Thursday, June 12, 2008

A Review of the June 2008 NFLCC Magazine

A Review of the June 2008 NFLCC Magazine

This edition of the NFLCC Magazine (June 2008, Vol. 18, No. 1) is one of the strongest in recent memory.


Several months back, magazine editor Dudley Murphy asked if I would be interesting in penning a series of articles on terminal tackle. My answer was an enthusiastic “yes!” and so this issue inaugurates what I hope will be a four-year journey entitled “Hook, Line & Sinker,” covering the history of collectable hooks, sinkers, line spools, tins, etc. Hopefully it will inspire a few people to broaden their collecting interests. This edition brings the inaugural offering, “The Angler’s Angle, which is the first of two articles on the collectable fish hook.

There are also three additional awesome feature articles in the magazine this issue. The first is by two veteran writers, Rob Pavey and Bill Stuart, who contribute an excellent article on Georgia’s Vann-Clay lures. I was astounded how many variety of Vann-Clay lures were made—no wonder they are such a challenge to collect!

Dr. Harold E. Smith, author of the acclaimed Creek Chub book, gives us the skinny on the Shur-Strike lures of Gateway and W. Bingham (Uncle Tom), the CCBC lures which had military stencils on the back. A great piece of research on a subject of intense interest to a growing number of collectors.

A fourth major feature is Jerry Martin, Roger Grimball, and R.B. Craddock’s “Creek Chub Bait Company Hair Bodied Bugs,” a subject of murky speculation on eBay. This should dispel a number of myths about what is and isn’t a CCBC Hair Bug. As with all of the articles Jerry is associated with, it is well-written and researched.

Finally, we have my favorite feature—Gary Smith’s back page article. “All for One and One for All” features the Reynolds patent interchangeable minnow that became the Pflueger All-In-One. As with all of Gary’s articles, this one is another gem—tying it to the ill-fated ocean liner Lusitania.

The NFLCC Magazine is edited by Dudley Murphy, assisted by Gary Smith.

-- Dr. Todd

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