F14 Tin Squids

F14 Tin Squids

F14 Tin Squids. These are called tins, the traditional name for this genre and style of surf casting lures. These are actually cast of babbitt and heavily chrome plated. Babbit is an alloy, mainly lead typically with 15% antimony and 5% tin for example that serves to substantially harden the lure.

Although they do not look like squids, this class of lures were called "tin squids" and the act of casting and retrieving them in the surf was called "squidding". These terms go back in time but its jargon that is still used today.

These look like jigging spoons but are actually casting spoons for surfcasters. They don't perform particularly well for vertical jigging like you'd use a diamond jig off a boat. These tin squids will tend to tangle often when vertically jigged.

When cast and retrieved so they swim back horizontally through the water, they won't ordinarily tangle. They are designed and have been perfected for one purpose only - long distance casting and retrieving in the surf from whatever kind of sandy or rocky shoreline. They swim, tracing an S-shaped wiggling path through the water, with action very much like a swimming baitfish when cast and retrieved with a feather-dressed tail hook (not included).

You get one each of:

1. Small F14  ~  1-3/8 oz  ~  3" long
2. Butterfish  ~  2 oz  ~  2-3/4" long
3. Large F14  ~  3-1/2 oz  ~  4-1/4" long

Please Note: The weights inscribed on the tins are incorrect. Those would be the weights if they were cast in tin metal. But they are not cast in tin. They are cast in heavier babbit which weighs more than the inscription.

Small F14. Correct weight (made of heavier babbit) is 1-3/8 oz.

Butterfish. Correct weight (made of heavier babbit) is 2 oz.

Large F14. Correct weight (made of heavier babbit) is 3-1/2 oz.

Bottom view. Large F14 (left). Butterfish (center). Small F14 (right).