*Banner Image - Very rare Keith Baker 'Kra-Bob' with segmented nippers and belly eggs
Keith Baker began making lures in the early 1980's when he lived near Armidale. After moving to Ulamambri in the 1990`s Keith started producing the 'Kra-bob' under the name 'Mambri Lures' which can be found on a white card. Keith never gave away the rights to any of his lures, only the right to copy them - the 'Kra-bob' has been copied several times for commercial gain. Keith literally made dozens of different minnow styles as well as his most commonly recognised crayfish imitations.
Most of Keith`s lures have a full wire harness, placed in a groove and then filled with Araldite. They are first undercoated and primed by dipping them in very thin clear coat until the timber is completely sealed. Very few have painted eyes although there are a few examples in the 1980's. All his lures were carved with a Victorinox budding knife that Keith called 'Victa'. Old 'Victa' was retired in 2012 and only a handful of specials have been done since by 'Victa 2'. Keith mainly used Radiata Pine (his preferred timber) however some specials and nudes are of Australian Red Cedar & White Beech. Considering the continued rise in prices for any Keith Baker lures and the worth of an original 'Kra-bob' in the modern collector market, keep in mind that Keith was paid between $5- $8 for each lure he carved.
The following lures show variations and different models of the Baker 'Kra -Bob' - the most recognised of all Keith Baker creations.
(Below) This lure was uncovered at Lure and Fly Expo in 2016 and has a clover shaped bib which is the first seen. This lure is a smaller sized model Baker Kra-Bob
The lure below was discovered and identified at Expo 2017 as a large Keith Baker model
More Keith Baker lures that sold on Ebay in early 2018
Part of the final lot after retirement of 'Victa'
The letter below is dated 1994 and discusses a lure order but also explains how the lures are constructed with a through wire harness.
'My first glimpse of Keith's lures was in a fellows tackle box at
Windemere Dam about 18-19 years ago (1992), the fellow (I think his last name
was George?) Was a travelling rep from Dubbo and he was showing Keith's
lures around too shops for him. I remember being in absolute awe of what
was in that box. A famous old blues musician tells a story of when he
was younger, that he was offered a lesson on playing slide guitar off an
elderly blues player. The old guy had a medicine bottle that he used
for slide, after listening too him play, he got up, handed him his brand
new shop bought slide, turned and walked away. He was asked why he did
leave? and he answered "I could not compete with that, so best to just
walk away. I felt a little of that looking into the box. Keith later
contacted me about making his bodies quicker, out of wood I had nothing
to suggest but put him in contact with Lively Lures, that's when the
fella who's name escapes me??? Bought the rights to the Baker Cray'
PS: Some of the lure shapes in that box, I kid you not! Have never been seen, ( by me at least) on any lure sites. Paul Kneller'
