Fishing for History: The History of Fishing and Fishing Tackle

News of the Week: 30 January 2012

2012-01-30T05:33:00.000-05:00

Don't have time to read 50+ fishing and tackle collecting blogs and web sites? Well, let us do it for you! Follow all of the latest news, articles, and stories on our Whitefishpress Twitter account! Hint: You don't need to be a member...just bookmark the Twitter Feed Page or click on latest links to the right!

Jeremy Wade is profiled…a new record Yellowfin Tuna…another week, another 'Bama rig…lead debate reaches Iowa house floor next week…how to unhook a pelican…fixing Lake Winnipeg's fisheries…fishing tackle parties are the latest rage…the Virgin Mermaid…man creates exotic fish sculptures…fly fishing for musky…burglary forces closure of tackle shop…the Bachelor TV show goes fly fishing…it must be THE NEWS OF THE WEEK!

The Big Lead: Jeremy Wade of River Monsters fame recounts his search for the Wolf Fish.

Yellowfin Tuna may break the world record.

Another week, another Alabama Rig article…

Lead debate may reach floor of Iowa house or senate this week.

How to unhook a Pelican.

Minnesota, North Dakota work to fix Lake Winnipeg's fisheries.

Fishing tackle parties are the new rage!

Your Field & Stream Vintage Fishing Tackle of the Week winner is the Stream-Eze Virgin Mermaid.

Man creates exotic fish sculptures.

John Merwin on fly fishing for musky: what's new?

The Big Snake of bass rods.

Sad news from across the pond: burglary forces closure of tackle shop.

Finishing with a Flourish: The Bachelor TV show goes fly fishing. Really.

-- Dr. Todd

1000 Words

2012-01-29T14:15:00.000-05:00

1000 Words

One of the great classic actresses from Hollywood's Golden Era was Ava Gardner. Acclaimed as one of the most beautiful women in the world, she was also very talented, nominated for an Academy Award in 1953. Here she is in a 1940s publicity still with a saltwater casting rig.

-- Dr. Todd

Deconstructing Old Ads: The Heddon River Runt Spook Part II (1936)

2012-01-28T05:33:00.000-05:00

The River Runt Spook is a BIG Success! Part 2

After a very subdued start in 1933 --- it was not mentioned in the "New Products for 1933" notice to dealers and only obscurley mentioned (with no illustration) in the 1933 catalog as "perfected as we went to press". It was obvious that the type of success that this bait was about to receive was wholly unexpected by the folks at Heddon. By 1934 it received some mention in the catalog and appeared in a few magazine ads. By 1935 It made the front cover of the catalog and building upon this success a new floating model as well as a jointed model were added.

The full page black & white ad presented here appeared in July of 1936 in Hunting & Fishing Magazine and illustrates that the River Runt was now considered to be the number one bait in the Heddon line.

In 1939 full page color ads appeared such as this one on the back of the July 1939 issue of Sports Afield. Only one thing can account for this sudden and unexpected rise in popularity -- the darn thing caught fish like crazy.

As a boy in 1957 I was about to go with my father and an adult friend on my first Canadian fishing trip when my next door neighbor (a man that seemed old to me at the time but who in fact was 44) called me aside and told me he was going to lend me his best fishing lure for the trip. If I lost it to a big fish that was OK, but otherwise I was expected to return it to him when we returned home. It was a Floating River Runt Spook in Yellow Shore Minnow pattern. I was assured that it was deadly on all fish. To make a long story short, I caught more fish on the trip with this bait than my father and his friend put together. After returning the bait to my neighbor, I could not wait to go down to the hardware store and buy one exactly like it. I was a "dyed in the wool" River Runt man for several years thereafter. I seldom use it today, as I prefer to fish "top water" but when asked what I caught my largest bass ever on, I still have to confess it was a Midget Digit River Runt in an Ohio farm pond in 1976.

-- Bill Sonnett

The Friday Funhouse

2012-01-27T07:28:00.000-05:00

The Video of the Week

A stunning video about catch-and-release fly fishing…in Morocco?

11 Things I Would Buy And One I Would SMASH WITH A HAMMER

All Super Strike shrimp are very cool!

Instant Collection Alert: Snake skin lures by Dave Hodges and Sam Griffin.

A Leonard Bi-Metal is always a nifty find.

We haven't had a nice Bronson Invader on eBay in some time.

I like this Victory A54 Swedish free spool casting reel.

Wow. WOW. WOW!!!!! Heddon 700--the Big One.

This Chippewa is a great find.

Presented without comment.

Love this Tarpalunge!

A Thoren Minnow Chaser in the box is a great find.

This Shakespeare Punkinseed is a fine lure.

This H.J. Frost Senate Wooden Minnow is just superb.

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

-- Dr. Todd

Thursday Review: The Mystique of Ambassadeur: It's Unexplained Stories

2012-01-26T19:55:00.000-05:00

This week in our Thursday Review we feature a book that was brought to my attention by Ambassadeur guru Fred Ribb--Simon Shimomura's The Mystique of Ambassadeur: It's Unexplained Stories. It's the third in a series of detailed works from this Ambassadeur expert.

Like all of Simon's books, this one is for the real Ambassadeur nut. It is very technical in places and sometimes delved into things of which I was fairly lost. But there are more than enough engaging stories to tide over the Ambassadeur novice like myself. I particularly enjoyed the little tidbits like learning the Ambassaduer 4500 (which I had when I was younger) came in two different spool sizes.

The book is a series of essays brought together between the covers of a book, and as this my favorite kind of tackle book, I was able to delve into it over the course of several weeks. I talked with Simon at the recent Milwaukee show and discovered him to be as open and engaging as his books are.

Shimomura is a very good writer and researcher and his newest book belongs on the shelf of anyone who considers themselves even a slight Ambassadeur fan.

It is available directly from the author. More information can be find by Clicking Here.

-- Dr. Todd

52 Trade Houses Part 43: Eckerd Drug Stores

2012-01-25T09:21:00.000-05:00

Over the course of the next year, we'll be detailing the history of 52 companies that sold branded fishing tackle. 52 trade houses in 52 weeks -- some obscure, some famous, and all available exclusively here on the Fishing for History Blog! If you have any items from the week's entry you'd like to share with us, please send it my way and I'll make sure it makes it on the blog.

For a discussion of what exactly trade tackle is, Click Here. Enjoy the 52 for 52!

o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o

Trade House Tackle, Part 43:
Eckerd Drug Stores

The Fishing Tackle of Eckerd Drug Company

Today in 52 for 52 we feature a company that sold a ton of fishing tackle that I've never seen a marked piece of tackle from--even though I know they sold them. The company comes from one of my favorite categories of trade house tackle: drug stores.

The firm in question is the Eckerd Drug Store chain. It was founded in 1898 by J. Milton Eckerd and Z. Tatom in Erie, Pennsylvania. Like many apothecary shops, it was a one-stop shop for its customers, selling everything from aspirin to fish hooks.

Eckerd's Drugs expanded to Delaware in 1912. In the 1930s, under the leadership of son Jack Eckerd, the company expanded greatly, and after World War II they began to open shops all across Florida and later the South as a whole. At its height, Eckerd Drugs had 2800 stores in 20 states and did $13.1 billion in business. Yes--that's billion with a "B."

Jack Eckerd, the man behind the drug store.

Jack Eckerd's first new chain store in Jamestown, NY in 1937.

Typical 1950s Eckerd Drug in Columbia, SC.
If Eckerd always carried a little fishing tackle, it shocked the entire industry in 1973 when the firm went "all-in" in the tackle market. With 165 stores in just Florida alone, the company launched what it called the "Eckerd Tackle Center" in every store--a full 21-foot display chock full of tackle from top to bottom. It vaulted overnight Eckerd into one of the major players in the tackle field. In just a year, tackle sales were making up 2.5% of total revenue in Florida stores--which doesn't seem like much until you realize just how many kinds of items a store like this carried.

Eckerd's Tackle Center
They even offered a free booklet by the "Eckerd Angling Advisory Staff" to prospective buyers. Using the huge marketing machine behind the company, they advertised on tv, radio, and in newspapers and magazines. They also pushed tackle, particularly to tourists looking to buy a rig for saltwater fishing. One could argue by the mid-1970s no national chain was moving more saltwater tackle than Eckerd's Drugs.

Many Tackle Centers were near the coffee shop.
Their private label was the "Super" brand of tackle. As a 1973 article in The Fishing Tackle Trade News reported, "Eckerd's own private brand Super Rods, built to rigid specifications, are heavily advertised and guaranteed, 'If it breaks, Jack Eckerd Drugs will give you a new one.' So states the ad commercials. A Super Reel is now in the works."

Eckerd President Harry Roberts (right) inspect an Eckerd's Super Rod.
The company continued selling fishing tackle throughout the 1990s. In 1996, the chain merged with J.C. Penney, and all the Penney's brands (Thrift, Kerr, Fay's, and Rite Aid) were rebranded as Eckerd's Drug Stores. This gave the firm 2800 stores nationwide, making it the second largest drug store chain. In 2004, after losing a great deal of money, Penney's sold all East Coast Eckerd's to Jean Coutu Groups, while the remaining 1200 stores were sold to CVS Pharmacy and their name changed. in 2006, Rite Aid purchased Jean Coutu and rebranded all Eckerd stores, bringing an end to the 109-year old brand.

Although in the tackle business as a force for only about 25 years, Eckerd's sold a ton of fishing tackle and are worth remembering for their efforts to serve the American angler.

-- Dr. Todd

Ed Brown, the Rebel Collector

2012-01-24T15:34:00.000-05:00

Ed emailed me yesterday about this article I somehow missed, and wanted to give it a separate post when I saw it. It is exemplary of how you can build and display a world-class collection and document a piece of our tackle history at the same time!

Check out Ed's collection which coincides with the 50th anniversary of Rebel lures by Clicking Here!

-- Dr. Todd

News of the Week: 23 January 2012

2012-01-23T08:08:00.001-05:00

Don't have time to read 50+ fishing and tackle collecting blogs and web sites? Well, let us do it for you! Follow all of the latest news, articles, and stories on our Whitefishpress Twitter account! Hint: You don't need to be a member...just bookmark the Twitter Feed Page or click on latest links to the right!

The 'bama rig is still wreaking havoc…rodmaker Michael C. Daniels has passed away…a panel of pro anglers…four inductees into California Outdoors Hall-of-Fame include tackle rep…Kiwi man's catch is official world record…tackle makes antique collecting column…experimental film maker and avid angler Robert Nelson has passed away…build a rod this winter!…Horrocks-Ibbotson makes national news…the most offensive fish of all time?…it must be THE NEWS OF THE WEEK!

The Big Lead: The Alabama Rig is still causing controversy.

The Fish & Feather Expo is on!

Rodmaker and teacher Michael C. Daniels has passed away.

A panel of pro anglers offers life lessons and advice.

Four inductees into California Outdoors Hall of Fame.

Kiwi man's catch officially a World Record.

Tackle makes the antique collector column.

Experimental film maker and avid angler Robert Nelson, who's movie "The Awful Backlash" depicted 14-minutes of him untangling an awful backlash, has passed away at 81.

Build a rod this winter!

A little history of the Humpy Lure .

Field & Stream's vintage tackle winner this year is a Horrocks-Ibbotson!

Finishing With a Flourish: Is this the most http://media.egotvonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/fish.jpg?

1000 Words

2012-01-22T14:20:00.000-05:00

1000 Words

This week in 1000 Words we feature a two-for-one, with beautiful actress Irene Dunne and actor Melvyn Douglas. Dunne was the Meryl Streep of her day (or better put, Meryl Streep is the Irene Dunne of today), nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress no less than five times in an era loaded with great actresses. Although she never won, she is clearly in the pantheon of great Hollywood actresses.

Melvyn Douglas was a two-time Academy Award winning actor, and one of the screen's leading men for four decades. His award-winning performance as Ben Rand in the classic 1979 movie Being There is just one of his amazing performances.

Here the two of them pose for a publicity still for the 1936 movie Theodora Goes Wild, which was Dunne's first foray into comedy.

-- Dr. Todd

Deconstructing Old Ads: The Heddon River Runt Spook Part I (1933)

2012-01-21T05:18:00.000-05:00

The River Runt Spook (part 1)

The following advertisement is from the April 1933 issue of Outdoor Life. It is a small ad for the new family of "Fish Flesh" baits. As we have mentioned before in this column, the term "Fish Flesh" was dropped a couple of years later in favor of the name "Spook" (seen here in smaller print) for Heddon's transparent plastic line of baits.

What is remarkable about this ad is that one has to look very carefully for any mention of the River Runt Spook. It is obvious that this was not the bait that they expected to become the best selling bait in their line. The "New Products for 1933" brochure that was sent out to dealers in the fall of 1932 makes no mention of the River Runt Spook among their line of new plastic lures. One must search hard in the 1933 Heddon catalog to find mention of the River Runt Spook and you will find no illustration of the lure there. There is a notice that the bait was "perfected as we went to press" but it is not given any sort of a promotional build up. Only the standard sinking model is available.

One sees this occasionally in older ads where a company expected great things from a "new" lure and little success followed, but they were taken completely by surprise by the success of a lure they felt would be an "also ran." Seldom has any company been as wrong as in this case. The River Runt Spook was slow to catch on but as we will see next week when success did come it was beyond all expectations!

-- Bill Sonnett

The Friday Funhouse

2012-01-20T04:11:00.002-05:00

Video of the Week

This is a nifty collage of vintage Au Sable trout fishing.

12 Things I Would Buy If Only I Could Afford Them

Holy rare CCBC Beetles, Batman!

Even spelled incorrectly, this Arthur Kovalovsky reel is amazing.

LOVE this Musky Vamp in the box!

Liking this Horton Blue Grass #10 in the box!

Holy Moly this Bingo Bass is incredible.

This Fenwick FC 60 is super popular.

Walter Dingley was a true genius.

This is a great Expert Minnow .

Who wouldn't want a 1905 Vom Hofe catalog?

Robinson Darters are as rare as they are beautiful.

This is a very rare Doperr reel.

This Penn Spinfisher is from the estate of Otto Henze, the owner of Penn.

Have a wonderful weekend and be good to each other and yourself.

-- Dr. Todd

UNID Files #18: The Case of the Ohio "English Minnow" SOLVED

2012-01-19T04:36:00.001-05:00

The UNID Files #18: The Case of the Ohio English Minnow

Jeff Henry emailed me with a cool metal box without the lure and was hoping someone had run across this before. Here's what Jeff wrote:

I have recently found this box. Do you have any info. The labels are made of thick paper and put on the box. The box says the lure is made of a hard rubber composition and has glass eyes.

This is an English-looking rubber bait and from the looks of the box probably dates from the 1920s or early 1930s. It's very neat.

So…has anyone seen one before?

UPDATE: No less an authority than Joe Stagnitti has written in to say this is a fake, made to fool collectors! File this one away, folks, for future reference!

-- Dr. Todd

52 Trade Houses Part 42: Towers Discount Department Stores of Canada

2012-01-18T00:16:00.003-05:00

Voices from the Past: Fish Hooks (1857)

2012-01-17T23:12:00.002-05:00

The following description of fish hooks comes from Chamber's Information for the People, a Victorian encyclopedia of general knowledge ca. 1857. Note the fantastic line about ordinary English hook makers…

Hooks. These are small instruments made of tempered steel, and of whatever size, they require to possess the qualities of lightness and great strength. They have been always principally manufactured at two places-—Kendal in Westmoreland, and Limerick in Ireland. The Kendal circular bends, as they are called, are reckoned the best hooks of a small size, while the Limerick hook is preferable for salmon. Many of the fish-hooks of ordinary English makers are worthless. Hooks range in size from about an inch and a half in length down to a quarter of an inch, with a proportional diminution of thickness. Some makers number them from No. 10, the smallest, to No. 20, the largest; while others number from 1, the largest, to 14, the smallest. The Limerick hooks are denoted by letters, commencing with A, and so on. In purchasing hooks, see that the body is of equal thickness throughout, and that the barb is boldly yet firmly set. Try their power of resistance by forcing the bend with the fingers, and urging the point against the thumb-nail. Hooks for fly-fishing should be thinner in the shank than those designed for bait. An angler should keep a small stock of hooks of various sorts, to be ready on all emergencies, with the tackle to which they are attached. They require to be kept very dry.

-- Dr. Todd

News of the Week: 16 January 2012

2012-01-16T11:51:00.002-05:00

Don't have time to read 50+ fishing and tackle collecting blogs and web sites? Well, let us do it for you! Follow all of the latest news, articles, and stories on our Whitefishpress Twitter account! Hint: You don't need to be a member...just bookmark the Twitter Feed Page or click on latest links to the right!

5 year old girl much better angler than you…30 year old tackle box mystery solved…Rapala/VMC's annual report…St. Croix's Walleye "Dream" Rod…fireman and angler he saved are reunited…New Hampshire's Sport FIsh & Wildlife program celebrates 75 years…Pittsburgh surgeon and fly angler Dr. Walter Myslewiski has died…a rock-and-roll fly rod…Ontario's new electronic fishing license system is a "total disaster"…it must be THE NEWS OF THE WEEK!

The Big Lead: 5 year old girl better angler than you; lands fishing contest top prize.

Big fishing tackle heist in New Zealand.

A 30-year old tackle box mystery is solved.

Rapala VMC's 2011 summary.

St. Croix launches a series of Walleye "dream" rods.

Fireman who saved drowning angler is reunited with him.

New Hampshire's Sport Fish and Wildlife program celebrates 75 years.

Noted surgeon and fly angler Dr. Walter Myslewiski has passed on.

Reviewing a rock-and-roll fly rod.

If you're in West. Va. take a class on fly fishing.

FInishing with a Flourish: Why the electronic hunting and fishing license in Canada is a "total disaster."

-- Dr. Todd

1000 Words

2012-01-15T05:05:00.000-05:00

1000 Words

Last week we featured the waifish Audrey Hepburn holding a fishing net; this week we feature her, from the movie Funny Face (1957), with a fishing rod in hand.

-- Dr. Todd

Deconstructing Old Ads: The Layfield Lure: "Colby Sorrels to the Rescue" (1949)

2012-01-14T10:48:00.000-05:00

The Layfield Lure: "Colby Sorrels to the Rescue"

The ad featured today appeared in the April 1949 issue of Outdoor Life. It is a full 2/3 page ad for a lure that I do not remember seeing advertised before. I will be the first to admit that I know very little about Texas lures and so I asked one of the best "Texas Lure Collectors" I know, Colby Sorrels, to give us an idea where this lure fits into fishing history. He as done a great job in the following account.

"This ad highlights a turning point for the little east Texas lure. The original lure was designed by Jester L. Layfield of Powell, Texas and was granted patent 2,179,641 on November 14, 1939. It was one of the first small, wiggling, crankbaits. Jester and his brother Floyd "Cotton" Layfield were depression era famers with little money to spend on things like marketing a fishing lure. They carved lures to fish with.

The Layfield brothers soon had reputations as real fish catchers and everyone wanted one of their lures. Lacking the funds to mass produce the lures they decided to allow a part-time preacher, John A. Day, to produce a plastic version of the little diving lure. His’ Sunnybrook Lure Company took out the ad in Outdoor Life. This advertisement shows three bass lying on hay along with a casting rig. The ad credits Tom King of Trinidad with catching the three fish. Even though the ad states "TEXAS Bronzebacks Layed In The Hay" there were no smallmouth bass in east Texas at that time! The fish are largemouth bass, not smallmouth.

The ad also mentions "Hot Secrets" on how to catch bass and suggests the reader to send 50c for a copy. These little handbooks were readily available 25 years ago but like a lot of old tackle are much less common today.

Twelve lure colors are listed. Collectors can still find all of these colors today and several more. The list of features includes item 2 stating "It’s the finest and most accurate casting bait you ever handled". The lure increases your casting accuracy? The ad also mentions trolling the lure for great success. Trolling was more common among bass fisherman at the time.

       Sunnybrook placed other advertisements during their short existence but this half page ad was meant to stir a desire for the lure that never materialized. They also created a colorful cardboard box for the lures. Money spent on half page advertisements, colorful boxes and little handbooks soon exhausted the available funds and Sunnybrook went out of business.

The Layfield lure saw a small surge in popularity during the 1980s and 1990s with other companies trying to re-introduce the little lure. Perhaps the most recent effort was by lure maker Storm and wrestler John "Bradshaw" Layfield. Throughout all of these many attempts, the Layfield lure never achieved much recognition and the original designers, the Layfield brothers, never made any money on the lure.

For those wanting more information on the Layfield lure, research past issues of the NFLCC Gazette. Houston Chronicle outdoor writer Bob Brister wrote several articles about the lure including a lengthy article for the February 1994 issue of Field & Stream."

Thank You Colby!

-- Bill Sonnett

The Friday Funhouse

2012-01-13T05:08:00.000-05:00

Video of the Week

This is a great vintage video of fishing in Alaska.

12 Things I Would Buy If Only I Could Afford Them

This is a nifty Robinson Darter in the box.

Wow! This CCBC Mouse in Silver Flash is really making the Creek Chub world buzz.

Shur Strike 3-Packs are wonderful, and this one is pretty darn neat.

This John Landman fly rod is really, really great.

A G.M. Skinner Gananonque, Ontario fluted spinner is obscenely rare.

Arbogast Tin Liz Metal Minnows are a blast--including this Sunfish.

A Shakespeare underwater minnow is my favorite of this style, as I love the hand-painted gill.

Love this Paw Paw Trout Caster in Rainbow!

You don't see these South Bend Frog-Orenos in the box very often.

Who doesn't love Goofy Gus?

A Bite-Em Bait Wiggler in the box? Yes, please!

Virgin Mermaids have taken off of late.

-- Dr. Todd

Thursday Review: Reels & Making Them by John Betts

2012-01-12T17:45:00.000-05:00

Thursday Review: Reels & Making Them by John Betts

I'm WAY behind on book reviews and notices -- if you check out The Whitefish Press web site you'll find about 15 new books in the past two months -- but there is one book I wanted to bring to everyone's attention and got a friendly reminder this afternoon about it.

The book is Reels and Making Them by the legendary John Betts, assisted ably by modern reelmaking wizard Michael Hackney. Michael and I have partnered on a new imprint known as the Reel Lines Press, which will deal with multiple titles relating to reel manufacture and building, as well as some other great surprise books.

Back to John Betts. This is truly one of the most original and brilliant thinkers of the past 100 years of fly fishing--one of a handful of men worthy of sitting at the table with Gordon, Hewitt, Norris and the small pantheon of fishing legends.

The author of so many important works, to me this is the quintessential Betts book--more reflective of his unique approach to things than even his awesome Making Strip-Built Fly Rods From Various Woods on a Lathe book. It's equal parts commentary, history, and instruction -- and even though the instruction can be complex, like all the things John does it is explained in such a way that even I can understand it, and I make no claim to being anything other than a dilettante in such matters.

What makes this book unique, besides it hand-drawn individual book plate signed and numbered by John, is that it reproduces his handwriting perfectly. Yes. You read that correctly--John WROTE out this book in his classic script (more readable than most print fonts) over the course of many years, and Michael Hackney labored hard to reproduce it perfectly.

What results is a truly unique book the likes of which you simply will never see again. Add to the fact it is limited to just a hundred signed and numbered copies (best bet is less than 15-20 remain) and it is a book you will never, ever regret adding to your library.

I had the enormous honor of talking with John Betts right before Christmas, and I can tell you one thing. I've been fortunate enough to converse with many leading lights in a number of fields, both in academics, politics, fishing and hunting, and other select fields. I can count on one hand the number of people who've impressed me more with their depth of knowledge, understanding, and genuine humility as John Betts.

He is an American treasure and this book will go down as one of his lasting contributions to this thing we all love.

-- Dr. Todd

52 Trade Houses Part 41: Finch & Hahn of Schenectady, New York

2012-01-11T10:50:00.000-05:00

The Passing of Stan Lievense (1918-2011)

2012-01-10T12:13:00.001-05:00

The Passing of Stan Lievense (1918-2011)

Gary Miller brought a news item to my attention that I feel bad I missed (and so did almost everyone else, except Dave Richey). Noted fishing writer, lure designer, and Fisheries Biologist Stan Lievense passed away on June 19, 2011.

I'm not sure why I missed this but I am very happy Gary emailed me to let me know I missed the boat big time on this one.

Lievense was a lifelong proponent of the sport. Born in 1918, after a stint in the U.S. Navy in World War II, he joined the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in 1945 in Cadillac, Mich. It was here he built a reputation as a stand-up guy and a world class storyteller.

He was a legendary angler and acclaimed as the finest fisherman in the Michigan DNR, from which he retired in 1982. While most people relax during their later years, Lievense jumped into an entirely new career as a lure designer, something he'd done his entire life. Two of his inventions--the Stanley Streamer and the Jig-A-Doo--became quite popular fish catchers.

He was a particular proponent of color spectrum and water temperature fishing, and his writings served as the inspiration for the Heath Co. Thermospotter.

A hugely popular individual, Lievense held monthly luncheons for like-minded folks up until his passing at the age of 92.

He was inducted into the Freshwater Fishing Hall-of-Fame for his tremendous accomplishments to the world of angling. Stan Lievense was one of the pioneering post-war fisheries biologists and his loss leaves the world of man (and fish) a lesser place.

-- Dr. Todd

News of the Week: 09 January 2012

2012-01-09T05:36:00.001-05:00

Don't have time to read 50+ fishing and tackle collecting blogs and web sites? Well, let us do it for you! Follow all of the latest news, articles, and stories on our Whitefishpress Twitter account! Hint: You don't need to be a member...just bookmark the Twitter Feed Page or click on latest links to the right!

Catch and release fishing…a new fishing website…angler rammed by huge shark…record breaking tuna…Gettelman's Fishing Guides…big catch with light tackle…different rules with the same lure…Quantum supports major league fishing…ice fishing tips…gull survived tackle…Oklahoma Fly Tying Expo…Lake Chelan fishing…it must be THE NEWS OF THE WEEK!

The Big Lead: Record breaking tuna caught.

Sam Van Camp says catch and release is the cornerstone of fishing.

New website and the first fishing of the year.

Angler rammed by a huge shark.

Field & Stream's Vintage Tackle Winner this week is this Gettelman Beer Guide.

Big catches with light tackle.

Different results with the same lure.

A nice blurb on the MIlwaukee Tackle Show.

Quantum supports major league fishing.

Suggestions for ice fishermen.

Gull injured by tackle gets rescued.

Sapulpa hosts the Oklahoma Fly Tying Expo.

Finishing With a Flourish: Hot fishing in Lake Chelan.

-- Dr. Todd

1000 Words

2012-01-08T01:59:00.000-05:00

1000 Words

One of my all-time favorite actresses is Audrey Hepburn, and she was no stranger to fishing. Here she is in the 1957 film Love in the Afternoon.

-- Dr. Todd

Deconstructing Old Ads: hiSport / HI-SPORT? (With a Mystery Solved) 1957

2012-01-07T06:08:00.000-05:00

hiSport / HI-SPORT? (With a Mystery Solved)

This ad from the March 1957 issue of Field & Stream features the hiSport made by Staley Marine Inc. of Fort Wayne, Indiana. There are many things that can be said about the hiSport. It is the only lure I can think of whose name begins with a lower case letter and has a capital letter in the middle. At least that is the case in their advertising but if one looks carefully at the side of the bait the name is molded in raised capital letters reading, "HI-SPORT". Its styling and paint jobs reek of the 1950's. I am immediately reminded of tail fins on cars and some runabout boats. I always felt that it had to be one of the homeliest plugs to ever hit the market. I noticed that Staley Marine Inc was in Ft Wayne Indiana, the same town as the Staley-Johnson company that made the famous Twin Min. These two lures are not that far apart in time and thinking there may be a connection asked around with meager results. Eventually I stumbled until on NFLCC member Pete Tagtmeyer's website http://hoosierfishinglure.info/. I emailed Pete who gracious shared the following information:

"Paul R. Staley of Fort Wayne applied for a design patent for the Hi-Sporton 8 October 1956 and the patent was granted 4 February 1958. An advertisement for the Hi-Sport appeared in the June 1957 edition of the Pennsylvania Angler Volume 26 no.6 pg.22: 'A new medium diving float-at-rest lure. Featuring new design that gives it lively oscillating diving action. Available in two sizes - 1/2 oz. baitcasting and the 1/4 oz. spinning size. - The Staley Marine Inc.'

Raymond Staley, founding proprietor of Staley-Johnson Mfg.Co. was the father of Paul R. Staley. So, the Honey and Twin-Min are connected to the Hi- Sport by a Father-Son relationship. The connection between the two companies, Staley-Johnson, founded by Raymond Staley and Kenny Johnson, and Staley Marine, ostensibly run by Paul R. Staley, remains unknown to me. I do wonder if there's a Twin-Min pat".

Thank you Pete!

Many years ago I found two hiSports in a tackle box and figuring there was no collector's market for them, I put them along with many other lures on a "$5 board" at a lure show. At the end of the show most offerings were gone but the hiSports and a few others remained. Next show they went on a three dollar board along with many fish-able lures. There were only a half dozen baits left at the end of the show but among them were the two hiSports. OK--- now its time to get rid of this stuff once and for all. They went on a $1 board along with a couple of dozen other rejects. At the end of that show only two baits remained ---- you guessed it --- the same two hiSports. At this point they were thrown into a junk drawer and forgotten.

An appropriate use for these two baits came to mind years later when I came across them as I was cleaning out some drawers. Each year at that time we took an extended canoe camping/fishing trip in northern Ontario. One of our yearly entertainments was to have an "ugly lure contest" in which each contestant brought along a bait that was judged by the rest of the group to be sufficiently ugly. On a day when the fishing was really slow the contest was held with the person catching the most fish on their "ugly lure" being the winner. Sometimes this meant catching only one fish. My hiSport had no trouble passing the ugly test with the rest of the group. I was immediately surprised by how easily the hiSport cast and the way it dug down to a respectable depth and wiggled with unbridled enthusiasm. It quickly started catching walleyes and it hasn't stopped catching fish to this day. I guess this comes under the heading of "don't judge a book by its cover" If you get a chance give this "ugly sister" bait a trial and you too may get a pleasant surprise.

-- Bill Sonnett

The Friday Funhouse

2012-01-06T07:38:00.000-05:00

The Video of the Week

Ice fishing under the ice? Joe Yates sent this video or I would not have believed it.

12 Things I Would Buy If Only I Could Afford Them

I am told these Smithwick Buck & Brawl Jrs. are tough baits to find.

This DAM Ever Ready reel looks pretty darn cool.

This has got to be some kind of record for a Garcia Conolon spinning rod…

Love this Vom Hofe #621…

Instant Collection Alert: HEDDON HEDDON HEDDON!

The Edward vow Hofe #1/0 Tobique is a wonderful reel!

A Pflueger Golden West in the box is just sublime.

And BINGO was their name, oh!

A Heddon 4-18 with "window wiper" level wind is a great reel!

Really like these Orvis 1874 fly reels in their wood cases.

A CCBC Underwater Minnow in old Redside Chub is sooooo nice.

An A.B. Shipley reel is very rare and iconic.

-- Dr. Todd

Thursday Review: January 2012 Reel News

2012-01-05T12:25:00.000-05:00

I am on record as saying one of my favorite days is when the new issue of The Reel News arrives. The latest issue has hit the stands and it is a beauty.

I am LOVING the new color look and higher quality paper. This issue is flat out great.

We get Mike Cacciopo's latest Penn entry on 1932 prototypes. Typical of Mike's thorough research, it is enlightening, interesting, and chock full of photos. On a separate note, I am also happy to announce Mike's new book on Penn reels is slated for a March release from the Whitefish Press. Look for more info soon...

Regular columnists weigh in on great subjects. Ben Wright offers us the second part of Italian spinning reels, Stu Lawson gives us his normal charming column with tidbits of Pflueger fly reel info, and Jim Schottenham gives us a roster of awesome reels in the Auction Report. Bob Miller weighs in on Pflueger boxes over the years, and my own contribution is the history of Bigelow & Dowse's "Big Low" trade reels. Michael Hackney weighs in on odd-ball reels with the very interesting James Reel from Missouri.

Wallace Carney continues his amazing series on early Mitchell history with a look at later Mitchell spinning reels. I hope very much Wallace will continue the series as its amazing. As a note, folks, the Mitchell Mates web forum has moved from its old home and is now located at a new home you can access by CLICKING HERE.

This issues also spotlights two incredibly knowledgeable collectors: Dick Braun, the Zebco guru who gives us Zebco go-withs, and Rick Heitman, who details how his grandfather influences his collecting even today.

If you are not an ORCA member--and at this point I'm just going to continue rolling my eyes if you aren't--you can join us by Clicking Here. The Reel News is lovingly edited by Richard K. Lodge.

-- Dr. Todd

52 Trade Houses Part 40: Kassnar Imports of Harrisburg, PA

2012-01-04T09:59:00.000-05:00

Voices from the Past: Eddie Wood (1955)

2012-01-03T19:15:00.000-05:00

There was a time when tournament casters were celebrities. Eddie Wood was just such a caster, casting from one end of the country to the other. Here he is covered by the Aiken (South Carolina) Standard and Review for April 18, 1955. A National Champion in multiple events, he had a long and successful demonstration career.

Eddie Wood will appear at the Holley Hardware company here on Friday, April 15, at 3 p. m through the courtesy of B. F. Gladdjng company, leading manufacturer of fishing lines and Orchard Industries, Inc., leading manufacturer of fishing rods, who are sponsoring a nation-wide educational program for anglers. Fishermen are invited to drop in and compare notes on their equipment and some of the many shortcuts to good casting which Wood will demonstrate in bait, fly and spinning.

Wood has been fortunate enough in the past to win several casting championships, including the National Professional and Dry Fly championship; the National Professional All Around Flv championship; a member of the All-American Casting Team, as well as winning Southern All Around Casting championships, Mid-West championships and others.

He has fished in all sections of the country, as well as Canada and Mexico, and every summer spends several months in Canada on canoe trips back in the brush. He has done exhibition casting in all the leading sportsmen shows around the country, including New York, Chicago, Dallas, Minneapolis, etc. and will be glad to answer any questions on spinning, fly or bait casting and the, use of the equipment in fishing.

Several valuable prizes will be given away after this demonstration. Be sure and register at Holey Hardware company before Friday, April 15. Registrants will not have to be present to win.

-- Dr. Todd

News of the Week: 02 January 2012

2012-01-02T05:23:00.001-05:00

1000 Words

2012-01-01T20:02:00.000-05:00

1000 Words

This week in our celebrity and fishing series we get a great portrait of actors Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh fishing on the set of the great movie Operation Petticoat.

-- Dr. Todd

Happy New Year 2012!

2012-01-01T13:22:00.002-05:00

Deconstructing Old Ads: The Clark's Water Scout - Two Very Rare Ads (1948)

2011-12-31T08:33:00.000-05:00

The Clark's Water Scout - Two Very Rare Ads

I have looked through many hundreds of magazines both before and after I started writing this weekly column. Today's ads from the April 1948 edition of Sports Afield and the June 1948 edition of Outdoor Life are the only advertisements for Clark's Water Scouts I have run across in nationally distributed magazines.

April 1948 Ad.

June 1948 Ad.

My association with the Clark's Water Scout goes back over 50 years. In the summer of 1957 I had my tackle box stolen. It was a traumatic event. I was a young man who lived to fish. Luckily my father's insurance covered the loss and I was asked to make a list of the tackle box's contents and their value. That was the easy part as I knew every item by heart, where I acquired it and what the cost was. I do not recall what the total value was but it was somewhere around $40. With cash in hand, I set out to build a better collection of tackle than I had just lost. One of my stops was Repp's Sporting Goods in Lima, Ohio. The salesman was a bit suspicious of a 14 year old boy with so much money in hand, but listened to my tale of how I'd acquired it and proceeded to do his job. When I mentioned that my Grandfather lived on nearby Indian Lake, he began to tell me that each bait he showed me was a known killer on that body of water. The fact is, the man must have been honest as almost everything he sold me proved effective. The only baits I now recall were a Shannon Persuader (which I never really fished), a glow pearl colored Shakespeare Swimming Mouse (which proved to be very productive) and three Clark's Water Scouts. I had never seen or heard of a Clark's Water Scout, but he talked over and over about a particular older fisherman that consistently “cleaned up” on these plugs.

When it came time to try out my new Water Scouts, I was impressed with their action in the water, especially the yellow floating and diving model. I hooked and lost a lot of bass on that bait. The hooks always seemed to me to be too stout for good hooking. I found one other Water Scout in 1969 in an old bait shop that was closing. When I moved to Michigan in 1970 I asked around at older tackle shops and took my favorite Water Scout with me as a sample. No one, even a bait store owner that had been in business since 1939, had ever seen or heard of a Clark's Water Scout. My ship came in when I attended my first National NFLCC Meet in Indianapolis in 1987. There was an entire table of Water Scouts for sale for $2 each. Needless to say I bought what has proved to be a lifetime supply.

The best description of the Water Scout's strong points were conveyed accurately in 1942 by none other than Ray Bergman in his book, Fresh Water Bass:

“A remarkably good plug which originated in the Ozarks......... It is a semi-floating type, comes to the surface when not in motion. Submerges on a split second on the slightest retrieve of the reel, and goes down to a nice depth and stays at that level, regardless of how slowly you spool the reel. Has a wonderful sharp, active tail motion.”

Just before his death in 1952, Robert Page Lincoln published Black Bass Fishing, a large book which was to be the culmination of his more than 40 years writing about bass fishing. RPL had this to say about the Clark's Water Scout:

“…..a chunky little underwater plug with a metal mouthpiece that gives it an intriguing, wiggling action. The last time I was in Springfield, Missouri, I visited the Clark factory and among other things was told that the previous year the company had sold over eight hundred thousand of their plugs. This must have been on actual merit, for the company does not advertise. How many of these plugs are used in the South I do not know; elsewhere in the country they seem to be missing in the stores.”

Considering the wonderful success I have had over the years with this bait, it has always amazed me that its use did not spread north. I found that after changing those stout hooks out for lighter ones, I lost very few bass. It also has been effective as a top water bait when just twitched around for a few moments before beginning its underwater work. My largest Smallmouth ever came on one in Canada. The following picture shows a Largemouth caught this past August on my favorite yellow-colored Clark's Water Scout. He was released unharmed after a quick picture.

A few years ago the Cotton Cordell company came out with a very close copy of the Clark's Water Scout, called the “Spence Scout”. I wrote the company at that time asking them if they had made an arrangement with the former C. A. Clark Company, but I received a somewhat meaningless answer. I have not given the Spence Scout a fair field test, but have heard that it lacks the sharp action of the Clark's.

-- Bill Sonnett

The Friday Funhouse

2011-12-30T07:16:00.002-05:00

Video of the Week

An underwater camera shows why one angler could not keep his fish on the stringer.

12 Things I Would Buy If Only I Could Afford Them

Talk about eye appeal! This awesome "Noah's Ark" folk art tin minnow bucket is superb.

OK so maybe this is something I wouldn't buy…but the "Self Orbiting Bait System" IS interesting!

Man these D.L. Robichaud reels are superb!

They don't come much nicer than this Gar Wood Fin-Nor Tycoon spinning reel…

Instant collection alert: Heddon Preyfish.

LOVE this Heddon Dummy Double.

Most people don't know that Montague made some impregnated rods for Orvis in the 1940s.

A nifty ABU fishing knife would go great with an ABU collection!

A folk art fishing sign has interior decorators going crazy.

I'm a sucker for CCBC Suckers.

This is a pretty Snook Bait Co. pikie style minnow in the box.

This Wilson Bassmeriser is indeed a rare lure.

-- Dr. Todd

Voices from the Past: The Killer Fishing Rod (1906)

2011-12-29T17:58:00.000-05:00

This week in Voices from the Past we get a story about the unluckiest fishing rod owner in history. Check out the last line of the story, printed in The Los Angeles Herald for 12 September 1906.

FISHING ROD COST HIS LIFE

Caught under a Passing Train and Dragged Its Owner Under the Wheel

Special to the Herald

Chicago, Ill. Sept. 11. Charles W. Shippey, 47 years old, a well known real estate dealer, was killed by a Pere Marquette train in Englewood last night. Mr. Shippey was about to board the train to go to Rex Terrace, Mich.

It is thought that a fishing rod in his hand caught under the cars and dragged him after it.

In his pocket was a newspaper clipping containing an account of the death of Webster Batchellor of San Francisco, who had left Mr. Shippey $100,000.

-- Dr. Todd

52 Trade Houses Part 39: Benjamin T. Unkle & Co. of Lancaster, PA

2011-12-28T05:40:00.001-05:00

Ben Wright's Spinning Reel Report (December 2011)

2011-12-27T14:16:00.002-05:00

DECEMBER 2011

HO,HO,HO, ANOTHER DECEMBER TO REMEMBER WITH MORE FANTASTIC SPINNING REELS !!!

Featured Reels:
A super rare Mitchell Special Presentation Custom Engraved 300 Like New w/300DL wood box and outer cardboard box. thought to be approx 10 made.
after 3 bids by 3 bidders it sold @ $ 4,495.00

A Mitchell Skish Tournament exc+ sold @ $ 1,500.00

A Rare French J. Huillet Type B exc sold @$ 2,644.56

An Alcedo Taurus Deluxe EWB had a buy-it-now of $1,175.00 was ended early by seller and no longer available HUM ???

and A Van Staal VS400 Offshore #0009 one of approx 60 made in like new condition has a buy-it-now @$4,411.44
per seller- reel is currently NOT for sale and is for display on ebay for your viewing pleasure.
seller said that the current market value is $2,500.00???
also said that he will sell at a premium? could that be the buy-now asking price ??
No Bids yet !!!

Abu Cardinals :
3 first version exc- slight wear on foot @ 784.11 wow
3 second version exc- @ 590.00
33CDL re-issue repro nib @ 438.49
33 re-issue repro nib @ 243.50
skirted spool ONLY for a 4 exc @ 40.42 why?
same as above for a 4 exc @ 9.38
C4X ewb @ 141.20
57 nib @ 275.00 holy cow!!!
60A nib @ 149.99
160 nib @ 99.99
754 paint wear @ 59.00

Airex:
model 365 Japan nib @159.00 wow
standard exc- b/n @ 75.00 NO BIDS
Impala CF black/chrome cap exc @ 55.00
Vic green e-wb @ 49.99

Dam Quick:
Microlite like new @ 81.00
110 nib started @ 120.00 No Bids

Daiwa:
SS no 1 super sport exc+ @ 76.00
700C exc+ @ 44.00

English:
Augermatic exc @ 256.57
J.W.Young The Ambidex Deluxe e-wb @ 126.37

French:
Luxor Luxe A e+wb @ 91.00
crack not marked 100 but marked Bermouville nib @ 157.50
Crack Contact exc @ 79.95
Luxor Saumon Mer e-wb @ 112.57
Mepps Super Meca red nib @ 285.60

Italian:
Alcedo-
2C/S marked L'Alcedo e-wb @ 195.01
Micron bent leg mat no 3u483 e-wb @ 162.51
Micron curved leg nmwb @ 177.50
Micron Deluxe exc- @ 202.50
Atlantic exc- @ 315.14
COPTES-
Orvis 175 exc @ 167.55
Orvis 475 exc- @ 103.08
Zangi--
Holiday 30 first version nib @ 322.00
Old Pal Couger 600 nib @ 202.50

Japanese:
Dux 57 exc- started @ 149.95 NO BIDS !!!
Tartan 252 cargem 33 mignon copy nib @ 52.99
LaFayette FT513 mitchell 300 copy w/fb nib @ 21.51

Mitchell/ Garcia Mitchell:
Book, Mitchell Collector's Reference Guide by Dennis Roberts #162 @ 127.00
Balzer M34 exc+ @ 99.00
4TH version ewb @ 400.00
300 Albtros exc @ 300.00
310UL exc- @ 46.00
408 nib @ 250.00
508 e+wb and Conlon 61/2' lite rod @ 760.00
510 ewb @ 203.50
rare June 17,1974 commemorative 300DL e+wb and outer carboard box started @ 2,575.00 NO BIDS
STAY TUNED NEXT MONTH FOR MORE SUPER RARE MITCHELLS wonder who's collection they are from?

Penn:
Spool only for a 706Z nib @ 41.00
550SS nmwb @ 149.81
706Z exc- @ 175.00

Shakespeare:
2062NL (no line) first version nib @ 66.00
Pres. 11 2900 nib @ 179.70
2080 w/mpu exc+ @ only 51.00 note the model number for the MPU was 2082

Zebco:
44 CF nib @ 63.00
Cardinals--
4 3rd version nib @ 203.00
4 4th version e+wb @ 152.50
4 4th version nib @ 300.00

Other reels:
Heddon Spin Pal 240 w/mpu e-wb @ 47.50
Feurer Bro's Flip Reel 202 Japan nmwb @ 100.00
same as above nib starting @ 150.00 NO BIDS
Feurer Bro's FB 410 e+wb @ 78.50
Schulz easy cast e+wb @ 293.00
Spanish La Dorada Chritin paint wear @ 89.07
Dragon Fly spin/fly nib @ 38.70
Swiss Sport King 40 sold by MW nmwb @ 200.00 wow
Pflueger Sea King 1050 nib @ 37.00
" Pelican 1020A R/H retrieve exc+ @ 96.01
Odd ball Super River pivot foot exc @ 52.00
A&F 250 fifteen ewb @ 51.00
Ocean City 350 marron e+wb @ 71.05
Waltco ny-o-lite marron/white exc+ @ 45.99
" " " " " @ 16.07
See ya all next year !
Ben

Fishing for History's Top 20 Fishing Stories of 2011

2011-12-26T12:06:00.001-05:00

2011 is almost in the books, so it's that time of the year to reflect on the events of the past year. And what I know is that 2011 was an interesting year for fishing in the news. Here are my annual Top 20 Fishing News Stories of 2011.

(1) The biggest story of the year--deep sea fishing (and fish hooks) began 42,000 years ago.

(2) Striper record officially moves away from Atlantic City.

(3) The New York Times memorializes Stan Bogdan.

(4) Chapin man invents advanced fishing reel; will it change the world?

(5) A moving account about the death of a reservoir in Texas.

(6) New Berlin, WI cops break up high school crime ring intent on stealing fish-shaped mailboxes.

(7) This professor is a tackle researcher.

(8) Scientists find 12,000 year old fishing tackle .

(9) Nine year old Florida angler much, much better fisherman than you, lands record fish.

(10) An interview with new Bagley owner Bill Cullerton.

(11) Did this angler catch and release a seventy pound musky ?

(12) The Alabama Rig is taking the bass world by storm.

(13) TV Show Pawn Stars buys fishing tackle; chaos ensues.

(14) Monster Mako misses the world record by a few pounds.

(15) 2200 anglers fish for 3 hours in ice fishing tournament…and catch no fish.

(16) John Merwin profiles a great reel made by the U.S. Reel Company (in China...sigh), sold at a great price.

(17) Fly fishing pioneer Billy Pate passes away. A neat article from the Miami Herald here.

(18) As he works to climb out of debt, noted painter Russell Chatham is working on an angling manuscript about fishing San Francisco Bay.

(19) In grossest heist ever, eight thieves armed with golf clubs make off with 100,000 maggots from local bait shop. Really.

(20) A Chinese fishing tackle museum!

The Christmas Angling Poem

2011-12-25T11:35:00.000-05:00

A repost from the past (and last year even printed in Crappie Angler magazine!). I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, and overall glad tidings to everyone in this holiday season! Enjoy!

My apologies to Clement Clark Moore for butchering his classic, but I could not let the holidays pass without a shot at rewriting his beloved poem, with a fishing theme...

An Angler's Christmas
butchered by Dr. Todd
'Twas the night before Christmas and all across the lake
Not a creature was stirring, not even a snake
The stockings were hung in the cabin with care
In hopes they'd be filled with bugs made of deer hair

This angler was nestled all snug in his bed,
While visions of Pfluegers danced in my head;
Shakespeares and Heddons both old and brand new
All served to disrupt my long winter's snooze,

When down on the dock there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Worried about my Big O's in mint silver flash,
I tore open the door to investigate the splash.

The light reflecting from the nearly full moon
Gave the lustre of mid-day to my Dardevle spoons,
When, what to my shock down the hill should appear,
But a Skeeter bass boat filled with reindeer!
And a portly old fisherman, so lively and quick,
I saw it was the angler we knew as St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his reindeer disembarked,
And he whistled, and shouted, their names he did hark:
"Now, Bagley! now, Paw Paw! now, Norman and Zebco!
On, Arnold! on Rebel! on Jamison and Nebco!
To the top of the steps! to the end of the dock!
Then on to the shore, my grazing herd flock!"

As dry flies that before the stiffest breeze fly,
When they meet with the wind and blow in the sky,
So along the dock the bounders they flew,
Followed by the boat full of tackle, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the shore
Their prancing and pawing and reindeer like roar.
As I drew in my breath, and was turning around,
Up the steps St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in B.A.S.S. gear from head to foot,
And his Ranger Boats cap was blackened with soot;
A bundle of rods he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a trout bum just opening his pack.

But his eyes, they twinkled, his smile was so merry!
His hooks were all sharp, his reels were so cherry!
His Orvis fly rod was as lithe as a bow,
And his hand tied streamer whiter than snow;
A piece of his leader he held tight in his teeth,
And the rest of his line lay coiled like a wreath;

St. Nick the Angler adjusted his belly,
And it flubbered around like a worm made of jelly.
But despite his big girth he could handle a rod
And he had taken his share, in spite of his bod
He slipped in the house with nary a word
As I stared in disbelief at his grazing deer herd.

St. Nick got to work, and with a nod of his face
He gave his approval of my piscatorial cache
He spoke not a word, and went straight to his work,
Filling the stockings with baits made to jerk,
Arbogasts, Helins, Spoonplugs and Skinners
Bass Pro, Cabelas, and multi-blade spinners
The stockings were soon just bursting with treasure
And he threw in a Winston, just for good measure

Then laying his finger aside of his head,
He gave me a nod, and down the steps he fled;
Into his boat he jumped, with its promo decals
And he puttered off out of sight to fish with his pals

But I heard him exclaim, as he trolled out of sight,
"Good fishing to all, and to all anglers, a good-night!"

Merry Christmas!

-- Dr. Todd

Deconstructing Old Ads: A Christmas Gift Book from 1953

2011-12-24T00:43:00.001-05:00

A Christmas Gift Book from 1953

As I have noted before in this column, I collected pre-1960 bass fishing books long before starting to collect vintage fishing lures. The first book I ever purchased in this collection was in 1956. It was Robert Page Lincoln's 1952 book Black Bass Fishing which is still a favorite. In the days before the Internet, finding out-of-print books was a slow ordeal. There were a few book dealers that specialized in used "Outdoor Books" and dealt through the mail, but mostly I haunted used book stores that seemed to regularly come up with older fishing books. When one did turn up that fit my budget, it was a time to celebrate. I had no way of researching if Robert Page Lincoln had written other books and was I pleasantly surprised one day to come across another book by him titled The Pike Family. As I was looking over the book, the dealer, who knew me from my frequent visits, commented that it was not an easy book to find and that this one had a personal letter from Mr. Lincoln taped inside the front cover. WOW! ---SOLD---.

The letter accompanied the book when it was sent as a gift to a friend, Thomas S. Rawson. Mr Rawson apparently had a fishing partner that needed a lot of advice and Robert Page Lincoln was only too happy to help his friend Mr Rawson by donating this book to be passed on to Mr Rawson's friend at Christmas. Much credit was given by Robert Page Lincoln in the letter to Mr Rawson for his help writing the book. In fact, some doubt was expressed as to how effective the book would be, especially if a talented fisherman like Mr Rawson had experienced limited success up to that time in his efforts to educate his friend .

Sometime afterward I sat down with great anticipation to read The Pike Family. Might as well start with the "FORWARD" right? I only got as far as the second paragraph when my train of thought entered the "Twilight Zone".

Wait a minute ---- how could RPL send a book to a friend when the forward says that he had already passed away. I tried every which way to come up with a scenario that would explain this mystery. Maybe he sent a proof copy and the letter was later placed in a hardbound copy? My mind went into gridlock. Enter the January 1953 issue of Fur Fish Game. Robert Page Lincoln wrote the monthly "Travel" column at that time. As I was looking through the magazine there at the bottom of Page 3 was a black bordered notice that Robert Page Lincoln had passed away at age 61. It went on to say that he had died on 20 November 1952. That's before The Pike Book was published and more than a full year before Mr Rawson forged the letter in December of 1953. The well-crafted letter was obviously meant as a joke to play on Mr Raw son's good friend. I have since reread the letter many times. I wish I could have been there on Christmas morning when his fishing buddy opened the book and read that letter signed "Bob Lincoln". It always brings a smile to my face.

Have a Merry Christmas!

-- Bill Sonnett

The Friday Funhouse

2011-12-23T09:33:00.000-05:00

The Video of the Week

What's Santa doing the day before his big day? Catchin' blue dogs, of course.

12 Things I Would Buy If Only I Could Afford Them

Instant Collection Alert: A massive collection of fishing reels.

A nice Dickerson 8013 fly rod would be a great casting tool.

This is an absolutely super tough Shakespeare Kazoo Killer.

A Bagley DB-3 in Steel Blue will make some Bagley collector very happy.

This Garcia Mitchell 396 is a very rare reel.

The Newell P454-F is an oft overlooked big game reel.

The Penn Spinfisher 706Z is one of the most popular surf casting spinning reels ever made.

A great spear from Michigan is a fantastic find.

The Heddon 200 in the box is a superb bait.

A key chain from Bingo Bait is awesome.

An awesome 1911 Shakespeare dealer catalog is awesome.

I love these wooden Musky Jitterbugs…

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

-- Dr. Todd

A Big Move!

2011-12-22T23:01:00.000-05:00

Some of you know I have been the caretaker of The Classic Fly Rod Forum, which (depending on what metric you use) is either the first or second largest fly fishing web site in the world. Well, folks, the Classic Fly Rod Forum has moved to a new home! You can access the new and improved site by CLICKING HERE.

As you can imagine, migrating such an incredibly large board from one site to another is an unbelievable amount of work. Two men who need special singling out are Tom Gould (owner of the Fiberglass Fly Rodders board, and Classic Fly Rod Forum moderator and database expert extraordinaire Mark Wendt. A third gentleman who shall remain nameless was critical in getting all of this done.

This evening, I received word a third favorite board--Ultralight Flyfishing--has also migrated from their old home to a new one.

Check out all three boards in their new homes and register for your username and password!

-- Dr. Todd

52 Trade Houses Part 38: Wm. C. Hoegee Co. of Los Angeles

2011-12-21T11:47:00.000-05:00

Over the course of the next year, we'll be detailing the history of 52 companies that sold branded fishing tackle. 52 trade houses in 52 weeks -- some obscure, some famous, and all available exclusively here on the Fishing for History Blog! If you have any items from the week's entry you'd like to share with us, please send it my way and I'll make sure it makes it on the blog.

For a discussion of what exactly trade tackle is, Click Here. Enjoy the 52 for 52!

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Trade House Tackle, Part 38:
The Wm. C. Hoegee Co. of Los Angeles

A cool old West Coast trade house was the William H. Hoegee Company of Los Angeles. It was a large house with a long history and sold a bunch of fishing tackle, including a lot of it under proprietary trade names.

It was founded in 1889 by its namesake Wm. H. Hoegee as a tend and awning business serving the mining community. By 1907 it had expanded to include innumerable goods and occupied a building in downtown Los Angeles at 138 Main Street that was four stories and 60 x 350 feet. They employed 200 people that year, and it was run by Adolph Hartmann and John C. Hill.

William C. Hoegee was a noted California philanthropist. With a massive residence in Hollywood, Cal., he was president of the Hollywood Improvement Association. He passed away in 1919, leaving a massive estate.

A write up in Mines and Mining on Dec. 6, 1907 declared "Orders come to his house from all parts of the world and goods are constantly being shipped to outside states and distant lands…the main success of this great establishment can be traced, perhaps, to extensive and judicious advertising, strict attention to business, meeting the wants of patrons, selling goods on close margins, integrity and a high sense of honor in all its transactions."

They carried sporting goods from an early date (1890s perhaps). Here is a 1902 Field & Stream advertisement.

They also carried guns. This blurb from the Western Field in 1903 details the gun department in an article entitled "SPECIALISTS IN EVERY DEPARTMENT":

In addition to the other conveniences offered sportsmen by the Wm. H.. Hoegee Co. of Los Angeles Mr. H. W. Bickford, expert gunsmith in charge of their gun repair shop, makes a specialty of building fine rifle and pistol barrels. He has invented and completed a rifling machine that is marvelously accurate. The machine gives any pitch of rifling from straight to one turn in six inches, either right or left hand, increase or uniform twist. The machine will rifle any caliber from .22 to .50, and any length of barrel up to 36-inch. He also makes a specialty of rc-bluing revolvers and gun actions. The re-bluing Mr. Bickford does is not cheap oil or acid bluing, but his work is the beautiful high polished blue-black as found only on the most expensive guns. Mr. Bickford also makes telescope sights, either for hunting
or target rifles. They are finely made and practical in every respect. He personally proves every piece of finished work before it leaves the shop, making it practically impossible for poor work to get out. All rifle and pistol barrels are tested at the range and must make a small group. _ .
The stock of this famous concern is now without a peer in the vast section which they so admirably cover. Everything of any kind and price that may be thought of by sportsmen is here in complete assortment and a visit to this famous establishment constitutes in itself a liberal education in the paraphernalia of modern sport. Each department is under the care of a specialist and the courtesy extended visitors has passed into a proverb.

By 1912, as evidenced in this Railway Employees magazine, billed themselves as "The greatest sporting goods house on the Pacific Coast."

Hoegee was very committed to west coast fishing. They sponsored a number of fishing events, including giving a loving cup for the largest Albacore, and working with the famed Catalina Tuna Club.

So successful was Hoegee's tackle trade (and sporting goods sales) that in 1915 they were listed as among the largest retail sporting goods companies in the nation. After World War II, Wm. C. Hoegee Co. merged with Western to form the Western-Hoegee Company.

There is a ton of fishing tackle marketed by this firm. Up until WWII most of the tackle, as far as I can tell, was sold under the Hoegee name. After WWII, Western-Hoegee took out the trade names Huck Finn (dead 1964), Tuna King, Big Eye, and Penguin (dead 1964).

Early 1920s Hoegee Line Spool.

Western-Hoegee Penguin brand tackle (pre-1964).

Western-Hoegee Huck Finn tackle.

The company continued on into the 1980s and beyond. In Nov. 2004, Western-Hoegee was purchased by Maurice Sporting Goods. At the time, Western-Hoegee serviced 1500 retailers with fishing tackle and other sporting goods.

There are even still some Hoegees today in the tent and awning business, a fitting testament to the durability of this old company.

-- Dr. Todd

Voices from the Past: O.W. Smith (1920)

2011-12-20T20:06:00.000-05:00

An early chronicler of the history of the Kentucky reel was Onnie Warren Smith. Here, in his book Casting Tackle & Methods, he tackles the history of the fishing reel.

In no single item of the bait-caster's outfit has there been greater development than in the reel. It is a long journey from the first single action winder down through the years to the modern quadruple, self-winding, self-thumbing, self-a-hundred-and-oneother-things reel.

Just where and when the fishing reel originated we know not, but we find mention of it in "The Complete Angler"; says Isaak Walton: "And to that end, some use a wheel about the middle of the rod, or near the hand; which is to be observed better by seeing one of them, than by a large demonstration of words." Presumably Walton had no personal knowledge of the "wheel," otherwise he would have been more explicit in his description. This first winch was undoubtedly after the fashion of the "Nottingham reel," still used in England, a large disk of wood with a grooved outer edge to contain the line; simple and efficient for the work for which it was intended, fly fishing. To-day the single action reel has diminished in size and is made of many materials, but still it follows closely the pattern of the first winch produced. From the very nature of the case this is bound to be true. Little is required of the fly fisherman's reel, ordinarily it is but a spool on which the line is stored, so obviously no great development may be expected, no radical changes looked for.

The invention of the multiplying reel, the casting reel, per se, was coincident with the discovery of the black-bass as a sporting asset. As the short rod was born to meet new fishing conditions, so the multiplying reel was produced to satisfy the demand for something different to meet the wiles of a fish that fought differently, could be taken with different methods.

The multiplying reel was born down in "the blue grass country" in the beginning of the nineteenth century. Probably Mr. George Snyder, of Paris, Ky., produced the first double multiplying reel between the years 1810 and 1840, a crude creation when compared to a modern Meek or Talbot, but in mechanism of small pinion and larger cog-wheel, essentially what the latest reel is. Mr. Snyder was president of the Bourbon County Angling Club, and when not attending to his duties of presiding officer or engaged in his favorite occupation, angling, he applied himself to his trade, that of silversmith and expert watchmaker. Naturally he first made a reel for his own use, improving upon the winch as he discovered need for improvement in actual fishing. So the multiplying reel is a fisherman's discovery, as is every piece of tackle which stands the test of time.

When Snyder's reel was all but perfect his friends were attracted by its value as an aid to sport, and we find the inventor holding the honorable position of reel-maker to the Bourbon County Angling Club. Some of Snyder's early reels are still in existence and disclose a loving care and intimate knowledge of tools worthy of emulation. Casting from the reel with artificial lures was undreamed of in those days, Snyder's reel being produced for live bait fishing only, though it was but a step from live bait casting to throwing artificial lures. In some respects, judged by modern standards, these early reels are crude, the plates being riveted in position, the drag and click cumbersome, the shaft projecting through the head and tail plate, the barrel much longer than those in use to-day. However, the multiplying reel had arrived.

Another man to turn his attention to reel making was Mr. J. F. Meek, who appeared in Frankfort, Ky., about 1833, improving the Snyder reel by operating the dick and drag with sliding buttons, placing a collar around the crank shaft, and eliminating the protruding spool-shaft. In Louisville, Ky., in 1843, a man by the name of J. W. Hardman began making reels for black-bass fishermen, and under his expert hand it may be asserted that the modern "Kentucky reel" took shape. Mr. Hardman shortened the spool, fastened the head and tailplate to the pillars with screws instead of rivets, and increased the diameter of the spool, not to mention scroll work and ornamentation. Another name to be reckoned with in connection with the production of the wodern casting winch is that of Mr. Benjamin C. Milam, who in 1836 became an apprentice to Mr. J. F. Meek, soon taking charge of the reel making industry of the firm. Later on, in connection with his son, we find him making reels under his own name. There are other individuals who should be mentioned in connection with the early history of the multiplying reel, but in so brief a resume it is out of the question. There is one outstanding fact, however, which even the careless reader will not fail to note, i. e., the important place the Blue Grass country plays in the development of the casting reel; but this is as it should be, for it was from the southeastern portion of the United States that the type specimens of both species of black-bass were secured.

-- Dr. Todd

News of the Week: 19 December 2011

2011-12-19T07:57:00.002-05:00

Don't have time to read 50+ fishing and tackle collecting blogs and web sites? Well, let us do it for you! Follow all of the latest news, articles, and stories on our Whitefishpress Twitter account! Hint: You don't need to be a member...just bookmark the Twitter Feed Page or click on latest links to the right!

The big fish of Powai…the Zara Spook is a great Christmas gift…late ice means trouble in Maine…love of fishing leads to tackle shop…Robert Thompson--punk rocker and fly angler…trollers deserve good rods…Denali and Boo get in bed…the Punkie Spook…man uses counterfeit money to buy fishing gear…Aussies and their fisho gear…it must be THE NEWS OF THE WEEK!

The Big Lead: The Times of India on the big fish of Powai.

The Zara Spook makes the list of seasonal gifts.

Late ice means bad business in Maine.

How a love of fishing spawned a new business.

An interview with punk rocker and fly angler Robert Thompson.

Even trollers deserve responsive rods.

Denali Rods signs Boo Woods.

Man uses counterfeit bill to get his fishing rod.

The Big Thompson is still attracting anglers, even in winter.

The Punkie Spook is this week's winner at Field & Stream.

Finishing with a Flourish: Aussies offer eye-popping fisho gear.

-- Dr. Todd

1000 Words

2011-12-18T05:57:00.003-05:00

1000 Words

Today in 1000 words we continue our celebrity fishing series with a neat portrait of Senator Ted Kennedy and two of his boys likely fishing stripers on Martha's Vineyard.

-- Dr. Todd

Deconstructing Old Ads: Creek Chub Plunker (1928)

2011-12-17T04:23:00.001-05:00

The Creek Chub Plunker – A Classic Bait

This advertisement from the March 1928 issue of Outdoor America magazine proclaims the Creek Chub Bait Company's “Plunker” as “new” though it is known that it was produce in 1927. Seasoned Creek Chub Bait Company collectors will recognize in this illustration the Plunker's early, full-bodied shape. It is listed as weighing ¾ oz. In a few years it would take on a slimmer appearance and have its weight trimmed to 5/8 oz. Identifying genuine early Creek Chub Plunkers can be confusing . The confusion results from the fact that later Shur Strike Plunkers (made by C.C.B.C. as a less expensive, second line of baits) are nearly identical in shape to the earliest Creek Chub Plunkers. The Shur Strike baits must have been made from a lighter wood or had a lot less paint on them as they are listed at ½ oz..

Few plugs have been featured in paintings as many times as the Creek Chub Plunker. It is usually in the mouth of a bass with the fish leaping high, as anglers in the distance look on. Most of the time it is the ubiquitous red and white.

The idea of a surface lure (with no spinners) that popped, plunked and splashed when given a good tug, seems to have evolved from Jim Heddon's “slopenose”(cc 1902) on through the various “woodpecker” style baits. The Holzaphel Mushroom Bait (cc 1912 -- see Deconstructing Old ads for October 17th 2009)) appears to me as somewhat of an intermediate between the “woodpeckers” and the Plunker. Since the Plunker proved to be an effective lure for big fish, it has been copied in countless ways by large and small companies alike. From the Heddon Chugger to the present-day Pop-R and its many morphs, the "plunking bait" has become a standard type in any line-up of surface lures.

When sportswriter Brent Frazee of the Kansas City Star was introduced by Warren Platt to bass fishing with vintage tackle, he was presented with several vintage lures to use. He first chose the Creek Chub Plunker. Brent soon started to catch bass with the bait and despite repeated encouragements from Warren and myself to try some other baits, he has steadfastly stuck with the Plunker. Frankly, he has caught about as many fish as either of us when we've fished together. If one has to be a “one-lure fisherman” you could certainly do worse.

As a boy, I spent many hours looking over the selection of plugs at the local hardware store. These always included Creek Chub Plunkers which I found very alluring, but for some reason I never chose to buy one with my hard-earned, lawn-mowing money. It was not until I got into collecting old tackle that I decided to give the Plunker a try. It has since accounted for many large bass, especially after dark. I wish I had purchased one back in the 1950's ----- just think of all the bass I missed out on!

-- Bill Sonnett

The Friday Funhouse

2011-12-16T05:54:00.000-05:00

The Video of the Week

Holy Slabs, Matt Heron!

Matt Heron Reels in a Gigantic Brown Trout from Filmed In Tahoe on Vimeo.

12 Things I Would Buy If Only I Could Afford Them

This is just the neatest dang cricket lure I've ever seen.

One of the all time rarest Mitchell reels just hit the market. Hold on to your hats, folks.

Christmas is definitely here. Check out the Hurd Supercasters.

This sure is a nifty Midget Surf Oreno in a crisp box.

This Talbot is the reason why people love Kentucky reels.

39 bids and counting on an Abu Cardinal 33.

This Australian Surfmaster reel is pretty cool.

This Winters Surface Bait is complete with the wings.

Parker Guns and Hawes Fly Rods are a sweet combination.

This Pearl Wobbler is a great bait.

I've never seen a Nichols Silver Dollar before.

A South Bend Night Luminous woodpecker is a nifty lure in the box.

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

-- Dr. Todd

A Fishy Fishy Christmas?

2011-12-15T07:22:00.001-05:00

Joe Cermele over at the great Field & Stream's Honest Angler Blog had a wonderful post yesterday on Christmas and anglers and those Heddon Punkinseed ornaments that are floating around everywhere.

I've always wondered about these things as I see them on the 'bay all the time...so if you're interested in the story Head on over and check it out!

-- Dr. Todd

52 Trade Houses Part 37: James G. Barry Co. of Chicago

2011-12-14T05:08:00.000-05:00

Voices from the Past: E.A. Pflueger (1918)

2011-12-13T09:53:00.001-05:00

The following article on the origins of the Wooden Minnow appeared in my book Pflueger Profiles. I had found it in a 1924 edition of the League of Ohio Sportsman magazine, but wondered where the original had come from. Wonder no more. The original article was published in the May 1918 Hardware Review magazine, in response to Stimson's article in the American Angler on the same subject.

THE ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF THE WOODEN MINNOW

By E. A. Pflueger, Enterprise Mfg. Co.

As there seems to be some agitation on at the present time on the part of sporting writers in showing up relics of the past in the fishing tackle line, especially as regards wood minnows or plug baits, the Enterprise Mfg. Company has prepared the following for the enlightenment of all interested in this subject.

We made our first plug bait in the year 1881 in the form of a hollow glass minnow, mounted with single and treble hooks at tail and spinner at head. This was heavy enough to cast properly and the minnow being filled with a mirror substance also our "Luminous" material, made it very attractive and a good seller.

Following the Glass Minnow, we made other casting baits, all of which could be termed plug baits in the following order: Rubber Minnows, Phantom Minnows, Devon Minnows, Pearl Minnows, Metal Minnows. In the year 1883 we put out the Comstock Wood Minnow, the body being made of wood with glass eyes and spinners mounted upon the side instead of at the head and tail, according to prudent methods.

In the year 1898 we were the first to place on the market a wood minnow of the present day structure, and have been continuously manufacturing wood minnows and other forms of wooden baits ever since.

Our variety of baits and fishing tackle general to-day is by far the largest in volume and number turned out by any factory in the United States.

The best thing about the original was the two accompanying images--one I'd seen before (of the three Pflueger lures) but I'd not seen this version of the newspaper ad.

-- Dr. Todd

News of the Week: 12 December 2011

2011-12-12T04:17:00.000-05:00

Don't have time to read 50+ fishing and tackle collecting blogs and web sites? Well, let us do it for you! Follow all of the latest news, articles, and stories on our Whitefishpress Twitter account! Hint: You don't need to be a member...just bookmark the Twitter Feed Page or click on latest links to the right!

Fish shaped mailboxes targeted by teenage theft ring...improve your fishing with just five lures...so many lure so little time...Jerry Fuller passes away...major tackle companies moving to China...luremaking helps man recover from stroke...Rapala and FLW back in bed together...Pay Me Rig = Alabama Rig?...Dick Pobst has a new book...Bedford Sportsman celebrates 40 years...kids create fishing lures...it must be THE NEWS OF THE WEEK!

The Big Lead: New Berlin, WI cops break up high school crime ring intent on stealing fish-shaped mailboxes.

xxx

How to improve fishing with five key lures.

So many lures, so little time.

Minnesota tackle pioneer Jerry Fuller passes away.

Major tackle companies are moving OUT of China.

Mexico's Roosterfish is worth crowing about.

Luremaking helps young man recover from stroke.

Rapala and FLW are back together.

Is the Pay-Me Rig the hottest lure of the year,?

Dick Pobst's fourth book hits the shelves.

Celebrating 40 years at the Bedford Sportsman.

Finishing With A Flourish: Kids create custom fishing lures.

-- Dr. Todd

1000 Words

2011-12-11T21:25:00.001-05:00

1000 Words

This week we get another great photo of cinema legend Gary Cooper, this time by the equally legendary photographer Robert Capa. Even though it is a staged photo, it is still pretty neat.

-- Dr. Todd

Deconstructing Old Ads: The New Arbogast Hula Dancer (1946)

2011-12-10T03:52:00.000-05:00

The New Arbogast Hula Dancer

This advertisement appears on the inside of the front cover of the May-June 1946 issue of Outdoorsman magazine. World War II had ended the previous August and many fishing tackle companies that had been engaged in War production were gearing up to get back to making fishing tackle. Many ads in this time period reflect that effort. Unlike most larger companies, especially those that produced reels and rods, Arbogast was able to produce and sell baits during the War. Most collectors are familiar with the plastic lips on war-time Jitterbugs as well as various hook hardwares that were used in an effort to save metal for the war production.

It is always a pleasure to see an ad that answers very directly, questions concerning the history of fishing tackle. This ad does that on two counts. The ad leaves no doubt that though the Hula Dancer has been experimented with for some time, this marks its formal introduction to the public. Fred Arbogast also states, "This is my first new bait since I brought out my Jitterbug in 1939." In speaking with Warren Platt (a long-time, collector and researcher of early Jitterbugs) this advertisement marks the first time that he or I have seen in print the date of 1939 claimed for the introduction of the Jitterbug. It has always been assumed that this date was correct as January 1939 is the earliest Jitterbug advertisement found so far, but it is nice to see that confirmed here.

I must admit that in my efforts to experiment with older lures, I have not yet tried the Hula Dancer. After seeing this beautiful advertisement, I'm going to make it a point to give one a try.

-- Bill Sonnett

The Friday Funhouse

2011-12-09T07:24:00.001-05:00

Video of the Week

A pair of videos featuring Karl White promoting a future documentary about his collection. Just talked to the very kind gentleman about a month ago and there are some really cool plans in the works for his collection...

11 Things I Would Buy If Only I Could Afford Them And One Thing I Would Not

Ugh. Just UGH. This is NOT an Indian Motorcycle fishing reel!!!! It's just a common Montague trade reel sold by dozens of different stores and worth $10.

I did say I wanted a Revolution, after all.

There is nothing dumb about this Dummy Double.

A White Heddon box has attracted a LOT of interest.

These are strange looking but very desirable lures: the E.B. Norris Squid.

A John Saracione 4 1/4 Mark IV fly reel in the box is a great find.

How neat is this Heddon Luny Frog dealer display box!

This is one huge Martin salmon plug!

A Montague 80/130 Big Game Rod is a very hard to find rod.

Who doesn't like a Detroit Glass Minnow Tube?

A Julius vom Hofe fly reel for Abbey & Imbrie is a thing of beauty.

Wow is this a rare color Heddon spook!

As always, have a great weekend! And be nice to each other, and yourself.

-- Dr. Todd

Thursday Review: November/December 2011 Classic Angling

2011-12-08T20:50:00.001-05:00

Thursday Review: November/December 2011 Classic Angling

One of my favorite magazines arrived in the mail today--Britain's Classic Angling. It is an excellent issue once again. The most interesting article to me was the cover story, which dealt with the esoteric subject of fishing-related fans. Yes, fans--as in to fan yourself. They are very beautiful and I am sure that this is the first time the subject matter has been broached to a large audience. Kudos to Keith Elliot for running with such a great pictorial story.

Tons of other articles of interest, as always, including great auction reports and columns from noted writers like Judith Head, John Bailey, and Neil Freeman. There's also a great article on Canada's Islander Reels. All in all it's a great issue.

Another great issue of a magazine really hitting its stride. The magazine is capably edited by Keith Elliott, and is available through subscription by Clicking Here.

-- Dr. Todd

52 Trade Houses Part 36: Paxton & Gallagher of Omaha, NE

2011-12-07T04:25:00.001-05:00

Voices from the Past: The Michigan Sea Lion (1936)

2011-12-06T14:27:00.001-05:00

My friend Gary Miller sent this in to me. He found it in an October 1936 edition of Hunting & Fishing magazine, and it details in brief the story of Michigan's only sea lion, living in Grand Traverse Bay, Michigan. He must have had a very lonely life...note also the Century of Progress took place in Chicago in 1933.

A modern believe-it-or-not is the story of this large sea lion, only resident of his kind in Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Michigan--a thousand or more miles from salt water. It is believed the sea lion was placed in the lake after taking sick at the Century of Progress Exposiion after which it recovered to live contentedly in his new home.

-- Dr. Todd

News of the Week: 05 December 2011

2011-12-05T05:11:00.001-05:00

Don't have time to read 50+ fishing and tackle collecting blogs and web sites? Well, let us do it for you! Follow all of the latest news, articles, and stories on our Whitefishpress Twitter account! Hint: You don't need to be a member...just bookmark the Twitter Feed Page or click on latest links to the right!

War veterans learn to build custom rods...man gets jail for throwing tackle at cops...Northland Tackle Co. founders are hall-of-famers now...Pure Fishing is growing again...great steelhead angling...Hardy & Greys expands products as they cut employees...should fly fishing be less manly?...River Falls gets a fly fishing shop...20 Virtues of Fishing...Montana guide has seen everything...it must be THE NEWS OF THE WEEK!

The Big Lead: War veterans learn to build custom rods.

The only proper punishment for throwing fishing tackle at a cop.

The Northland Tackle Guys are going into the Freshwater Fishing Hall-of-Fame.

Pure Fishing buys South African fishing tackle company.

The greatest steelhead fishing you've been missing.

Hardy & Greys plans new product launch.

The story of a 38-year old fisherman who saved 26 people from death in 1909.

Fishing with a Golden Spoon.

Field & Stream says that fhb fly fishing should be less manly.

River Falls gets its very own fly shop.

The 20 Virtues of Fishing.

Finishing With A Flourish: Dave Kumlein has seen it all in 40 years of fishing and guiding in Montana.

-- Dr. Todd

Herb Proctor has passed away...

2011-12-04T18:59:00.000-05:00

RIP my friend. You will be missed, but we all know you are in a better place. Here is a picture of Herb (on the left) with Chris Labuz, from 2009.

The world is a little bit sadder place today.

-- Dr. Todd

1000 Words

2011-12-04T16:22:00.000-05:00

1000 Words

We continue our series on Hollywood Goes Fishing with a photo of Gary Cooper, the legendary star of movies such as High Noon and Pride of the Yankees, holding a stringer of fish in the late 1950s, not long before his passing. Cooper was a dedicated fisherman who spent as much time outdoors as he could. I must confess that Cooper is one of my favorite actors, and his portrayal of Alvin York--for which he won an Academy Award--is one of the great performances in Cinema history.

-- Dr. Todd

Deconstructing Old Ads: Introducing the Best Selling Al Foss Lure of All Time!

2011-12-03T05:56:00.000-05:00

Introducing the Best Selling Al Foss Lure of All Time!

This full page advertisement from the June 1920 issue of Outdoor Life introduces what has to be the best selling Al Foss lure of all time. The Shimmy Wiggler certainly outnumbers any other of Al's lures that I have seen in tackle boxes and at lure collector shows over the last thirty years. This advertisement for "our latest invention' contains the typical humor displayed in many early Al Foss ads. Unlike the old pictures so often seen on magazine covers and calendars, the "huckleberry patch" boy with the pole and worms will no longer catch more fish than the "city chap with the up-to-date tackle" --at least not if he is equipped with Al's porkrind minnows! Another of Al's quips is reserved for the dealer that does not stock his minnows, whom he describes as "dead from the neck up."

I have spent much of my life collecting and reading pre-1960 bass fishing books and magazine articles and the Al Foss Shimmy Wiggler almost always receives high recommendations from many authors. I have also spent a good portion of the last twenty years experimenting with older bass lures and many have proven quite effective. However, despite overwhelmingly positive reviews from many famous authors and older fishermen, I simply cannot get bass to bite on this famous lure. In fact I must admit that I have yet to catch the first fish on one.

-- Bill Sonnett

The Friday Funhouse

2011-12-02T05:10:00.002-05:00

The Video of the Week

Why did the salmon cross the road?

12 Things I Would Buy If Only I Could Afford Them

This is a superb box of English snells.

For the tackle collector who has everything: a Schemlzer hunting vest being sold as a fly fishing vest.

You won't find a nicer Revolution than this one!

This is a super rare Truline saltwater glass rod.

The bizarre CCBC Wee-Dee is a strange lure indeed.

Merry Christmas from Doug English!

This Swedish Arjon Commander is a great reel.

This Louis C. Ewer painting of a brook trout is pretty neat.

A Heddon "O" is a great lure.

How about this cool Lucky Strike Better Luck wobbler in the box?

One of the most desirable of all tackle box collectables is the Waltons Thumb.

A really neat Midget South Bend Surf Oreno with Bing's hooks in Green Crackleback is just fifty different kinds of awesome.

As always, have a safe weekend, and be good to others -- and yourself.

-- Dr. Todd

Thursday Review: An Hour of Wacky Fishing Secrets, Bad Jokes, and Great Gadgets

2011-12-01T15:55:00.000-05:00

Dick Streater on DVD!

Well, the mail brought a special surprise the other day. My fellow Gopher alumnus and the Henny Youngman of Fishing Dick Streater sent me a DVD copy of his classic one hour presentation Dick Streater Presents: An Hour of Wacky Fishing Secrets, Bad Jokes, and Great Gadgets.

Anyone who hasn't seen this is in for a real treat. Not only do you get Dick's inimitable presentation and style, you also get to see a few dozen of the most bizarre tackle ideas to ever invade an angler's brain.

The DVD runs 60 minutes and I can't recommend it highly enough. If you're interested in a copy, email Dick at lureguru@ aol.com or call him (his number is in the NFLCC Directory).

-- Dr. Todd

52 Trade Houses Part 35: Kelley-How-Thomson of Duluth, MN

2011-11-30T08:42:00.000-05:00

Ben Wright's Spinning Reel Report (December 2011)

2011-11-29T04:29:00.000-05:00

NOVEMBER 2011

A BAD MONTH FOR GOBBLERS !!

A GREAT MONTH FOR THE SPINNING REEL COLLECTOR

WAIT TILL YOU SEE SOME OF THESE REELS AND THEIR PRICES !!!

ABU:
Record 1000 second version exc @ 235.64
333 4th version like new @ 175.99
Record 700 second version nib @ 150.00
444A paint wear on edges @ 163.47
444 second version exc+ @ 244.48
Suveran S3000M nmwb @ 185.39
Cardinals:
3 second version slight wear on foot @ 527.26
52 e+wb @ 179.14
44 repro nib @ 169.49
3 plexiglass stands for 500 series new @ 74.26

Australian:
Eildon small chip in foot @ 178.69
Cedar Seamartin exc- starting @ 2,400.00 NO BIDS

Dam Quick:
Microlite nib @ 462.80 HOLY COW !!!
Microlite exc+ @ 49.88
5001 like new @ 102.50

English:
Bowell Auto Reel exc- starting @ 800.00 NO BIDS
Hardy Hardex no1 mk111 exc @ 73.72

French:
Mepps Super Meca Red nib @ 169.56
Bretton 602 first version Black exc- @ 99.52
Crack 200 FB ewb @ 122.50
Centaure Caribe Green ewb @ 170.00 Wow
Centaure Caribe Black exc @ 182.00 another Wow
early Luxor second version ? exc- paint wear @ 140.34

Italian:
Rare Ambidexter exc @ 1,223.83
Alcedo 2C/S medallion marked Alcedo exc- @ 86.00
Alcedo Mercury common second version exc @ 249.99
Cargem 44/M exc- @ 152.50
Ted Williams 450 ewb @ 83.07
rare Zangi Audex e-wb @ only 284.46
rare Alcedo Omina Minor w/ flying bird on medallion
exc- starting at approx 692.00 NO BIDS
Reve paint wear @ 147.43

Japanese:
Daiwa GS9 exc- @ 66.00
Roddy 830 ewb B/N @ 139.98 NO BIDS
Compac Corona 75 nib @ 54.99

Mitchell/Garcia Mitchell:
306 Albatros Combi exc- @ 62.06
408G s/n 274 wear on gold parts @127.89
340 nib @ 85.99
408 ewb @ 180.20
300 X marked on box e+wb @ 199.75
498 Pro exc- @ 150.64
314 nib @ 229.52
308 Prince e+wb @ 229.99

Penn:
705 second version e-wb @ 128.00
BLACK 711 Paint wear B/N @ 599.00 NO BIDS

Shakespeare:
2499 exc @ 77.00
2499 e-wb @ 45.00
2411 weak bail spring @ 154.50
2065 cut-a-way SS exc @ 49.99
2091A nib @ 197.57 holy cow !!

Swiss:
Fix mpu green/red handle nib @ 70.88
Fix mpu Blue/gold handle nib @ 70.88
Record 50B FB e-wb @ 61.00
Record Recordette FB black nib (poor box)@38.01
Record Recordette w/non original MPU? @ 94.00
Record 700 SCF under rod nib @ 91.19

Zebco:
101 CF rod/reel combo rare exc B/N @101.00 NO BIDS
45XBL Gold Plated 3 known exc missing wood base
B/N @ 1,200.00 no bids yet
cardinal 3 second version RESTORED ?? @ 194.58
cardinal 555 nib @ 150.00

Other Reels:
Taffy Reel nib @ 305.00
Pflueger Pelican 1020 nib @ 102.00
La Salle by Tamco exc- @ 85.00
American Classic 1V w/anti-reverse switch exc+ @100.00
Langley 820G nib @ 19.00
Jim Tatman's Rapid Titan 500 nib @ 124.36
Martin 27A w/Clear plastic sideplate exc @ 88.00
and Last----------
Waltco NY-O-Lite maroon/.white exc+ @ 122.50
same as above @ 30.99
same as above but w/box @ 35.17
now there's a price range for ya !!

TO ALL-HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!
Ben

News of the Week: 28 November 2011

2011-11-28T06:21:00.002-05:00

Don't have time to read 50+ fishing and tackle collecting blogs and web sites? Well, let us do it for you! Follow all of the latest news, articles, and stories on our Whitefishpress Twitter account! Hint: You don't need to be a member...just bookmark the Twitter Feed Page or click on latest links to the right!

Fish Hooks can now be dated to 42,000 years ago…Hardy & Grey's layoffs…tackle shops scrambling to keep up with striper run…more on Mann's purchase of the 'Bama Rig…New Zealand lures are defined by diversity…the Surfcaster is up and running again…Chuck Norris helps out a fly angler…young angling writer Melinda Moustakis is a big hit…it must be THE NEWS OF THE WEEK!

The Big Lead: The biggest story of the year--deep sea fishing (and fish hooks) began 42,000 years ago.

More on layoffs at Hardy & Greys.

Most awesome tackle appraisal ever: Sante "Banjo" Giuliani and Fred Kretchman's "Antique Tackle Appraisal & Road Show" hits York, Maine.

Too bad your huge tuna was confiscated.

Hooking big fish on circle hooks.

Tackle shops scramble to keep up with striper run.

More on Mann's purchase of the Alabama Rig.

Kiwi lures are defined by their variety.

The Surfcaster is up and running again.

Bass tourney in Canada is back in the black.

Chuck Norris helps out this fly angler.

Finishing with a Flourish: Young writer Melinda Moustakis new book is out, and its about salmon fishing.

-- Dr. Todd

1000 Words

2011-11-27T16:14:00.000-05:00

1000 Words

Continuing our theme "Hollywood Goes Fishing" we get this nifty press wire photo of the legendary actor Mickey Rooney and the actress Martha Vickers. This Thanksgiving holiday I was able to go and see the new Muppet Movie (it was outstanding, by the way) and I was shocked to see a cameo from the ninety-one year old Mickey Rooney. Born in 1920, Rooney was already a film star by age eight and by his teenage years was one of the most famous people in the world. Martha Vickars was an actress who had some major roles in the post-war era. Mostly, however, she was famous for being married to Mickey Rooney from 1949-1951. Presumably this was the period this photo was taken, with its Pflueger reel (complete with Comfo grip).

Deconstructing Old Ads: The Creek Chub Bait Company's “New Creek Darter” (1923)

2011-11-26T05:28:00.000-05:00

The Creek Chub Bait Company's “New Creek Darter” (1923)

by Bill Sonnett

This is another advertisement with much to ponder. It appeared in the July 1923 issue of Forest & Stream, a year before it made its first appearance in a Creek Chub Bait Company catalog in 1924. I was unaware (though it was there all the time in Dr. Smith's book) that this bait was originally called the “Creek Darter” before having its name shortened to the more familiar “Darter.” It is also commonly called by its catalog number the “2000.” No one that I have spoken with has seen the frog color listed, as it is in this advertisement, as “Frog Camouflage.” It is true that this early, light olive green version of the "Frog" coloration strongly resembles a military camouflage paint job rather than the more familiar dark green C.C.B.C. version of its “Frog” pattern.

Growing up, I never saw a C.C.B.C. Darter in any one's tackle box. I do remember reading that it was a favored lure in the deep South and it was prominent in photos of open tackle boxes in articles written about bass fishing by southern writers such as Robert E. Price. Ray Bergman called it an “exceptional killer in the frog finish."

My own experience with the Darter began fifteen years ago fishing with Warren Platt. Warren is not strictly a “one-lure fisherman” but is pretty darn close to it. His weapon of choice is the “2000 Darter” or its shorter cousin the “8000 Midget Darter.” It would never have occurred to me to fish these baits as he does, retrieving them on the surface with a steady twitching motion, making them “walk the dog” in the same fashion as a Zara Spook. The hang-up is that only a small minority of them “walk” in this fashion rather than swim to one side. No one seems to be able to figure out why this is or what adjustments to the bait would correct this condition. I believe Warren has tried about everything. I know there is always a lot of weeping and wailing when a big one makes off with one of his that “works” as it should.

I do not have the patience to fish this bait in this fashion but I will admit (if pressed) it has accounted for several, memorable “Bottom of the Ninth” victories in the other end of the boat. We'll finish today with Warren and one of many Bass that have surrendered to the "Old Frog Darter."

-- Bill Sonnett

The (Black) Friday Funhouse

2011-11-25T05:35:00.000-05:00

The Video of the Week

Vintage tackle and Miranda Lambert--nice combination!

12 Things I Would Buy If Only I Could Afford Them

This is a pretty neat old Weber point-of-purchase display sign.

I don't know if I've ever seen an Eager Beaver in a box before.

Carter's Bestever is one of the best named lures of all time.

A round split shot tin for Abbey & Imbrie is a nice find indeed.

Holy rare Wilcox wigglers, Batman!

This Vom Hofe Perfection has seen its share of wars, but man -- it is a sweet reel!

Walter Brunner was a German bamboo rodmaker who crafted some absolutely beautiful rods.

This Farlow & Co. British reel is as nice as it gets.

Heddon Checkerboards have weathered the economic downturn pretty nicely.

A Shakespeare Rhodes Minnow in the wooden box is a great bait.

A Bagley's Nellie's Goldfish is a super tough color on any bait.

A Bingo advertising bait for Pearl Lager has attracted a lot of attention.

Have a good and safe Black Friday, and be good to each other, and yourself.

-- Dr. Todd

7 Things to be Thankful For This Year

2011-11-24T04:01:00.001-05:00

For the Fifth consecutive year--2007's Missive is Here, 2008's Follow Up is Here, 2009's is here, and 2010 is here.

7 Things tot be Thankful For Today (Part V)

1) Endurance. Last year my number one thankful thing was patience; this year it is endurance, as in the human ability to endure difficult times and difficult circumstances. The past sixteen months brought a termendous amount of stress into the Larson household, including one very, very frightening cancer scare. It has reminded me that the phrase, "This, too, shall pass" is meaningful on multiple levels.

2) Loyalty. In times of stress, you find out who your friends really are. In 2011, it was never made more apparent to me that loyalty is perhaps the single most prized character trait of all. There are many who will stand by you in good times, but those who offer friendship, advice, and amity in hard times are those worth spending time with.

3) Daughters. You could easily substitute sons for daughters here, or children if you have multiple kids. My daughter is turning 12 and she is a downright blast to be around. Funny, inquisitive, smart, sensitive, and caring, she is a wonder and a joy in my life. When I look at her I think only of how proud she makes me every day.

4) Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines. I recently had the great honor of completing a book about a gentleman named Lt. Commander Joel Stewart, who went to Iraq in 2005 and founded the Baghdad School of Fly Fishing and Angler's Club. Delving into the book, it continually reminded me of the many freedoms we have here -- freedoms that are protected by American men and women (all volunteers) against implacable enemies who seek to undo everything the nation stands for. Some, like local Cincinnati area Soldier Matt Maupin, gave their lives. We shouldn't wait until Memorial Day to remember their sacrifices.

5) Terminal Tackle. The older I get, the more that "bottom of the tackle box" items intrigue me. Sure, certain items of terminal tackle like bobbers, line spools and fish hooks are widely popular, but a whole host of other items--sinkers, swivels, scalers, stringers, tackle boxes, priests, nets, etc.--are fascinating and a virtually virgin world for collectors and researchers. So much fun!

6) Historically Important Fishing Ephemera. I've really gotten into historically important fishing ephemera lately. It's one of the finest sources of information on the many companies that made and sold tackle. It's been great watching fishing ephemera become more and more popular of late. For a long time, it was only catalogs that got interest, but with some letterheads going for $200 or more, it's really attracted a lot of attention to the whole ephemera field.

7) The Readers of this Blog. I can't thank you -- YES YOU, who's reading this right now -- enough for stopping by every now and then and reading what we have to say on the subject of fishing and fishing history. We take that obligation seriously. Now, I can't say that it's easy to provide content every day -- some days its downright brutal -- but with the help of Bill Sonnett and the occasional guest writer, we've managed to provide ORIGINAL content for over 1000 consecutive days without a break. That's pretty impressive. We've also turned down several hundred (unsolicited) opportunities for advertising. Not that we're against making money, but the fact is I never saw this as a way to make money, but rather wanted it to be a place where we could share information without being bombarded by pop-up ads and links to spam sites.

So, for our fifth Thanksgiving, we are thankful for many things, but above all else, for the readers of our humble blog.

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving, and as always, be good to each other -- and most of all, be good to yourself.

-- Dr. Todd

52 Trade Houses Part 34: L.P. Wood of Burlington, VT

2011-11-23T14:27:00.000-05:00

Voices from the Past: Fishing in Greece (1884)

2011-11-22T18:57:00.003-05:00

The following account of fishing in Greece in the 1880s comes from the Murray's Handbook for Travel in Greece (5th Edition--1884). It's important because it chronicles the potential for fly fishing in the Balkans, a very dangerous place in the late nineteenth century. While researching my dissertation on travel in the Balkans, I found many accounts of fishing in the region, but I can't imagine it would have been widely appealing, with the activity of klephts (a kind of Greek highwayman) on the rise up until 1914.

Fishing in Greece

The majority of the Greek rivers being mere mountain torrents, dry during summer, the country affords very little sport in this respect.

Good trout-fishing is to be had in some of the rivers of Albania and Arcadia.

Salmon is reported to be found in some of the AEtolian lakes which communicate by the Achelous with the sea. M. v. Heldreich quotes a salmon from Lake Trichonis weighing over 13 lbs.

Very fine carp is found in the Lakes of Joannina and Kastoria, and an inferior kind in the lakes of AEtolia and Acarnania.

Barbel occurs in the Alpheus and the lakes of AEtolia.

Mullet is found in the brackish lagoons of Western Greece, and frequently ascends the Eurotas, Alpheus, and Achelous.

Perch is caught in the lakes of AEtolia.

Chub is found in the river of Karytena and in the Alpheus.

The Silurus or Sheat-fish abounds in the Achelous and the lakes of AEtolia and Macedonia. Col. Leake mentions a Silurus which weighed 176 lbs. as caught in the lake of Kastoria, but says that these fish are sometimes much larger!

The angler's prospects would probably be better in Albania, Macedonia, and Thessaly, but all details on the subject are wanting. Any traveller inclined to try his hand on the Greek lakes and rivers should bring complete tackle, flies, etc., from England, as nothing whatever of the kind is procurable in Greece, and very seldom in Turkey. Greeks have no idea of fishing as a pursuit followed for pleasure, and all information on the subject is wanting.

There is no evidence that the ancient Greeks, any more than the modern, practised angling as an amusement, although we know from Athenaeus that several treatises existed on fishing. The earliest known allusion to flyfishing occurs in the gossiping Natural History of AElian, a contemporary of Hadrian. He describes the art as practised on the river Astraeus, in Macedonia, and even gives directions for making the artificial fly. AElian's ippoouros is evidently one of the Ephemeridoe, and in all probability a Palingenesia.

-- Dr. Todd

News of the Week: 21 November 2011

2011-11-21T06:03:00.003-05:00

Don't have time to read 50+ fishing and tackle collecting blogs and web sites? Well, let us do it for you! Follow all of the latest news, articles, and stories on our Whitefishpress Twitter account! Hint: You don't need to be a member...just bookmark the Twitter Feed Page or click on latest links to the right!

Did an angler catch-and-release a 70 pound musky?…Aussies have a one-legged reel thief on their hands…A Miami marine consignment shop is a big hit…two articles on bamboo fly rods…the myth and mystery of steelhead fishing…a great interview with actor and fly angler Henry Winkler…Hardy & Greys cuts staff…Tom Mann Inc. gets exclusive rights to the Alabama Rig…Redditch history…a good blackfish rod…Charlie Campbell's big fish story…a guitar made out of a tackle box?…a combination rifle and fishing rod?…it must be THE NEWS OF THE WEEK!

The Big Lead: Did this angler catch and release a seventy pound musky ?

Australia has a one legged reel thief.

A marine consignment shop is a big hit.

Fly fishermen hear the call of the bamboo.

This author argues bamboo fly rods are sill a big hit.

Why steelhead fishing is both myth and mystery.

Henry Winkler, the Fonz and dedicated fly angler.

Hardy & Greys cuts staff, causes shock waves.

Mann's Bait Co. gets exclusive rights to the Alabama Rig.

Lake Michigan gets a nice fall perch run.

Redditch -- the home to Britain's hook industry -- gets profiled in a new book about the city.

WHat makes a good blackfish rod?

Charlie Campbell's big fish story.

Do you want to see a guitar made out of a fishing tackle box? Of course you do!

Finishing with a Flourish: The combination Fishing rod/Rifle is…well, see for your self.

-- Dr. Todd

1000 Words

2011-11-20T15:01:00.000-05:00

1000 Words

This week in 1000 Words we continue our "Hollywood Goes Fishing" theme with a great studio photograph of starlet Leila Hyams. Hyams was one of those silent film stars who transitioned into talking pictures. Beginning in 1924, she began as a supporting character in silent films but by the late 1920s had graduated to speaking leads. In 1930, she co-starred with Robert Montgomery and Wallace Beery (both ardent anglers) in The Big House. She retired from films in 1936 but remained active in Hollywood as the wife of noted agent Phil Berg. Here she poses for a studio still ca. 1930 with an Ocean City surf reel.

Deconstructing Old Ads: Millsite's "Daily Double" (1941)

2011-11-19T06:46:00.002-05:00

The Millsite “Daily Double”

From the 1941 Sports Afield Fishing Annual comes this beautiful full page advertisement for the "new" Millsite Daily Double.

Almost forty years ago I was canoe camping with my fishing partner on an island twenty miles north of Chapleau, Ontario when a friend named Jim paddled in to spend a few days in camp. He was not a fisherman but he brought along his Grandfather's tackle box, rod and reel with the intention of learning something about fishing. I had the job of looking over his supply of plugs and advising him on what he should use. Almost all of the plugs were 'second line' baits of dubious parentage and I saw nothing I had ever used. Though I had never seen one before, a frog colored Daily Double in his box looked enough like a Flatfish that I figured it was a good place to start. I was unfamiliar with the bait and truthfully thought that it was some sort of novelty lure that was designed to run at different depths depending on which end of the bait the line was attached to. I was not expecting too much in the way of results. I was right about the way it was supposed to work, but very wrong about its fishing catching abilities. Jim caught fish 'hand over fist' for three days before a large pike made off with his lure.

Fast forward forty years and the Millsite Daily Double has become a favorite of several well known collectors. The largest (in every sense of the term) Daily Double collector is Bill Hellmer (better known as “Bigfoot”) of Illinois. This is what Bill has to say about this ad:

“The lures and color numbers are all correct in the ad and are all in reference to musky size lures (700 series) as shown. The lures are made of Tenite Plastic, NEVER wood, as some people may like to think. The lures pictured are 4 inches in length and all have the double line tie, which allows the fisherman to run the lure shallow (2-3ft) or deep (5 ft+). Usually the lures are marked under the chin with the words "deep" & "shallow" on opposite ends.

The twelve colors shown in this advertisement were the standards, however, other colors were also made and sold. Perch scale 704, solid black no #, 1/2 blk /whte (the newer 709), were a few. And as with many lure manufacturers, "Saturday Specials" appeared as well. As far as I know the Daily Doubles were introduced in 1941 and were not taken out of the catalog in any following years. Along with the 700 series there was the 400 and 800 series. The 800 was considerd Bass and Pike size, while the 400 series was the spin or fly rod size at only 2 inches.

My first Daily Double, an orange one, came as a gift from my Uncle around 1955 (I was ten). He told me he was giving it to me because he never had a hit on it. My first cast (right in front of Uncle Floyd) produced a Largemouth Bass, and a big, 'Thank you Unc'. The look on his face was priceless."

Thanks Bill. I can only add one thing to Bill's information: the darn thing does catch fish!

-- Bill Sonnett

The Friday Funhouse

2011-11-18T06:16:00.001-05:00

The Video of the Week.

A monster pike from a kayak. Sounds like fun.

12 Things I Would Buy If Only i Could Afford Them

An ABU Garcia 5500C Deluxe is a superb find.

Well, this Akroyd 10/0 Salmon Fly has attracted a ton of attention.

A six-pack of Pflueger Globes is a nice find.

The Pflueger All-in-One is a great lure, but this auction is for the mouthpieces only!

The EL Cajon Coxes are very scarce.

South Bend Vacuum baits in boxes are great.

Holy UMCO Possumbellys, Batman!

Tiny Tims in gantron are fun.

Charlie Russo saltwater lures are superbly made examples of striper plugs.

The Gee Whiz Frog is superb.

These 10 Whopper Stopper Hellraisers are a blast.

A 9-foot Harnell steelhead rod is attracting a lot of interest.

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

-- Dr. Todd

My Feeling Exactly Summed Up By Little Girl

2011-11-17T17:06:00.001-05:00

Presented without comment:

-- Dr. Todd

Field & Stream's Weekly Vintage Tackle Contest

2011-11-17T16:35:00.000-05:00

Many of you know I've been helping Joe Cermele every week on the Field & Stream fishing blog. Well, this week we get a really cool prototype from Eastern Kentcuky.

To read more about this cool crankbait, click here.

-- Dr. Todd

52 Trade Houses Part 33: Jack Dickerson Supply Co. of Camdenton, MO

2011-11-16T01:10:00.003-05:00

Over the course of the next year, we'll be detailing the history of 52 companies that sold branded fishing tackle. 52 trade houses in 52 weeks -- some obscure, some famous, and all available exclusively here on the Fishing for History Blog! If you have any items from the week's entry you'd like to share with us, please send it my way and I'll make sure it makes it on the blog.

For a discussion of what exactly trade tackle is, Click Here. Enjoy the 52 for 52!

o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o

Trade House Tackle, Part 33:
Jack Dickerson Supply Co. of Camdenton, MO

An often overlooked sporting goods distributor from the heart of the American homeland is the Dickerson Supply Company of Camdenton, Missouri. A fairly obscure company, I checked the bible for Missouri collectors -- Dean Murphy's Fishing Tackle Made in Missouri, but was unable to find any information on Dickerson. Of course, I was only able to locate my first edition, and Dean may very well have added this to the second edition of his outstanding book.

I wasn't able to uncover a tremendous amount of information about this company. I do know it was active in the 1960s and 1970s, and three of the principals involved were Jack, Jim and Terry Dickerson. I believe Jack was the principal, and its possible Jim and Terry were his sons.

Jack Dickerson was profiled in an article dated June 19, 1969 by Joplin Globe outdoor editor Bill Potter in an article about Ozark environmentalism. At a news media dinner, "Jack Dickerson and E.B. Kinder of the Missouri Tourism Commission were there. Jack, owner of the Jack Dickerson Supply Co., operating out of Camdenton and Branson, is a member of the commission His firm provided the happy hour sociabilities preceding the dinner.

The following year they were listed in the October, 1970 Field & Stream as a distributor of Refrigiwear winter wear.

While it is not known their ultimate fate, an advertisement in the November 13, 1980 Galveston Daily News showed Dickerson was still in business, and looking for a "sales representative by a leading U.S. sporting goods distributor." So clearly the firm's history spanned the 1960s to the 1980s as a sporting goods distributor.

The company filed for the following trademark in 1973 but the trademark was cancelled in 1982. I assume this meant that the firm was either purchased or shuttered by the owners.

The original trademark application noted the firm was "retail mail order services, namely, mail order sales of sporting goods." It appears it was both a wholesale and retail firm. I believe Dickerson's Supply Co. was succeeded by Jack's Sporting Goods & Hardware Co., also of Camdenton.

The company sold fishing tackle branded with its name. The most commonly found are the "Laker" brand line spools, like the one pictured below.

Note that this one was sold by the ALCO Discount Stores. ALCO Stores are still around today, which makes this the neatest of trade tackle items--one that is an item from two trade houses!

There are other items marked Dickerson out there, and one sometimes causes great confusion. Occasionally, very cheap fly rods marked "Dickerson" come up for sale. Owners who rush to the internet discover that there was a rodmaker named Lyle Dickerson who was internationally famous. L.L. Dickerson rods sell regularly for over $5000 and some have brought as much as $10,000. In an excited rush, they put their Dickerson fly rod up on eBay and expect the money to come falling from the sky. One look by anyone even remotely knowledgable will reveal there is no chance in hell that Lyle L. Dickerson ever had a thing to do with these cheap rods. Instead, these are Dickerson Supply Co. trade rods and worth around $20 instead of 25 times that amount.

Anyway, it's a neat Missouri trade house and tackle marked with the Dickerson name can be tough to find. If you want to know more about Missouri fishing tackle, contact Dean Murphy and get the second edition of his book! He's in the NFLCC directory.

-- Dr. Todd

Voices from the Past: The Devil Fish of the Gulf (1906)

2011-11-15T17:48:00.001-05:00

This is a great story about the "devil fish," a saltwater ray, which was accidentally hooked by a mackerel fisherman. It was run in the Oct. 27, 1906 issue of Forest & Stream.

The Devil Fish of the Gulf.

New York, Sept. 22.—Editor Forest and Streams: I inclose personal letter, also page from the Galveston Daily News, thinking both may be of some interest to you. Mr. Cotter, proprietor of the Aransas Pass Hotel, is an old personal friend of mine. I have spent four seasons at the Pass, and think it the best point for large and small game fish in the country. This holds good with feathered game, as a guest of the Aransas Pass Hotel can always kill his quota of redhead ducks or quail within a few miles of the hotel, and in a short space of time.

I have been watching your paper for further reports of the catch of some of my tagged tarpon, jewfish and yellowtail, which were caught and turned loose four years ago, but so far have only heard from the one jewfish, which was reported as caught about two months after it was tagged.
W. B. Young.

Mr. Cotter writes:

Fishing has been very good all summer, 1,246 tarpon have been landed this season to date and lots of time is left to catch more. October is a good month for tarpon and you should get some shooting in the back bays then. Fish stories are scarce, but here is one: While out mackerel fishing a few days ago, a lot of the fishermen were anchored close to each other and were having fine sport, when of a sudden a yell was heard and the boat W. B. Leach, of Palestine, was fishing from, was seen coming through the fleet at about twenty-five miles speed with no visible effort. The boats scattered as best they could to keep from being wrecked. After clearing the fleet the boat was seen going straight to sea at this terrific speed. Mr. Leach and his boatman were staying with the boat. Several launches started after them to save their lives; but for two miles or more were unable to gain on the fast moving boat. Of a sudden some one in a nearby launch gave a yell, and looking at the boat in the distance a huge black mass was seen to rise to the surface, spreading out on each side of the captured boat. Several yelled, "devil fish!" and drove their launches at their utmost speed to reach the occupants of the captured boat.

Philip Mayer, of New York, who was in the fastest launch and was armed with a harpoon, was first to reach Leach's boat, and being of a venturesome nature drove the harpoon into the devil fish, which made a sudden surge, almost capsizing both boats; and at the same time snapping the harpoon and loosening from the other boat, it was seen going out to sea and disappeared in the distance.

Mr. Leach, who is a locomotive engineer on the Q. & G. N. Railway, says he has had some wild rides, but this one capped the climax. His version of the fish fouling his boat was that the anchor caught in its mouth and when the fish, becoming frightened, started to sea, the pressure of the boat held the anchor against him until he made the sudden dive when harpooned, and the anchor cleared itself.

If this fish story won't do, I will tell you another next time. Cotter.

-- Dr. Todd

News of the Week: 14 November 2011

2011-11-14T08:26:00.001-05:00

Don't have time to read 50+ fishing and tackle collecting blogs and web sites? Well, let us do it for you! Follow all of the latest news, articles, and stories on our Whitefishpress Twitter account! Hint: You don't need to be a member...just bookmark the Twitter Feed Page or click on latest links to the right!

15 year old has life figured out…5 pieces of essential ice fishing gear…is the economy hurting fishing?…smashing barramudi records…brood trout in Oregon…two daughters take over gun and tackle shop for father…fisherman pulled from Allegheny river…flamingo fishing?…the FishKing fly rod…Andy Mill is a good guy…Maine bamboo fly rod makers get profiled…it must be THE NEWS OF THE WEEK!

The Big Lead: Fifteen year old has life figured out: fishing and ice hockey.

It must be that time again; five essential pieces of ice fishing gear.

And your first Mille Lacs Lake ice fishing article.

Is the economy taking a bite out of fishing?

A Rapala promotion.

Anglers out to smash barramundi records in Australia.

Brood trout keep Oregon anglers interested.

Two daughters take over gun and tackle shop for their father.

Fisherman rescued from Allegheny River.

Flamingo fishing…in New York.

Field & Stream's vintage tackle winner is the Fish King fly rod.

Andy Mill raises $18,000 for the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust.

Why you should take fishing tackle along on hunts.

Finishing with a Flourish: Maine bamboo rod makers hear the call of the bamboo.

-- Dr. Todd

1000 Words

2011-11-13T20:04:00.000-05:00

1000 Words

This week in 1000 words we continue our series of "Hollywood Goes Fishing." Today our subject is Robert Taylor. Taylor was a Nebraska-born actor who starred in over 100 movies between 1934-1968. He is probably best known for his role opposite Elizabeth Taylor in the 1951 period drama Ivanhoe. Here he is ca. 1940 with a fly rod and Pflueger fly reel posing for a studio photographer.

-- Dr. Todd

Deconstructing Old Ads: Al Foss (1928)

2011-11-12T05:59:00.000-05:00

Latest Al Foss Creations for 1929

The Sporting Goods Journal was a publication that went out to the industry to keep dealers and jobbers informed about new products and prices. The Fall 1928 edition has much news for the trade about upcoming products for 1929. I found this advertisement for “Latest Al Foss Creations for 1929” to be of interest on many counts.

Lets start with the “Dixie Wiggler.” I will admit that until I read this ad I did not know that the “Ponca” style spinner seen here on the Dixie Wiggler was designed to, “cut its way through the weeds making a clear passage for the hook." Al also touts the Dixie's “Pull when retreating” saying it keeps the line taught making hooking striking fish more effective. I am reminded here that Al was a renowned tournament caster and knew the value of good spooling.

Changes for the Oriental Wiggler that caught my eye were the introduction of colors other than red and white. In Al's words, “We have always refused to put them out in colors, except red and white, but now, answering an insistent demand from the trade, we are adding a black and white and a yellow and white combination.” According the Jim Frazier's book on Al Foss, what Al was not telling us was that solid red and solid white were being discontinued.

It is not often that ones sees an announcement in an ad that a lure is being “retired”. This introduction for the “New Egypt Wiggler” announces, “This lure is a wonderful improvement over the original Little Egypt Wiggler, which we want to retire to keep our line down. While we realize that the Little Egypt has a host of friends and they will give it up reluctantly, yet a trial of the new one will convince them we are giving them a more effective lure.” I may be too skeptical here but I'm guessing that it was a lot cheaper to make the New Little Egypt (a flat metal stamping) than the original Little Egypt with its hinged parts and glass eyes.

Finally the ad ends with one of Al's usual colloquial quips: “You tackle dealers who 'know your onions' know that Al Foss makes nothing but high class lures and that is the kind that sells. Al does the experimenting himself and does not make it until he KNOWS that it is good. So get busy and put in these items”

-- Bill Sonnett

The Friday Funhouse

2011-11-11T04:19:00.000-05:00

The Video of the Week

For those who haven't heard, Frank O'Brien--the inventor of the Tycoon Rod used by Zane Grey, Hemingway, and other famous saltwater anglers--was inducted a week ago into the IGFA Hall-of-Fame. His son Tim O'Brien is an ORCA, NFLCC and FATC member who's recently written a wonderfully well-received book about his father which you can check out by Clicking Here. Also make sure to watch the induction video below:

12 Things I Would Buy If Only i Could Afford Them

A Gabby Hayes western fishing kit for kids is pretty amazing.

Field find of the year? Field find of the year.

This Leo Wise frog lure is pretty neat.

This classic Expert Minnow is a terrific find.

The Moonlight Pikaroon in Skunk is just a flat out beautiful bait.

A Vom Hofe Islamorada Size 1 is a superb reel.

The 1904 Shakespeare underwater minnow in a wood slide box--oh yes!

CCBC special order surfster pike in pearl is just so rare.

Everyone loves the Heddon Hi Tail in Budweiser.

Man, this Zane Grey line spool is superb.

This is one rare Heddon Chugger.

This vintage ABU Dubbel spinner in the box is a great European lure.

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

-- Dr. Todd

Thursday Review: Nov. 2011 ORCA Reel News

2011-11-10T17:41:00.002-05:00

Thursday Review: Nov. 2011 ORCA Reel News

One of my favorite days is when the new issue of The Reel News arrives. This issue was especially anticipated as it featured the first of a number of historically important columns written by my friend and noted Mitchell reel expert Wallace Carney.

Wallace's column--entitled "Mitchell Mania"--features a great overview of the origins of Mitchell's first reel that should help us finally put the facts together. For a company that has such a long history and devoted following, its astounding how much misinformation is out there. Wallace's columns will help set the record straight.

This issue was loaded with great research. We get the return of Steve Vernon, who's article "Where's Waltco: It Spawned Kitco's Kitsch" is a great history of this Chicago company's connection to a company I wrote about last issue--Kitco, sellers of the awful Arnold Palmer spinning reels.

My own contribution this issue was a short piece on the history of Steinman's Hardware Co. and their Steiny's Best fishing reels. SInce Steinman's was the oldest existing hardware store in America (having served Washington at Valley Forge), it was a fun article to write.

Michael Hackney gives us what I hope is the first of many articles on fishing reel design when he covered the Roach patent swiveling reel. Michael's column is called "Reelflections" and is highly anticipated.

Bob Miller's "Pflueger Pfacts" column begins a seven decade romp through Pflueger history with the Roaring 1920s. I'm always amazed at how Bob can continue to make his column, which is well over a decade old, fresh and interesting.

Ben Wright's "Spinning Lines" gives us more ultra lights from Italy. Its another great article from the spinning reel maven.

Stu Lawson continues his survey of Pflueger fly reels with the Progress, an often overlooked fly reel in the Pflueger archives.

Jim Schottenham's great "Auction Report" is welcomed back with open arms and, as always, covers the many reels I would buy if I had any extra money lying around.

FInally, Mike Cacioppo (the most patient human being on earth, as I've been delayed four months in publishing his awesome book on Penn--FYI it will be out in the beginning of the New Year) gives us a look at early Penn reels. Incredible, incredible stuff.

So let's recap for a moment. Steve Vernon, a great, great reel historian and author of the seminal work on fishing reels. Wallace Carney, the foremost Mitchell reel expert and world class researcher. Michael Hackney, reelmaker extraordinaire and outstanding researcher. Bob Miller, the acknowledged expert on all things Pflueger. Ben Wright, who's forgotten more about spinning reels than most people will know in their lifetime. Jim Schottenham, who's knowledge of what's valuable is unsurpassed, and who is a world-class scholar and writer. Stu Lawson, who's encyclopedic knowledge of reels is surreal and who helped untold collectors with his Lawson's Guides. Mike Cacioppo, the finest Penn scholar I've ever come across.

READ THAT LIST AGAIN. SERIOUSLY. These men have authored a MINIMUM of 20 books on tackle collecting.

Now tell me if you know of any other organization anywhere that brings this much firepower to the table? IN ONE ISSUE? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I've already worn down this issue to a nub reading and re-reading it!!!

I felt very much like a Sluggo this issue. I better step up my game if I'm going to be in the same pages as these august lights!

If you are not an ORCA member--and at this point I'm just going to roll my eyes if you aren't--you can join us by Clicking Here. The Reel News is lovingly edited by Richard K. Lodge.

-- Dr. Todd

52 Trade Houses Part 32: Tommy Bronson Sporting Goods of Memphis, TN

2011-11-09T06:05:00.001-05:00

Voices from the Past: Fly Fishing for Shad (1890)

2011-11-08T19:56:00.001-05:00

The following article from the August 05, 1890 issue of Forest & Stream details one of the early accounts of fly fishing for shad. As this species is being rediscovered by fly anglers, I thought it might be of interest to some of our readers.

At your request I have visited Holyoke in order to glean some information about fishing for shad with a fly, and herewith submit my report. I arrived there about 3 P.m. yesterday, and procuring a boat I navigated it to the middle of the river and came to anchor a couple of boat lengths east of the old saving-ferry pier, and about the same distance from a boat that contained three pretty lively fishermen, while just beyond them wan still another boat, that contained nothing but a solitary hat, as I then thought, for this was all that I could see; but I soon found out that there was considerable life under the broad brim, as I shall describe at the proper time.

Glancing at my surroundings I complacently seated myself, and commenced preparing my rod, entirely satisfied with my position, for I occupied the best place on the river, and had Chalmer's boat, which never was known, no matter what luck befel the others, to come in without full freight of glistening captives; my trusty, well-tried rod was in my hands, and—where in time is that tip. In vain I shook the hollow cane that should have held it; in vain I peered into the cavity with anxious eyes ; no delicately tapered tip did I see. Alas! my beautiful tip, the pride of my heart and joy of my eyes, was not to be found. Some dastardly hand had removed it, and rudely blasted my fondest hopes, for what possible chance of success had I in an encounter with the monsters of the deep without the aid of my beloved tip? After a few moments of bitter grief, sacred to the memory of that departed tip, and the sacrilegious hand that wrought my woe, I braced up my shattered nerves and prepared for the coming struggle which, with a prophetic eye, I now foresaw was inevitable, for well I knew that in my crippled condition and fatal weakness in my most vulnerable point, that the bloodthirsty shad would improve the opportune moment to seize my outpost and try to break my line of battle, thus overwhelming me with inglorious defeat. But my loss had made me desperate, and although I could only raise my colors half mast high I defiantly flaunted them in the very face of the enemy. I had intended to "whip" the stream 'and endeavor to punish the shad in a sportsmanlike manner, but owing to my misfortune I was obliged perforce to do as the noble Romans all around me were doing, and unreeling a hundred feet or so of line I let it float down the swift current and calmly awaited tho signal of battle. Glancing around to see what was going on, I saw that solitary hat give a flop and suddenly shoot six feet or more into the air, as its owner sprang to his feet and started at full speed toward the stern of his boat, where a short, slim stick, to which his line was fast, was impatiently beckoning him on. Never was the truth of the old saying, "the more haste the less speed," more forcibly exemplified, for no sooner was he up than down he went at full length upon the gunwale, with one leg in the river and the other wildly gesticulating in the air. How he ever recovered his balance I failed to understand, but recover he did, and once more essayed to reach the rapidly vibrating stick; but the fates were not through with him yet, and before he was fairly under way he lurched to the starboard and brought up all sitting. I heard the crash of the splintered seat above the frantic yells of our three jolly fishermen in the next boat, and rather expected to see him disappear through the bottom of the boat; but he soon righted up, and, apparently more eager for the fray, he made a grand effort, and succeeded in reaching the goal and grabbing the line, and with many knowing nods and satisfied flops of the huge straw hat he landed his fish amid the tumultuous applause of the happy three, who at once, in honor of the event, opened some"more beer; indeed, they had been doing this all the time, and I had come to the conclusion that they were in mortal fear that the bottles would burst and swamp their boat and give them a taste of water; and to avert the 1 dire calamity they were getting rid of the stuff as fast as "possible. Scarcely were the bottles at a proper elevation when one of the trio dropped his, and with a solemn oath asseverated that he had "got him." I saw by the swaying of the rod that it was a heavy fish, and expected to see him break away, but I soon found out that no novice held tho rod, and after a well-fought contest he was safely brought to net. "With pride in his heart and a joyful light in his eyes—for this was his first shad—the victor, with the deafening cheers of his companions ringing in his ears, disentangled his captive from the hook, and as I volunteered the remark that that was a noble fish he carefully placed his hands under him. and tenderly, proudly raised him up for my inspection. This was a fatal mistake, for no sooner did this crafty Alosa again behold his native element than he doubled himself up and with a mighty effort tore himself from the fond embrace, and with a derisive wave of his caudal appendage, that must have been peculiarly aggravating to the feelings of our hero, he disappeared beneath the cold, dark waves. At this instant—now mark the strategic cunning of this most subtle fish—when I was utterly enervated, and entirely unprepared for the conflict, a huge five-pound monster seized my advanced guard, a favorite scarlet ibis, and at terrific speed bore down the rapid current. Bravely I rallied my forces to the rescue, but ere my nerveless hands had found their cunning and checked his headlong rush, he had forced from me full fifty- feet of line. As soon as he felt the killing strain he leaped high in air to reconnoiter the battlefield, and when he discovered who was in command, and caught a glimpse of the vengeful fire in my eye, he became demoralized, and commenced a series of wild rushes and towering leaps that nearly broke my heart; but all in vain were his frantic struggles, for, as I have said before, I was a desperate man that day, and although fearful odds were against me, "with an energy born of despair" I fought the battle to the bitter end, and at the end of forty-five minutes of agonizing pleasure, mingled with cruel doubts and fears, during which I would have given half my kingdom for my dainty tip, and the other half for the landing net which I had left at home, I saw his silvery side turn up, and unresistingly drew him within reach, and thrusting my finger into his wide open mouth safely landed the gallant fish, and with unspeakable happiness in my heart bowed in acknowledgment to the vociferous cheers that greeted my success.

The fish having now learned to their cost that, notwithstanding my crippled condition, I was more than a match for the best of them, wisely abandoned the contest and let me alone, but ever and anon the music of the humming reel and the pleased ejaculations from the adjoining boats proclaimed abundant sport, and kept me pleasantly occupied till nearly dark. I counted no less than twenty-seven noble fish taken by my neighbors, not including many more that were under size, while many of the handliners lost quite a number of apparently heavy fish. The most taking fly is the scarlet ibis, although almost any of the common trout flies, particularly the different shades of brown and orange, have proved successful.

The season opens as soon as the fish arrive, which is about the last of May, and closes Aug. 1st. The present season has not been as successful as usual, owing to low water, yet many fine fish have been captured, Borne of them turning the scales at upwards of six pounds. . I shall try them again in a few days, if I find that tip, and see if there is any sport to be had in "casting," and will report success. -- Shadow.

News of the Week: 07 November 2011

2011-11-07T08:17:00.000-05:00

1000 Words

2011-11-06T23:58:00.002-05:00

1000 Words

This week in 1000 Words' series Hollywood Goes Fishing we feature veteran character actor Wallace Beery. Beery (1885-1949) was an Academy Award winning actor who was in over 250 films during his long four decade career in Hollywood. His brothers William and Noah Beery all were major film actors as well. Wallace was a dedicated angler and one of Hollywood's most noted fishermen. Here he is in a circa 1940 photo with a nice saltwater surf rig.

We profiled Beery once before in a 1931 article -- to read about this interesting actor/fisherman, Click Here.

-- Dr. Todd

Deconstructing Old Ads: Fred Arbogast--In The Beginning (1926)

2011-11-05T03:11:00.000-04:00

Fred Arbogast: In The Beginning

It is always a pleasure to present the the earliest ad for a major fishing tackle manufacturer. The Fred Arbogast Company needs no introduction to collectors and fishermen alike. Lures such as the Jitterbug, the Hula Popper and the Hawaiian Wiggler are as well known to fishermen today as to fishermen fifty years ago. When you ask many collectors what was Fred Arbogast's first lure, they often think of the Tin Liz as it was the first really “big” success for Fred Arbogast in the artificial bait field. However Fred's first bait is one seldom seen in collections or in advertising of the day. The ad presented here is from the June 1926 issue of Hunting & Fishing magazine. The Spin-tail Kicker is the First commercial lure produced by Fred Arbogast and this ad is generally accepted as the first ever ad for that lure. As in many other ads for single hook lures that have appeared over the years, the printer has placed the bait upside down in the ad.

-- Bill Sonnett

The Friday Funhouse

2011-11-04T03:23:00.001-04:00

The Video of the Week

Don't forget to check out the Fishing For History Fishing Video Tumblr Archive where all the videos we've ever posted are stored!

A woman loses a 50-inch Northern Pike next to the boat...I'd be bummed beyond belief!

12 Things I Would Buy If Only i Could Afford Them

This George Lawrence 1932 catalog is chock full of history on this famed creel maker.

The Pepper Roamer is an iconic bait.

This nifty card of 12 A&I Go Getters is a great find.

Glass Minnow Traps are on fire, and this McSwain Jr. is a great one.

This 1877 Evans & Son Eagle Claw is a great classic auto striking hook.

This Miller's Reversible Minnow is an awesome vintage lure.

This Chris Henshaw-made vom Hofe clone is an awesome, awesome reel.

The Donaly Red Fin Minnow is superb.

A Shakespeare 5-hook Underwater Minnow is a tremendous find!

I do love these J.A. Coxe L.A. made reels.

I enjoy these Colorado Floating Moths even if they always make me think of the late Cliff McDaniels.

Diggin' this wonderful Shmoo plug in the box!

Have a great weekend, and be good to each other, and yourself.

-- Dr. Todd

Thursday Review: Robert Ellis' Bronson Reel Web Site

2011-11-03T18:51:00.000-04:00

Thursday Review: Robert Ellis' Bronson Reel Web Site

ORCA member Robert Ellis has done a wonderful service for reel collectors with the creation of his Bronson reel site. Bronson Reel Photos is a collaborative site and has a ton of great information already.

The site is divided into sections. There is a "Bronson Reel Name List," "Named Reel Pics and Info," Trade Reel Names," "Sears Reel Pics," and a "How Can I Tell My Reel Was Made by Bronson" sections.

My favorite section, of course, is the Trade Reel Section. It has a lot of really cool Bronson reels, but the truth of the matter, of course, is that there is room for a lot more! This winter I will shoot pics of many of the Bronson trade reels i have for the site.

Kudos to Robert Ellis for taking this on! Only in this way do we gather enough information on companies like Bronson.

Check it out and if you have a Bronson not listed, send it in!

-- Dr. Todd

52 Trade Houses Part 31: Seattle's Piper & Taft

2011-11-02T03:41:00.001-04:00

Over the course of the next year, we'll be detailing the history of 52 companies that sold branded fishing tackle. 52 trade houses in 52 weeks -- some obscure, some famous, and all available exclusively here on the Fishing for History Blog! If you have any items from the week's entry you'd like to share with us, please send it my way and I'll make sure it makes it on the blog.

For a discussion of what exactly trade tackle is, Click Here. Enjoy the 52 for 52!

o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o - o

Trade House Tackle, Part 31:
Seattle's Piper & Taft

In my on-going effort to document overlooked trade houses, I am going to try and hit some more west coast trade houses before 52 for 52 has run its course. Today, I want to cover one of Seattle's iconic sporting goods houses--the firm of Piper & Taft.

Piper & Taft was a very early and a very large trade house founded in 1897. The two principals were popular local sportsman, William B. Taft and Walter F. Piper, both exceptionally good trap and skeet shooters.

They were listed in the 1901 Polk's Seattle Directory as sporting goods merchants at 1024-1026 2nd Avenue, with the additional help of Archie B. Taft (William's son) as a bicycle repairman. In fact, bicycles appear to have been a major part of their early business. In fact, they had two proprietary trade names in the cycle trade: Tribune and Featherstone brand bicycles. In the early decades of the 20th century, the firm sponsored the "Piper & Taft Seattle Star Labor Day Bicycle Race" beginning in 1916. Additionally, they offered the Piper & Taft Cup for motorcycle endurance racing.

1905 Piper & Taft ad.
The company became known for their Sportsman's Guide and Handbook. As The Hardware Review for May 1920 noted, "the firm has not only encouraged touring and camping, but actively leads in this matter, sending auto research parties to map and chart different routes for the benefit of the general public, and procuring information that is invaluable to the tourist and sportsman."

1925 Taft Guide from the great Pacific Northwest Fishing Golden Years web site.

To attract anglers, the firm posted fishing cards, which as the 1913 Dry Goods Reporter reported, the company posted them "on a bulletin board in the store, where anglers can readily refer to them. Piper & Taft report that these cards attract much attention throughout the summer and that hundreds enter the store every day to look them over." Many of these visits resulted in sales.

This is a nifty Piper & Taft brass compass ca. 1920.
Of course, many people only know Piper & Taft as the place that hired a 14-year old Eddie Bauer to tie flies in 1913. He would work on-and-off for Piper & Taft until he founded his own company in 1920. By this time they were an icon of the Seattle scene, even owning the popular radio station KCGL in 1928.

Piper & Taft sold as much tackle as any West Coast trade house from 1900-1930, but not a lot of it was marked. Those items that were marked Piper & Taft included fishing rods (especially fly rods made by Heddon), and terminal tackle like line spools, snelled hook packets, and the like. Here is a great early line spool marked "Taft's Samson."

Piper & Taft line spool.
It is interesting to note that Piper & Taft had a proprietary trade name in "Tribune" used on bicycles. There are rare trade reels marked only "Tribune" we have never been able to pin down. Are these Piper & Taft reels?

I don't know when Piper & Taft went out of business but I assume they were a victim of the Great Depression, compounded by the growth of Eddie Bauer. I find no record of them in the 1930s.

Tackle from Piper & Taft is always rare and always a great find. They were a Seattle institution and their history is worth recounting.

-- Dr. Todd

Voices from the Past: Fisherman's Cameras (1905)

2011-11-01T21:03:00.003-04:00

Photography is such an important part of angling today that it might comes as a surprise for people to realize this was not always so. The article below--from the June 1905 edition of The Hardware Dealer's Magazine--gives advice on how to sell cameras to fishermen...so remember this the next time you reach for the digital camera.

FISHERMAN MAY HAVE CAMERA INCLINATIONS

There is no reason why a fisherman should not be a photographer as well, in fact there are many reasons why he should be; he runs across many pretty bits of scenery worth reproducing, and there are times when, even with the best intentions, fish won't bite, particularly in the middle of the day, that he might thus utilize. Then, too, a few negatives of some of his catches are valuable evidence of his veracity in his after accounts of his skill.

Remember, however, when you are showing him a camera, that he does not want anything too complicated to carry on a fishing trip, and the less trouble he has with rack and pinion adjustments, reversible backs, and other refinements of camera making, the better off he will be. For this reason the dealer might have scattered around his fishing assortment a few of the low-priced fixed focus, daylight film cameras, taking a 3H x 3H negative, and which can be carried in very little bulk, in a case slung over the shoulder.

They won't give as good results in the hands of an expert who has plenty of time and experience; but on a fishing trip, where fishing is a primary,"and picture taking of secondary importance, they will probably do better work with less trouble than the more valuable cameras.

A display of tackle cases can be made doubly attractive by exhibiting a few, varying in size and capacity, filled with tackle.

There is something particularly alluring in gorgers, etc., snugly packed away in their proper compartments in a nicely finished tackle case.

Don't make the mistake of overcrowding. Give each and every individual article plenty of room, as the worst mistake that can be made in a tackle case display is jumbling so many minnows and spoons together that they cling to each other in a mass, and come out of the compartment in a conglomerate bunch when the prospective purchaser endeavors to move one for inspection.

Show a pocket size case with a few hooks, leaders, a spoon or two and an artificial minnows, and don't forget to include in the assortment a few split shot, some small sinkers, and, if possible, a small pair of scales. The larger size cases can show a more complete outfit.

Even though a man has a tackle case already in his possession, the demonstrated convenience of another will often cause him to purchase a larger or smaller size than that which he already owns.

Don't make the mistake of occupying valuable space in a tackle case with pipe, tobacco, or a flask; the former a fisherman usually carries in his shirt or coat pocket, and the latter in his creel, if he does not wear a coat. There's another reason for exhibiting a few tackle cases filled with tackle.

Tackle cases vary so much in the sizes of the compartments that very often the fisherman's outfit contains many articles that he can't carry in the case whicn he already owns. A judicious assortment of articles, selected in regard to the accommodations, of the various cases, and thereby presenting a pretty complete outfit in small compass, will often induce a man to become a purchaser of the entire layout, case, tackle, and everything, just because he fancies that a portion of his own outfit is not as suitable for convenient carrying as that which he sees in the show window.

At other times he is apt to see something in one of the cases which will fit a particular niche in his own tackle box, and go in and purchase it, just because he thinks that vacant tray of his needs filling.

Too much importance cannot be given to the advisability of getting in touch whatever is possible with the prospective fishing trips of one's customers.

And the easiest way to find out when a man is going on a fishing trip is to make your establishement headquarters for information regarding the best fishing locations. One of the best assets which a dealer can have is to count on people floating into his store for information every time they start out to wet a line. They will come fast enough if they know yon can keep them posted as to how, where, and when to go and no man ever yet started on a fishing trip without purchasing some additional articles for his outfit.

No matter how well a man may be supplied, there is always something which he has to purchase, something that he thinks he really have. A dozen extra rlies, a few new leaders, a disgorger or a few extra baits; and your point is to see that you are the one who sells them, instead of some concern in the vicinity of where he catches his train, or leaves it when starting on his trip.

-- Dr. Todd

News of the Week: 31 October 2011

2011-10-31T09:16:00.003-04:00

Don't have time to read 50+ fishing and tackle collecting blogs and web sites? Well, let us do it for you! Follow all of the latest news, articles, and stories on our Whitefishpress Twitter account! Hint: You don't need to be a member...just bookmark the Twitter Feed Page or click on latest links to the right!

80 years of the Dick Nite spoon…the Alabama rig is the new rage…Long Beach tackle shop closes…salmon fishing closes for the year on the Isle of Man…Rapala's financial year…NFLCC show in Arkansas….tarpon heaven…wine, food, and fly fishing…fly fishing helps heal breast cancer survivors…wounded warriors…it must be THE NEWS OF THE WEEK!

The Big Lead: Celebrating 80 years of the Dick Nite salmon spoon.

The Alabama Rig is taking the bass world by storm.

The end of a Long Beach tackle shop brings out the customers.

The final day of the salmon season on the Isle of Man is here.

Rapala's financial reporting.

Wounded warriors benefit from charity fishing.

The future of an Ormond Beach bait shop is in doubt.

Fly fishing a fine tonic for breast cancer survivors.

Scottish fly angler lands gold medal.

Bob Rock of Oswego still tying flies at 85.

Former Thomas & Thomas employee retires from her job as Yellowstone librarian.

Wine, food, and fly fishing.

Entering tarpon heaven.

Finishing with a Flourish: Jerry McCoy--longtime NFLCC auctioneer--hosts the annual NFLCC show in Arkansas.

-- Dr. Todd