The Friday Funhouse

The Video of the Week

Last week we ran the Tadpole, this week the original Pocket Fisherman.



12 Things I Would Buy If Only I Could Afford Them

Holy cow is this Talbot 53 a rare reel!



This Otto Zwarg reel is incredible.



Holzmann was an incredible reel maker.


Phillipson is the most underrated rod in history.



Another Bronson Reel-o-Mine has hit the block.



I like this Shakespeare Copper underwater minnow.



Newell reels don’t get the love they deserve.



This is a nifty Donaly lure box.



A Masterlure Plug is a pretty lure.



The Paw Paw Platypus is another lure on the rise.



I like this E.B. Norris Squid a ton.



Heddon 3-35s are great reels.



As always, have a great weekend, and be good to each other and yourself!

— Dr. Todd

The Fishing Advertisement

Since we are in a period of record low temps here in the Ohio Valley, I thought a nice ice fishing advertisement would warm me up a bit today. So here’s a 1960 Coca-Cola advert which is notable only for its simplicity. It’s a classic ad with the classic Coke bottle … on a classic frozen lake.



— Dr. Todd

The Spinning Reel Report with Ben Wright: February 2015

FEBRUARY 2015

RECORD SNOWS AND RECORD LOWS -------------------------
GLOBAL WARMING !!!!#$%^^&&&(**( , REALLY #$%^&*((*?????

NEW CATEGORY : WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT ???
Abu 507 scf nib sold @ 232.79
Abu 888 nib sold @ 615.20
Centaure Pacific 5 exc sold @ 189.99
another Pacific 5 exc- with wrong bail nut sold @ 191.00
and a Dam-Quick 110 exc- started @ 2,000.00 did they mean2,000.00
or maybe 200.00  "NO BIDS"

Abu:
400 exc @ 483.37
450 exc- @ 527.40
999 3-speed nib @ 966.92
Suveran S2000M nib @ 381.03
Cardinals---
33 repro nib @ 187.50
40 salesman sample exc+ @ 182.05
55 nib @ 143.02

Airex:
spinster second version exc @ 22.50
same but ewb &bag @ 55.00
Vic black exc- @ 70.00

Daiwa:
minicast cf rod/reel combo exc w/case @27.42

English:
Allcock Felton Crosswind e+wb @ 112.62
A Allen Spinet no 1?   chip in foot @106.12

Heddon,
100 CF exc- @ 56.00
spin pal 240 e+wb @ 55.62
Victory 80 mk11 cf nib @ 85.00

French:
Bretton 500 nib @ 37.89
GMS Morfaux exc @ 172.15

Italian:
Orvis-
 150S nib @ 143.61
  200 ewb @ 50.00

Japan:
Corbra NY ewb @ 33.01
Compac clipper 36 cf exc @ 43.00
spin mitey exc w/case @ 58.00

Mitchell:
300C ewb @ 142.50
common 304 ewb @ 81.12
508 exc @ 185.50
510 e+wb @ only 113.50

Penn:
420 and 430 cf both exc+ @ 178.22
704 second version e+w/poor box @136.17
710 green nib @ 102.50
712Z nib @ 128.50

Pflueger:
Pelican 1020 ewb @ 46.00
saturn 84 cf ewb @ 36.01

Shakespeare:
1771 cf exc @ 52.80
2200 japan nib @ 25.00

Swiss:
Esquire e+wb @ 233.50
Record 50A nib @ 76.85
Stucky oromatic exc @ 233.50

Zebco Cardinals:
4 rod and reel combo second version ?nip @ 475.89
4 4th version nib @ 285.00

Other Reels:
Ashaway slip cast nib @ 87.00
Arjon 500 cf nib @ 134.30
flo-line nib @ 103.50
the edge water cf nib but missing spring @ 84.12
Harrison auto max 100 nib @ 151.00
The Virginia reel rubber band drive neat cf ewb @ 67.00
southbend Futura cf exc w/case @ 36.00

sure hope spring gets here and SOON !!
Ben

The Friday Funhouse

The Video of the Week

K-Tel sold the Ron Popiel Pocket Fisherman … but they also sold the Tadpole. Check out this vintage ad.



12 Things I Would Buy If Only I Could Afford Them

This Shakespeare 1755 is a really rare reel.



This Meek #44 fly reel is great.



I really like this Edward Page painting.



This Medalist is reaching the stratosphere.



Love this Pollywog!



A Heddon “0” is always a fun find.



A Pflueger Kingfisher trade minnow is cool.



This Pflueger Kent Frog is incredible.



These Myers/Spellman lures are rare.



This Lewis Interchangeable in the box is really getting interest.



This Ed Vom Hofe seems pretty rare.



This is one big Paddler!



As always, have a great weekend, and be good to each other — and yourself!

— Dr. Todd

Voices from the Past: Dixie Carroll on Hildebrandt (1919)

Over the next several months, I’m going to feature the fishing tackle writing of one of my all-time favorite writers, Dixie Carroll (Carroll Blaine Cook). These famed pieces of tackle were featured in his great book Fishing Tackle and Kits. They are fascinating write-ups of the tackle from a contemporary perspective. Below is Dixie’s write up on the Hildebrandt Spinner, an iconic lure if ever there was one.\


HILDEBRANDT SPINNERS
- Made by the John J. Hildebrandt Co., Logansport, Ind. As soon as a fellow talks of spinners in the fishing game, he just naturally thinks of Hildebrandt. These spinners of the famous Slim Eli, Standard and Idaho shapes have a name for spinning and sending a flashing invitation to the game fins that is irresistible to these husky tailkickers. I have used many of these spinners, both the singles and tandems and they have always merrily spun through the water, free and easy which is just what they are intended to do. A number of years ago I had the pleasure of meeting the originator of this line of spinning lures, John J. Hildebrandt, now passed to the Great Master of all waters. He was a keen angler, a true sportsman and a fine gentleman and his work on devising light- weight spinners for fly-fishing for bass as well u bait-casting for these bronze-backed warriors has been of great value to the fishing clan. These spinners are hand made and made right, just as good now and with as much care as when "Old John" Hildebrandt used to turn them out himself. The reversible hinge allows the spoon to reverse when playing a fish so that there will be no interference from weeds and rushes in retarding the playing of the fish. The Slim Eli style spinners spin very close to the shaft, the Standard style spins medium close and Idaho spins wide. I find the Standard shape best for ordinary fishing, the Idaho for roily waters and the Slim Eli for clear and fine waters. The tandem standard 3 size spinners is a great bass casting-bait and for the very bright day the black Slim Eli #3 1/2 is a crackerjack. Taken right through the deck, the entire line of Hildebrandt spinners are right in material and workmanship as well as being great game fish attractors.



— Dr. Todd

In The News: Remembering Ted Williams, Fisherman

Sports Illustrated used to run a lot of fishing stories. Nearly all of them were good. Some of them, like the one they chose as one of the sixty best pieces to ever run in this august magazine, are great. The article in question is called “Going Fishing with the Kid” and it focuses on the insanely competitive Ted Williams, star of the Boston Red Sox and an acclaimed angler. He was also, and I say this with all due respect, a world class jerk. Part of the reason he succeeded so greatly at both his passions is that he was unfiltered, and although you can find a lot of people who say they liked him, you won’t find anyone who will tell you that he wasn’t a jerk a lot of the time.

Read this outstanding article and learn about Ted Williams obsession with angling.



— Dr. Todd

1000 Words: Hollywood Goes Fishing with Bette Davis

Who doesn’t love Bette Davis? The unforgettable actress — ten times nominated for an Academy Award and a two time winner — was one of the great icons of the Silver Screen. Star of stage and film, she was truly one of the most important actresses of the twentieth century. Here she poses in a publicity still dating to the mid-1930s. It’s an amazing photo of a great actress at the top of her fame.



— Dr. Todd

The Friday Funhouse

The Video of the Week

This “Let’s Go Fishing” film from the 1940s is fun!



12 Things I Would Buy If Only I Could Afford Them

This Heddon Decoy in the box is a nice find.



Who wants 157 empty Heddon boxes?



This Blodgett Bait is SUPER rare.



The South Bend Vacuum Bait in the box is superb.



This Hardy St. George is superb.


Farlow made a pretty reel.


I love these Thompson reels!



A CCBC Tarpon Pikie is always fun.



A Pflueger All-in-One is a cool bait.



Heddon Musky Vamps are a big piece of wood.



A Heddon 100 in aluminum is tough!



Swayback Zaras are always popular.



As always, have a great weekend, and be good to each other — and yourself!

— Dr. Todd

Voices from the Past: Dixie Carroll on Lowe Spoons (1919)

Over the next several months, I’m going to feature the fishing tackle writing of one of my all-time favorite writers, Dixie Carroll (Carroll Blaine Cook). These famed pieces of tackle were featured in his great book Fishing Tackle and Kits. They are fascinating write-ups of the tackle from a contemporary perspective. Below is Dixie’s write up on the Pflueger Lowe Star Spoon, one of the iconic metal baits.\


LOWE-STAR SPOON.- Made by the Enterprise Manufacturing Company, Akron, Ohio. This spoon is so swell looking that, honestly, fellows, you hate to throw it into the water, but, say, when those gold and silver sides start ·flashing down in the watery recesses it takes a mighty tame game fish to lie still and let it go revolving past without said game fish taking a walloping crack at it. And, believe me, the way the musky go for that shining- spoon makes your teeth rattle to think of it. I have one Lowe-Star Spoon, a No. 1-o, that is completely bent double from the hammering crack of a big old musky; he sure must have been most highly in- terested in that little old spoon to smash it like that. This spoon was a silver and gold on one side, and red enameled concave side with a feathered trebled hook trailing along behind, partly red and white feathers with a dash of peacock. It just made the pike and musky stand right up on their toes to get a chance at it, and this size and style is worth a place in any tackle-box. For bass-casting the silver and gold spoon of smaller size made an attractive lure used with minnows and pork-rind. These spoons are made strong and of good material, and they stand the rough work of trolling in snaggy and weedy waters. For the pike family- the musky, pike, and pickerel- they stand right out like a house afire and they get the fish.



— Dr. Todd

In the News: George Leonard Herter

I’m on record as saying how much I have been influenced by Herter’s of Waseca, Minnesota, the erstwhile catalog company that went out of business in 1981. Which is why this excellent article by Doug Smith brought back so much nostalgia that I started writing an article on Herter I have meant to pen for some time. George Leonard Herter was not always the crackpot he’s made out to be today, and was a very well read and surprisingly accurate historian of fishing for much of his life. For those who don’t know about him, or want to bring back some fond memories, this is a fine article to read.



— Dr. Todd

The Friday Funhouse

The Video of the Week

Well that is a huge lake trout through the ice … I absolutely love the commentary. This may be my favorite ice fishing video ever.



12 Things I Would Buy If Only I Could Afford Them

This Jamison 50 in the box is a strange and rare trade reel.



Wow! This Pepper New Century spinner is cool.



A Strawberry Kingfish Creek Chub is a nice find.



Well, you’re never going to find a minter Hardy fly rod than this!


Not an old rod, but a great glass fly rod like this Chris Barclay is always a good buy.


Love this Chapman & Son 1000 Islands spinner.



A Horton Meek #4 in this condition is wonderful.



A Jitterbug in Water Wave? Oh my.



Like this L&S Jumbo in the box.



A clean frog Heddon 150 in the box will do the trick.



This wide spool Shakespeare 1743 is beyond cool.



These cute Montague fly reels have been catching fire lately.



Not too many Wright & McGill reels get this kind of love.



As always, have a great weekend — and be good to each other and yourself.

— Dr. Todd