The History of the Spinning Spoon: Julio T. Buel, the Man Who Changed Fishing with a Spoon
The history of spinning spoon fishing officially begins with Julio T. Buel, although the first ideas for spinning lures appeared in Europe as early as 1823, when TF Salter described a British rig called the "Kill-Devil" in "The Angler's Guide." During the same period, Scandinavian sources speak of similar prototypes in Sweden, indicating that the idea of the spinning spoon (spinner) had emerged independently long before it was patented.
However, the real revolution in the history of spinning spoon fishing would come in the United States, with the patenting of the “Buel Arrowhead Spinner” model by Julio T. Buel. His lure made the transition from artisanal experiments to mass production and laid the foundation for the development of one of the most effective lures, present today in all waters of the world.
Later, brands such as Mepps (France, 1938) or Panther Martin (USA, 1958) took the idea further, with improvements in evolution, design and materials.
Today, the spinning spoon remains one of the most effective and long-lasting lures in the history of sport fishing, a staple in the portfolio of major manufacturers.
So, as I have well accustomed those of you who are still reading, let it be history!
Julio T. Buel and the genesis of the first spinning fishing spoon
Julio Thompson Buel was born on November 4, 1806, in East Poultney, Vermont. He grew up in Castleton, a small town a few miles away, where he learned the fur trade from his father, a trapper and tanner. At the same time, Julio became interested in water and fishing, which he often practiced on Lake Bomoseen, where the family had a boat and a cabin.
One day in 1824, while having lunch on the boat, he dropped a spoon into the water. Julio watched in fascination as the metal object sank, spinning, until a large trout emerged from the depths and bit it. That was the moment he realized he could turn the incident into a ghost.
When he got home, he cut off the tail of a spoon, glued a hook to the concave side, and drilled a hole in the end to tie the line. The next day, he returned to the lake with the prototype, caught two large trout, and the idea was confirmed.
Taxidermy of a successful fishing spoon
When he returned to the village with the two large trout, Julio paraded them down the main street of Castleton. People stared. "What did you catch them with?" some asked. He showed them his invention, most just nodded. Without realizing it, over time, the gesture of parading the fish, the rod and his invention turned into a rudimentary but extremely effective marketing campaign. People began to seek him out. They asked him to make them "that spoon like yours that catches fish."
He happily started making them for others. He cut spoons, dyed the convex part red, attached treble hooks and feathers. He made them from nickel silver, with his own hands, as best he could. He didn't sell them to just anyone, but he didn't refuse any fisherman whose eyes sparkled at the sight of his lures.
In 1827, he moved with his father to Whitehall, New York, where they opened a fur and taxidermy shop. He made beaver hats and other accessories, but he did not give up on producing fishing spoons. These had a place of honor in a corner of the workbench, where new models were slowly born that would eventually conquer the entire world.
How to get the fur off your hand onto the spoon on the bench
In 1848, Julio sent some of his spoons to a well-known sports journalist of the time, Frank Forester (Henry William Herbert), who wrote for Spirit of the Times. Forester was so impressed that he mentioned the invention in his book, Warwick Woodlands.
This publicity increased interest overnight. Requests began to come in one after another, and Julio realized that his spoon was catching both fish and fishermen. It was a turning point towards his true passion. He put furs aside and transformed the workshop into a small lure factory.
On April 6, 1852, Buel received the first American patent for a fishing lure: US Patent 8853. It was shaped like an arrowhead and went down in history as Buel Arrowhead Spinner. It was the first patented rotary press in America. And certainly historic, in the world.
Inventions, perfection at the tip of an arrow
Julio didn't stop after making his first oscillating and rotating spoons for the American market. In 1848, he created Water Walkin' Blade, a metal surface lure, considered the first mass-produced bass lure. It worked with a technique called "Doddle-Socking", which involved animating it with lateral movements of the rod.
Four years later, in 1852, the patent arrived: U.S. Patent 8853, for Buel Arrowhead Spinner, an arrowhead-shaped spoon that has had several variations over the years. In 1893, the model was rebranded with a practical innovation, a system for quickly changing hooks without the use of pliers.
For Buel, his obsession with quality was already a personal trademark. He used polished nickel silver for the blades, nickel-plated hooks, piano wire, and duck feathers. For quality control, he enlisted the help of his half-brother, Charles Pike, a jeweler by trade.
In 1876, Julio receives a medal at Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia for his contribution to the development of sport fishing. At the same time, in London, he also appears in The Fishing Gazette, the first weekly publication dedicated exclusively to fishermen.
In 1885, Julio, in failing health, sold his business and patents to Charles Pike. He died in May 1886, but his ghosts continued to evolve in an increasingly effervescent fishing market.
The rotary that never stopped
After Julio's death, the Buel name was not forgotten. In 1927, the business was purchased by E. Hammond, who moved production to Saratoga Springs. Buel lures continued to be manufactured with great care, but at an increasingly low-key pace, in an industry that was beginning to modernize.
Meanwhile, the famous Mepps spinning reels were born, a company founded in France in 1938, and Panther Martin, which appeared in the United States in 1958. The contribution of Julio T. Buel remains the landmark from which it all began. While others perfected it, becoming market leaders in the meantime, JT Buel was the one who gave the shape, direction and movement to the spinning reel.
After the war, the company was taken over by Frank T. Dunn, who moved it to Canton, New York. It was a time of revival in sport fishing, and the models created by Buel still had a voice. In 1967, the brand was taken over by Eppinger Manufacturing of Michigan, already known for the Dardevle, a lure that had become an American symbol. Instead of reinventing the wheel, Eppinger continued production under the name Buel Spinner.
The Buel Spinner is still present in the Eppinger offer, perhaps not as visible as before, but still on the shelves of traditional specialty stores. A legend that, after almost two hundred years, can still be ordered and fished with the same results as in the past. May there be more fish.
Today, after two hundred years
Let's move our historical telephoto lens two centuries later and take a look at the fishing kits of Romanian fishermen. The spinning reel invented by Julio T. Buel continued to evolve, diversify and, of course, do what it does best: catch all species of predatory fish.
And since there's always room for a new lure in any fishing kit, I suggest you take a look at generous offer from Arrow International stores. Keeping the same principle that amazed Buel on Lake Bomoseen, let's talk about finesse Berti rotary presses, the precision of those at Daiwa, of the unmistakable classic Mepps or aggressiveness Savage Gear spinning reels, all of these bear, in one way or another, the imprint of a spoon dropped into the water, chased by a trout and transformed, unwittingly, into history.
Finally, the truth is out there and the bibliography is here
For those who want to dig deeper or make a playlist for evening reading, here are some of the sources that helped us connect today's story with that of two hundred years ago. We started from the article On The Water about Buel's spoon and I went through Find a Grave to get to know Julio and beyond his ghost. We found valuable technical and historical details in Fin & Flame and in BloatedToe, and Jim's blog offered us a more unique perspective: In Search of Spinning Caterpillars. I learned about the modern tribute in the form of a coin from Agaunews, and for a more relaxed discussion about the origin of spoons, we also stopped by Oregon Fishing Forum.
And last but not least, a valuable source was Mălin Mușatescu's book, The universal history of frog fishing… sorry, with lures, which I also wrote about here, on andyarif.ro.
More history?
If you liked the story of the spinning spoon and want to dig through the drawers of the past, we have prepared a series of articles from the collection for you. Behind The Brand. A gallery of lures, people and inventions that changed sport fishing
Mustad History 1832 – 2025. From fishing hooks to automobiles, margarine and other inventions that have captivated the world
https://andyarif.ro/istoria-mustad-1832-2025-de-la-carlige-de-pescuit-la-automobile-margarina-si-alte-inventii-care-au-prins-lumea-intreaga/
In the footsteps of Mathias Topp, The Hook Maker, the inventor who turned Mustad into the global leader in fishing hooks
https://andyarif.ro/mathias-topp-mustad-the-hook-maker/
Miuras Mouse, a star is born, interview Maurizio "Miuras" Carini
https://andyarif.ro/miuras-mouse-s-a-nascut-o-stea-interviu-maurizio-miuras-carini/
Trout fishing with Berti Taifun, Metallica tribute
https://andyarif.ro/pescuit-la-pastrav-cu-berti-taifun-tribut-metallica/
Live Target Lures, between artificial reality and live targets
https://andyarif.ro/live-target-lures-intre-realitate-artificiala-si-tinte-vii/
Was there life before the Japanese wobblers Jackall TN?
https://andyarif.ro/exista-viata-inainte-de-voblerele-japoneze-jackall-tn-o-da-exista-si-dupa/
STROFT monofilament yarns and the rest
https://andyarif.ro/exista-fire-monofilament-stroft-si-restul/
History of DAM Quick Reels 5
https://andyarif.ro/istoria-mulinetelor-dam-quick/
DAM Effzett, between history and the movie Operation Monster!
https://andyarif.ro/dam-effzett-oscilanta-nemuritoare/
The Universal History of Frog Fishing. Sorry, with Haunting.
https://andyarif.ro/istoria-universala-a-pescuitului-cu-broasca-pardon-cu-naluci/
