3 inch, 2 inch, and 1.5 inch puddle jumpers.
In 1976, a company called Mar-Lynn was producing fishing lures out of Blue Springs Missouri. The President of Mar-Lynn, Ted Green wanted to design a small soft plastic lure primarily for Crappie. He wanted a lure that would sink slower than other lures. While visiting with Chuck Woods, one of the premier lure design specialist at the time, he discussed his idea and Chuck carved a Puddle Jumper prototype. The Puddle Jumper was produced and field tested in that year. It caught fish….it caught lots of fish. It went into mass production and with promotion by such crappie fishermen such as, at that time, T.V. personality Harold Ensley “The Sportsman Friend” , it obtained a huge following.
Not only did the Mar-Lynn Company develop the Puddle Jumper it also developed the Ensley Reaper, the Cricket, the Western Winner and other find lures. They also produced the first horsehead jig-spinner combination in 1968 and the first slip sinker for what is commonly called today the Texas Rig for worm fishing.
Unfortunately the original Mar-Lynn Company does not exist today. We, however, at the Ozarkfishing Connection are proud that we are able to produce the “original” Puddle Jumper. It still catches fish today just like it did back in 1976.
For more about the Mar-Lynn Company, Ted Green, Chuck Wood and others see the article by Ned Kehde.