Bills Bugs - Bill Clark

Bills Bugs - NSW

Bills Bugs - NSW:
Bill Clark is a very inventive lure maker from Yamba in northern NSW. Maybe his most famous lure was the 'Flutterbug' which came in a number of sizes suitable for any surface feeding fish. Originally shaped from timber with heavy duty metal bibs Bills Bugs were available from the late 1980's and then moulded plastic as demand became higher. 
Other models include the 'Fuzz Bug' with either metal props (earlier models) or clear perspex props (later models). Bills Bugs also made small minnows like the 50mm 'Mantis', large minnows 'Barra Bug' (135 and 155mm), 'Jewfish Bug' (160mm) and  green and brown frogs. Earlier lures both wooden and moulded may be signed 'Bills Bugs' on the belly.
Early advertisement showing the 'Hopper' and 'Mantis' models. Some examples of small 'Hopper' and other earlier minnow. Note pleated bibs on earliest commercially made Bill Clark lures
The earliest 'Mantis' models will have bib with centre pleat and a squarish face where the bib meets the body. This was changed after a couple years to a more rounded nose.
Some fine examples of early square nose 'Mantis' model showing a number of different bib variations - metal and polycarb
Bills Bugs 'Mantis' -  rare square nose shallow models
'Mantis' - metal bibs, transition to round nose.
Large'Mantis' - round nose. Larger 3 hook plastic bibs
Early 'Mantis' - shallow model, round nose. Bottom lure has a polycarbonate bib
Bills Bugs 'Mantis' models would eventually become the 'Jewbug' (largest size) and 'Pillibug' (mid size) in the later catalogues
A tiny moulded Bills Bugs lure in lovely rainbow trout colouring showing signature before belly engraving. This lure dates to the early 1990's.
Moulded Bills Bugs 'Mantis' will have an obvious mould marking along the belly like the lure above which is also signed. Right shows the earlier packaging for Bills Bugs with the catch phrase of 'Get the Bug - Catch Fish'.
The two lures above show the earlier Bills Bugs packaging and sold for $89 on Ebay in May 2014. 
Lure below is an older timber version of the smallest 'Mantis'
Bills Bugs 'Flutterbugs' were first made in timber and its easy to see the differences where the slots for the bib is obvious and visible compared to the moulded versions. Some of the transitional moulded models may be signed before the engraved names were moulded into the belly of the lures.