fishing.  They are all made out of white metal or like alloys.  They all have a coiled spring to keep them closed.  They all have 'ears' to squeeze them open with.  They close tightly but are not sealed because it is open where the spring is attached on each one.  The large one weighs about 2 oz. and the next largest weighs about 1 oz.  I did not weigh the smallest one.  I think they may be chocolate, ice cream, or melon molds but I have not found them in any kitchen collectible reference I have or the library has.  Any solid ideas on what these are, how old they are, and a market value (if any)?  Thanks.

talesofthesevenseas

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Re: What are these?
« Reply #1 on: January 06, 2010, 05:14:36 pm »
I'll throw out a guess- I think these are molds for making lead sinkers for fishing like these:

Antiqueaholic in recovery

waywardangler

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Re: What are these?
« Reply #2 on: January 06, 2010, 05:25:43 pm »
I do not believe so.  I am familar with sinker molds.  They all have a slot for the swivel with the wire to sit in the mold while the lead is poured through a hole in the closed mold.  There is no way to pour lead into the objects I have pictured while the object is closed in order to make a sinker in-the-round.

waywardangler

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Re: What are these?
« Reply #3 on: January 06, 2010, 05:31:57 pm »
A bell sinker mold for the types of sinkers sevenseas posted.

regularjoe2

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Re: What are these?
« Reply #4 on: January 06, 2010, 07:07:49 pm »
Chum weights , waywardangler .

Used to be common for catfish fishin' & other speces too ( think 'weighted stink-bait/dough-bait containers' ) .

waywardangler

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Re: What are these?
« Reply #5 on: January 06, 2010, 08:55:37 pm »
Do you have any reference or personal experience on these regularjoe?  I have seen antique (pre-1900) chum holders and they are not anything like these - shaped like fish, hinged to open up, and perforated to dispense the smell easier.  The dough/stink bait I have personally used was just formed around a treble that had a spiral wire on the shank to hold it on longer.  I have just not seen any objects such as these 'chum weights' and I have collected tackle for 30 years and fished for over 50.  It is entirely possible that is what these are and I just have not seen any others.

KC

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Re: What are these?
« Reply #6 on: January 06, 2010, 09:44:16 pm »
Being from the south I remember these!  The stinkier the better!!!!  The catfish are bottom feeders and love the "dead and stinky items" that are there!
I'm from the South - but please don't mistake my Southern Manners/Accent/Charm as a weakness!

regularjoe2

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Re: What are these?
« Reply #7 on: January 07, 2010, 11:56:57 am »
Yes , wwangler , I've seen these (in the deep south - Mobile , Alabama) used for catfish (a.k.a. "turd-hustlers" , down south) .
« Last Edit: January 07, 2010, 11:59:24 am by regularjoe2 »

cogar

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Re: What are these?
« Reply #8 on: January 08, 2010, 09:38:13 am »
Waywardangler, after pondering what you have there, even though I have never seen anything like them before now, ..... back when I was a kid and an avid fisherman for bass, suckers, catfish, etc., ......... they look like something that I would have liked to have had.

Me thinks them babies would have been "just the berries" for making "doughballs" for suckers and catfish fishing.

Just mix up a concoction of flour, water, etc., ...... then fill those thingys up with it ....... by pinching it open and then by either using a heaping spoon full or sticking it down into the mixture, ...... then let it close up ...... and then drop it in boiling water. 

And "bingo", when you take it out of the water n' open it up ..... ya got a perfectly shaped "doughball" ready to put on a hook.

That sure would beat using a spoon to "drop" a lump of uncooked dough into the boiling water.

Oh, and ps about catfishing. My Pappy told me how best to catch a lot of catfish in a river. First ya get a burlap sack, then ya put a gallon or so of something really smelly (he suggested chicken guts) into it, then a pretty good sized rock and then tie the end tightly shut. Then ya toss it into some shoal water (where the river narrows and runs faster) and then come back in 3 or 4 days or a week .... and fish in the deeper water right below the shoals.

He said those catfish will come from a 1/2 mile down river to feed on "whatsa smelling good" to them.

cheers

waywardangler

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Re: What are these?
« Reply #9 on: January 08, 2010, 12:04:46 pm »
I did not know catfish dough had to be boiled but your explanation makes sense.  That would also explain the different sizes.  They would be easy to plop out after boiling.  Very interesting.

The smelly stuff works on channel cats but if it is mudcats aka flatheads, they only take live bait.  Guys around here use bluegills for bait and catch them up to 60 lbs.

KC

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Re: What are these?
« Reply #10 on: January 08, 2010, 04:51:39 pm »
Yeah, can remember the chicken guts/gizzards/livers were put with dough and cooked just enough to stay together!  Those catfish thought they hit a Five Star Restaurant!
I'm from the South - but please don't mistake my Southern Manners/Accent/Charm as a weakness!

cogar

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Re: What are these?
« Reply #11 on: January 08, 2010, 11:54:49 pm »
The smelly stuff works on channel cats but if it is mudcats aka flatheads, they only take live bait.  Guys around here use bluegills for bait and catch them up to 60 lbs.


I live in central WV and there are three (3) Corps of Engineer flood control dams/lakes close by, all of which have those 50+ pounder flatheads in them .... and bass and big muskie. A friend of mine is an ultra avid flathead fisherman and his bait of choice are goldfish. He even made a video on "catching flatheads" and was peddling them on E-bay I think it was.

I once caught a small mudcat and when my Mom fried it up for me I found out why it got its name. yuck

waywardangler

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Re: What are these?
« Reply #12 on: January 09, 2010, 12:46:50 am »
Mudcats aka flatheads are delicious and are one of the finest fish (a very fine white flaky flesh when cooked) you can eat but they must be cleaned properly.  All of the red oily flesh that lies next to the skin must be removed or the flesh will be extremely fishy and awful.