Review: The NFLCC Gazette, December 2007

Last week also brought the latest NFLCC Gazette, Vol. 31, No. 114 (December 2007) and it did not disappoint. The oldest fishing history journal in America, it has a number of interesting articles and features.

The first article is by Bob Guist, entitled "Phantom Devon & McGinty Minnows." It is a nice overview of these popular baits from the author of a book of the best book on the subject.

There were some nice retrospective features this issue. One by Spencer de Vito of Soldotna, Alaska entitled "Straight Copper and a Pflueger #4" was an interesting piece (I thought I'd read it someplace before but can't recall off hand where). The jewel of the issue is Jack Looney's hilarious "Uncle Norton" which made me laugh out loud. Jack's pieces are among my very favorites.

Marc Dixon offered a couple of pieces, "Boundless Opportunities" and "The Top 12 Undervalued, to Buy Now Sleepers." Ken Bernoteit penned a nice article entitled "Make Your Own Picture Display," complete with diagrams.

Dan Basore's columns are always welcome, and he did not disappoint when he wrote "Carl A. Johnson: The Lure Making Dentist." It covers the background history of the great Johnson Automatic Striker. Basore is one of the best in the business, and I wish The NFLCC Gazette would offer him a regular column so we could read more of his historical tackle research heretofore reserved, sadly, only for subscribers of Midwest Outdoors.

Another interesting article is by Lee Bontrager and is entitled "Delbert Fowler 'Bus' Pealer--Fisherman/Hunter." It covers the history of Bus Pealer lures, which I hate to admit I had never heard of before.

Finally, my own small contribution is entitled "Mr. Shakespeare Goes to Washington" and covers the role William Shakespeare played in helping craft the NRA Codes for fishing tackle manufacturers in 1933. I penned it in honor of my late, great friend Harvey Garrison, who passed away one year to the day I received this issue in the mail. Harvey, you are still missed by all of us.

All in all a good issue--not a great issue but definitely a good one. And Jack Looney's piece is one that should not be missed.

-- Dr. Todd