Manufacturers make impressive fishing lures to lure in customers, prompting the adage, “Fishing lures are made to catch fishermen, not fish.” The March 1919 newspaper column “Woods and Waters” by Larry St, John opened:
 
“Every year sees a new and wondrous crop of casting baits put on the market and piscatorial cynics say that they are made to catch fishermen, not fish.”
 
The syndicated newspaper column “Smile Awhile” with Tom Sims posted in May 1922:
   
“Most artificial bait is meant to catch fishermen, not fish.”
   
 
20 March 1919, Chicago (IL) Daily Tribune, “Woods and Waters” by Larry St. John, pg. 13, col. 2:
DO BASS GET NEXT?
EVERY year sees a new and wondrous crop of casting baits put on the market and piscatorial cynics say that they are made to catch fishermen, not fish.
 
Google News Archive
2 May 1922, Cape Girardeau (MO) Southeast Missourian, “Smile Awhile” with Tom Sims, pg. 4, col. 3:
Most artificial bait is meant to catch fishermen, not fish.
 
Google News Archive
20 September 1923, Gettysburg (PA) Times, “Tom Sims Says,” pg. 5, col. 2:
Most artificial bait is made to catch fishermen, not fish.
 
Google News Archive
8 August 1967, Owosso (MI) Argus-Press, “Ray Attaway’s Outdoor Notebook,” pg. 13, col. 3:
“Most lures,” a wizened guide once remarked, “were designed to catch fishermen, not fish.”
 
Google News Archive
11 May 1979, Ludington (MI) Daily News, “Fishin’ Tips” from Tom Mann, pg. 10, col. 2:
DEAR TOM: i’ve heard lure manufacturers make lures to catch fishermen, not fish. True?” INQUISITIVE.
HELLO INQUIZ: I’m sure this has happened in the past but it costs too much today to make this gamble. Eery lure is thoroughly tested, and if the fish don’t buy it there’s no use trying to sell it to fishermen.
 
Google News Archive
4 June 1981, Spartanburg (SC) Herald, “The Least Amount Of Bait Means Minimum Decisions Will Be Made” by Bob Sargent, pg. C-5, col. 3:
Too many lures are designed to catch fishermen, not fish.
 
Google News Archive
3 February 1985, The Day (New London, CT), “Here, fishermen are the catch of the day” by Art Durity, pg. D-12. col. 4:
Equipment was designed to catch fishermen, not fish.
 
Google Books
The Fisherman’s Friend:
A Bedside Companion
By Bill Tidy and Derrick Geer
Oxford: Lennard
1989
Pg. 24:
Remember, there are lots of flies tied to catch fishermen, not fish!
 
Google News Archive
10 July 1996, The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA), “It’s becoming tougher to hook wary fishermen” by Fenton Roskelley, pg. C4, col. 1:
No wonder cynics say much tackle is designed to catch fishermen, not fish.
 
Twitter
larry t smith jr
‏@working4aliving
Tip:fishing lures are made 2 catch fishermen not fish! So true.
4:01 PM - 8 Jul 2009
 
Google Books
Bass Fishing Made Easy
By RS Lyons
Lulu Publishing (Lulu.com)
2014
Pg. 5:
In my guess I would say 99% of the lures made are to catch fishermen not fish.
 
Made in Maine
Maine man hooks fishermen with 1900s reproductions
June 29, 2016
By Micky Bedell
(...)
Chris told me that there’s an old saying among fishermen that “fish lures are designed to catch fishermen, not fish.”