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Canadian Lure Companies Ontario Companies Tomlin Bait Company
Canadian Lure Companies Ontario Companies Tomlin Bait Company
| Tomlin Bait Company |
Tomlin Bait CompanyToronto, OntarioA huge thanks goes out to Ken Kerr for his dedication and effort put into the Tomlin Bait Company research. Without his investigations and resulting literature, this information would not have been possible. Alfred Albert Tomlin was born in 1885 in Toronto, to English parents John and Mary Ann Tomlin. They lived at 218 Bleecker St., a rowhouse neighbourhood bordering a posh area of the city (one of his neighbours was Robert Simpson, of Simpson store fame, who lived in a mansion one street over). In June of 1918, Alfred Tomlin signed up with the Canadian Ordnance Corps as part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force - he had already been a Private in the COC militia for the five months prior. It was doubtful he saw any action as it was late in the war and it wasn't common for members of the Ordnance Corps to fight (Mostly they were quartermasters and as such, were in charge of issuing boots, arms and uniforms). The war ended in November 1918 and Tomlin went back to civilian living. The fishing connection came about in 1922 when Alfred came up with an idea for a new and improved trolling spinner. He designed fins on the lure so that it would rotate properly even at very low speeds, which was its "claim to fame." He stated in his patent that similar 'so-called' trolling baits would have to be trolled quickly, and if trolled slowly, they would only wobble or 'flop about' in the water. His lure was named the "Lightning Lure" but, for whatever reason, Alfred chose not to patent it in Canada. Instead, Tomlin registered his lure with the Industrial Design Registry in March of 1922 (Folio# 5384). It was, however, patented in the U.S. in 1924 (U.S. patent #1,519,174). Tomlin advertised in Rod & Gun magazine for many years using the name 'The Tomlin Bait Co.' and apparently manufacturing was done at his Bleecker St. residence. His boastful ads claimed his lure was 'The Outstanding Bait of 1923,' was 'The Bait That Gets Fish,' and also that his sensational lure had been sold in every U.S. state and all parts of Canada (This after only less than a year on the market). It came in three sizes and was made in brass, nickel-plate and copper or combinations thereof. It could also be used with pork rind. Tomlin also claimed his Lightning Lure was so well-made that it would last a lifetime. Despite the claimed success of his invention, Tomlin continued to make a living as a salesman at the large Toronto firm of D. Pike & Co. sporting goods. In 1928 he either quit or was fired (possibly upset that he couldn't convinve Daniel Pike to sell the Lightning Lure in the company store or through mail-order). He became a salesman at the Toronto Radio Co. for two years and then left to sell radios at the Wentworth Radio Co. in 1930. Tomlin had also convinced the Allcock, Laight & Westwood Co. in Toronto to sell his lure into the 1940's. Tomlin died in the mid-1940's and so did the long-lived Lightning Lure.
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