Date:  June 5, 2013  |   Story: Blythe Cate  |   Styling: Mandy Keener  |  

Tommy Holmes has been fishing since his teenage years, so it’s no surprise he was drawn to pick up a vintage fishing lure—to be exact, a “380 Yellow Shore Tiny Punkinseed” made by Heddon Bait Co.—thirty years ago on an antique hunt with his wife. Now, as a member of the Arkansas Tackle Collectors, Holmes fishes regularly at Greer’s Ferry Lake and meets with the other club members once a month over breakfast at Ed & Kay’s Restaurant in Benton.

In fact, get-togethers with the other club members are one of the ways Holmes acquires new pieces. They trade amongst themselves and travel to shows across the United States, including the national event, which Holmes calls “a three-day fishing lure bonanza.” At these shows, he looks for three qualities in the lures: condition, rarity and age. The more rare, older collector items are known as “new in the box,” which means they have little wear-and-tear and often accompany their original packaging.

His wife found one such piece—which now happens to be Holmes’ favorite—at a show in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Heddon “740 Goldfish Punkinseed” was first made in 1940, but production halted when World War II hit. Because so few were made, the color is rare and hard to come by, making it all the more valuable and a must-have for Holmes’ collection. As with many of his more than 700 collectible lures, Holmes keeps this piece on display at his home, and enjoys its beauty each day.