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Barracuda History
The Barracuda brand well represents the legacy of professional lure craftsmanship in America. FFTMC can be traced back to Charles Fletcher Clark, a Kentucky born entrepreneur who formed the company in 1923. It's headquarters was located in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida.
Around 1928, an enterprising young man, CJ "Jack" Reynolds, became general manager of FFTMC. He was successful in helping to improve the array of products it sold beyond the branded lines of Creek Chub and All Foss, to include high end cane salt water rods and pier (clothespin) lures. Jack convinced his brothers, CJ and BT, to join the operation of the company. With the help of a relative, Jack and his brothers acquired the company from Charles Fletcher Clark in the challenging financial times after the stock market crash in 1929.
The company was always recognized as an innovator of fishing tackle. Shortly after buying the company, Jack Reynolds introduced the Reflecto spoon, and created a new process for making jigs. During the 1930's the company made the MaeWest, Baby Wampus, Injured Minnow, Reyhu, Surface Popper, Twitchin Cuda, Torpecuda, the famous Florida Shiner and Shiner Baby, Slim Twin Cuda and the Convict. In 1934, the well known Barracuda name and logo were introduced to the public. And this brilliant design was used throughout the late 30's and early 40's until replaced by a green and yellow box with waves.
In the 1940's, FFTMC introduced the Dangle-back Cuda, BulgeEye Frog, Florida Pee Wee, Florida Shad, Old Albert, Sco-Bo, Silver King (later King Kuda), Super Midget, and Topper. In 1949, the company introduced the Dalton Special spoon and variations on this lure continued throughout the 1950's.
The company also produced the Spark-a-Lure and a number of jigs in the 1950's, including J Feather, Dude Fly, Pot Belly Dude, Bullet Head, PT-109 Dude, Tiny Dude, Pencil Squid, Chrome Squid, Zep, Shark Face, K Dude, Bullnose Feather jig, Squid Jig, Hex Dude, Super Dude Bali Dancer, Baby J Jig Squid Dude, Chessy Dude and the Big Eyed Dude. As well, in 1955, the Company made the famous Golden Falcon, an unusual jig design featuring the colors and name of Eastern Airlines most advanced plane.
Starting with 5 employees in 1933, Jack Reynolds led this successful Florida company to an estimated 150 employees in 1947. During the 1950's, the company was the largest maker of tackle in the Southeast with more almost 300 employees and having distributorships in the US as well as Cuba and South America. In 1960, Barracuda was considered the largest maker of fishing jigs in the world. The death of Jack Reynolds in 1974 brought an end to this storied lure maker, but not to the sale of Barracuda lures, still one of the most recognized and collected types of fishing tackle worldwide.
We formed our business, Florida Fishing Tackle Manufacturing Co., Inc., and our web site, BarracudaLures.com, as a tribute to the golden age of wooden lure making. Through the promotion of lure artisans and their handmade arts, and by encouraging anglers everywhere to appreciate handmade lures for both angling and artistic purposes, we hope to actively foster this rich tradition of creativity and craftsmanship for generations to come.
Special thanks goes out to W.H. Bill Stuart, Douglas Brace and Russell Riddle Jr., authors of Florida Lure Makers and Their Lures, Vol. I, published by The Museum of Fishing, Bartow, Florida © 1995, who provided valuable research into the origins and history of FFTMC and its founders.
