[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 17893-17894]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      HONORING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF EPPINGER MANUFACTURING CO.

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN D. DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 12, 2006

  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Eppinger 
Manufacturing Company on the occasion of its 100th anniversary.
  Lou Eppinger created his simple metal spoon lure in 1906. It quickly 
became known for its fish attracting wobble. He patented it as the 
``Osprey'' in 1912. Following World War I, he renamed the lure to 
``Dardevle'' in honor of the 4th Marine Brigade the Allies nicknamed 
the Dare Devils. It has since earned such accolades as one of ``The 10 
Best Lures in the World'' and ``50 Best Lures of All Time.''
  In the beginning Lou Eppinger sold 500 Dardevles a year. Today 
Eppinger Manufacturing sells over 2 million a year and produces 17,000 
different varieties of lures. This can be attributed to his strong 
belief in advertising. Before he turned over the company to his

[[Page 17894]]

nephew Ed Eppinger, Lou advised, ``Advertise even if you have only a 
nickel left to your name.''
  At a time when many corporations are moving their business overseas, 
Eppinger has kept its manufacturing plant in Dearborn for decades. Many 
of its employees have been working at Eppinger for over 30 years. Today 
Eppinger is run by Karen Eppinger, the grand-niece of the founder, and 
her two children, Jennifer and Wesley.
  I must also mention my own personal affection for Eppinger's quality 
products. Whenever I had a chance to fish, I knew that with one of 
Lou's masterpieces on my line, the brook trout didn't stand a chance. I 
owe many big catches and many fine meals to Lou's masterful work and 
durable product.
  I would like to ask my colleagues to rise and join me in commending 
Eppinger Manufacturing Company for 100 years of service to the 
community and area sportsmen. I extend my best wishes to Eppinger for 
continued success in the fishing lure business.

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