FROM 1957 TO 1963, TV audiences enjoyed the Cleaver family’s all-American suburban charm, largely due to the relatable nature dependably delivered by child actor Jerry Mathers. Starring as the namesake character, Mathers made Leave It to Beaver a cultural icon.
Jumping right into the angling allusion, the beaver-style bait has made its mark as the shape iconically linked to the flipping/pitching/punching technique. Stats probably favor this form in productivity, but it takes more than one player to make a team.
Sometimes it’s better that you don’t leave it to the beaver. More on that in a moment.
Then & Now
Reaction Innovations paved the path with its 2002 introduction of the Sweet Beaver. Company founder Andre Moore used the prototype to win an event at Beaver Lake and promptly named his creation after that fishery.
There’s only one original, but like Coke and colas, Frisbee and flying discs or Traps and lipless baits, anglers commonly use the proper noun “Beaver” in generic lowercase form to describe the widely replicated bait shape. Common features include a narrow nose, a broad, ribbed body, a flat tail and various lesser appendages that enhance the profile without significantly impeding its ability to penetrate vegetation.
No doubt, the classic creature bait form is as instantly recognizable as Mathers’ cheeky grin back in the day. But while that popular show centered around its main
