Tackle Tips by Big Nemo

Display Tips volume No. 2

BY: “Big Nemo”

I want to start this week’s tip with a suggestion. What you think looks good and what looks good are two entirely different things. If you don’t have a 6 or larger Mega Pixels camera get one. There are several great little cameras in the $100-$200 range. Why is this important? Because you can be your second opinion with a good high resolution pic of your own displays. I have worked hours on displays only to get done, take a camera shot and see the imbalance of the display and stuff I want to change. Which can be many things that we’ll get into later? Things always look different in a photograph, but as they say a picture never lies.

We’re going to visit mounting lures in boxes and beside boxes and determine which is the right choice for your collection. I always like to lay out the whole group you intend to display in the case laying flat on a table that you can walk around. Don’t do this on a desk against a wall as your view is, what my old Granddad called, tunnel vision. You need to be able to walk around the display and view it from all angles. Always use T-Pins to pin your lures down when arranging and u-pins when you’re ready to make it permanent.



Funny story about display pins, I’m standing proudly at my table at Nationals and my old friend Dick Streater approaches my table. Dick and I go way back and have always tried to out insult each other in a humors way. We have been friends since 1977 and I want to impress him as much as anyone at the show. He stands and looks at the collection for what seemed like ten minutes and then looks up at me and says “nice display of t-pins, the lures looks ok too.” Boy was I hot. But Dick was right I had over 80 t-pins on that display and it was very distracting. So began the search for a better way.

Rule number one, never, never put a lure under a box, looks good lying flat but when you stand it up 1/3 of the lure is shadowed by the box. This is important not only for viewing but for photography as well. So, now we have laid the boxes where we want them it’s time to mount them. The best thing is a U-Pin that can be bought at most hobby stores as seen in the pic here, Take a good set of pliers’ and bend the pin flat. Now you have a flat wire that push firmly onto your board and will slide between the box top and the bottom. I just do the top myself, but top and bottom using four pins is much more secure for travel.



Now if you want to display the lure in its own box the fun starts. First take some 6X tippet fly leader or any light clear monofilament, 2lb or 4lb test is best. I used green here for demonstration purposes so you can see the line which you don’t want. Lay your open box the top labeled half first over the bottom of the box with the lure laying in it and wrap the mono around the box in two places to retain the lure and hold the lure in the box. I tie my knots on the front then slide them around to the back when I’m done and trim off the extra line. Two times is usually enough but You may need to do this three times on larger boxes like saltwater lure boxes or Musky Nemo boxes and “if you have one call me NOW!”.

OK, we’re almost done, now take the same flattened u-pins as above and put them on your board about 3” apart and slide the box over them between the top and the bottom halves. This gets a little testy on Fly Rod lure boxes so be prepared to walk away and pour a single malt beverage of your choice at your first desire to belch some two or three word profanities.

The lures now are mounted in their boxes and suspended in your display case and they can’t escape. Again, do all this while your display is flat on the table so you can move stuff around and get balance from all four sides. I have used the Boss’s dining room table longer than she would like many times because I keep coming back and making adjustments. It takes me several days but the message from the boss is it’s been there a month! WARNING” do not start this project the week of Thanksgiving as it takes the boss a week to set the table. Don’t want to interfere with the important things in life like FOOD.

After you’re all done, take your first picture, put it up on the computer monitor and look it over. You’re looking for any imbalance and all the other misgivings like the lure not lying right in the box or the mono not spaced evenly or the box is slanted and so on. I sometimes take several pics till I get the right arrangement.

The big thing you have just done is make your display non-permanent and changeable. Hope I did not ramble too long but there is not only satisfaction in this, but your display just took on its own personality and a reflection of your hard work.

Next time, we’ll mount original paper work to your display and a few other tricks. Tell then remember to take pride in your collection and others will to.

-- Big Nemo