Lang's Week Part I

Once again, it's Lang's Week here at Fishing for History! The auction catalogs are out--and they are worth every penny, as I stated last week. Here is a copy of the Lang's ebay catalog on-line, all 2297 items.

 With the greatest fishing tackle auction in the world set for Friday and Saturday, we thought we'd return to a very popular feature from the fall auction: surveying knowledgeable collectors and asking them to pick out the items of note, interest, or historical relevance that caught their eye. They had two provisos--not to choose an item they were going to bid on (duh), and not to worry about choosing the most expensive item.

The panel of experts picked some fascinating choices, and then explained why. As always they are divided up by individuals. We'll run the first group today and the second tomorrow. You'll have to wait until Thursday to see my choices, and then Friday and Saturday I hope to do some "live" blogging.

Dean Smith is as his name implies, a dean among collectors. With 30 years of collecting knowledge behind him, he has pretty much seen it all. Here are his choices:

#1228: Unmarked 1874 German Silver Click Reel. I'm a sucker for reels with inscriptions and this one, dated 1874, is a beauty. My pal, Tony Flynn, owned this reel some 20 years ago...so I've seen it and know it's a nice reel.

1247: Scarce Conroy, Bissett & Malleson German Reel. Conroy, Bisset & Malleson reels are pretty rare ...and finding a small one in such nice shape, well, that's as good as it gets.

1427: RARE Patent Model Stuart Marked Reel and Rod: This one may be a one-of-a-kind and is worthy of centerpiece status in the best of collections.


1434: RARE Fasoldt NY Brass Ball Handle Reel. Just look at it...reels don't get much cooler.

1596: Ultra Rare 6' Edwards "Quadrate" Fly Rod. I'm not a rod guy ...but if I was, a 6' Edwards Quad would do the trick!

91: Ernest Schwiebert Original Art for Trout Fishing. I like most all of the Schwiebert sketches, but this one, of Thaddeaus Norris is something special. A sketch of the father of fly fishing by a master of fly fishing.

1884: Rare Early Fishing Tintype in Case. For me, the best item in the whole dang auction is this diminutive and wonderful tintype of some old time anglers and their gear. Please don't bid on it. Thank you.


Jack Bright, Michigan State booster, contributor to this blog, and one of the most informed collectors around, sent us this neat list of choices:

If, IF I had the extra bucks, etc., three things I'd go for

1. 1203: RARE Leonard Marbleized Trout Fly Reel.

2. 304: Original Lee Wulff Painting 1958 Atlantic Salmon


3. 369: Shakespeare President II Model 7590 Fly Reel.


The newly engaged Robin Sayler's collecting knowledge belies his age; don't let the fact he is an undergraduate at Michigan Technological University fool you. He knows his stuff, particularly Pflueger reels.

1352: G.W. Gayle & Son No.3 Kentucky Casting Reel. I always like these. Kentucky style reels are my favorite and this one is
one of the best looking in my opinion.

1364: Rare Worth Enterprise Mfg German Silver Reel. The Worth is not a particularly rare reel but they don't show up in this
style very often. This is an early and hard to find version.


1205A: RARE Julius Vom Hofe Perforated Rim Trout Reel. I don't know very much about Vom Hofe reels but this one is great looking. I think it is one of the best looking fly reels I've seen. I could probably make room for it in my collection if it didn't cost as much as my car.

1399: Pflueger Buckeye Casting Reel in Rare Box. Just like the worth mentioned above, the Buckeye is a common reel but the box this one comes in is hard to find. They don't show up with labels this crisp.


1405: Four Vintage Casting Reels. I'm a hoarder of parts reels and here's a chance to get some hard to find parts. There's a couple nice reels in there and whether you need some of the parts to fix a reel you have, or you have the parts to fix one of these it would be worth it. They should stay relativly cheap.

Robert A. Miller needs no introduction to collectors. ORCA's Pflueger Pfacts columnist for the past ten years, he is the author of a number of seminal works on Pflueger reels, including the forthcoming history of the Pflueger Akron and Summit reels. Here are his choices:

Several items that caught my attention:

1) 1364: Rare Worth Enterprise Mfg German Silver Reel. A first Enterprise (Not  E.A. Pflueger) Worth in beautiful condition. Only sold for one year (late 1913 to late 1914). Probably tougher than E.A.'s Worth. His has WORTH in block italics. Enterprise's WORTH is in script.

2) 1399: Pflueger Buckeye Casting Reel in Rare Box. Box tougher than reel!

3) 1344: Early Kopf Freespool Raised Pillar Casting Reel. Any Kopf reel is a find!


More picks from top collectors tomorrow!

-- Dr. Todd

News of the Week: 21 April 2008

A pro bass angler has his favorite swim baits flown to him during tournament at cost of $7000...a tournament for returning vets...longshoreman breaks world record...man misses Ohio state walleye record by 1/4 ounce...fishing Saddam's palace grounds...sneaking up on fish with new trolling motor invention...custom rod maker and outdoor personality Ralph Knisell passes away...a profile of bamboo fly rod maker Jesse Connor...it must be THE NEWS OF THE WEEK!

The Big Lead: Bassmaster Elite Series pro Kotaro Kiriyama pays $7000 to have his favorite lure flown in from Japan during a bass tournament.

UPDATE: Tournament pro, noted collector, and all-around good guy Bernie Schultz writes to inform us that Kotaro did NOT have to pay these expenses himself, his sponsor had them flown in by courier. Thanks for setting the record straight, Bernie, and keep pullin' in those big ones!

This annual outing is designed to attract children.

Black Drum bring the fight to you.


These G.I.s set up a fishing tournament for returning veterans

The Green Bay Press Gazette takes a break from mourning about the Favre retirement to decry spring fishing as a freezing experience.

The one drawback of owning a successful bait shop: no fishing for you.


The Anniston Star reports giant catfish abound in Alabama, if you know where to find them

Indiana angler breaks Pennsylvania state record for Golden Rainbow Trout with 13.75 pound monster.

Longshoreman catches world record Yellowedge Grouper.


Massive new "Sportsman's Island" opens in Charleston, South Carolina.


While some parts of the country struggle with falling water tables, Colorado's booming reservoirs promise a great angling season.

Massive 16.13 pound walleye misses Ohio State Record by 3/100th of a pound.

30-minute battle on the Mighty Mississippi ends with a 76-pound Blue Catfish.


The Independent reports how fishing has returned to Saddam Hussein's palace grounds


The Kane County Chronicle tells us how new lures will hook fish, you

How kids can learn to think like a fish...

New invention allows you to better sneak up on fish with your trolling motor.


From the Tougher Than You File: The Duluth News-Tribune's Sam Cook reports on an 83-year old angler who survived a fall into the Brule River, 35 minutes in the chilling water, and a resultant heart attack.

British anglers are catching carp over 100-pounds.

From the Hope for the Future File: Even nuked coral reefs can come back, if we leave them alone. Just don't eat the coconuts.

Scientific America on the science of catch-and-release.


The Morris Daily Herald declares the right rod makes all the difference.

The Orlando Sentinel profiles ice decoy carver David Perkins.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports the sad news that Ralph Knisell, outdoor writer and custom rod builder, has passed away at 83. More on Knisell's life and career here


From the Spring Break Files: College students lands 7.5 pound, 27-inch Palamino Trout


The Cadillac News philosophizes that not all of fishing is catching fish.

Blue Ridge Now interviews bamboo fly rod maker Jesse Connor.


Finishing with a Flourish: The best outdoor writer in America, Sam Cook, gets one of his classic stories "the Old Man and the River" reprinted.

-- Dr. Todd

Fishing for History Has Gone Global

Thought I'd share this with everyone, as I found it to be pretty cool. My little blog has now been read in over 80 different countries, but I thought I'd show you a recent two hour block from last Wednesday to give you a bit of a visual:


We've definitely gone global--20 different countries represented in just a two hour span! One of the things the sitemeter allows me to do is to see where visitors come from, and interestingly enough, most foreign visitors come via Google. Many of them stay and explore the site, and hopefully return again at a later date.

So to all my foreign visitors, welcome! I suggest if you are interested in the subject, you should explore the many links to the right, like Joe's Message Board and ORCA's Reel Talk, where you'll come across a ton of interesting information on fishing, fishing history, and collectable fishing tackle.

And no matter where you are, be good to others, and yourself.

-- Dr. Todd

Friday Review: Lang's Auction Catalog

Well, since I screwed up and posted the Friday Funhouse on Thursday, today the Thursday Review comes on Friday. We're whacky like that here at Fishing for History. Seriously, I totally lost an entire day. I'm not sure where it went, but if you find an extra 24 hours somewhere its probably mine.



We are kicking off our annual celebratory event known as Lang's week here with a review of the latest auction catalog. Honestly, I can't believe more people don't scramble to purchase these as learning resources, as they are absolutely stunningly well done books in their own right. In every auction catalog I've gotten there are at least 30 pieces not pictured anywhere else, from the Thad Norris rod last November to the incredible collection of Schwiebert materials in this month's auction. For the price, the auction books are a bargain. You can pick up a copy (and back copies) by clicking here.

Next week we'll be spending some time dissecting the offerings from the catalog, and hopefully, doing a bit of live blogging as well. This semi-annual event has been something I really look forward to, although I don't relish being outbid on many of the items that I want!

You can rewind the clock and look at our coverage of last November's auction by starting here. Or you can type "Lang's" into the search function at the top left of this web page.

-- Dr. Todd

The Friday Funhouse

THE Friday Funhouse
Video of the Week
What NOT to do when you land a 400 pound Goliath Grouper.



Things I Would Buy If I Could Afford Them

This Meek Blue Grass Reel #3 is a sweetheart.


In honor of Don Wheeler's new frog book, which should be out in about six weeks, here is a Gee Whiz frog new in the box.


An 1890s era Pflueger minnow is always something to write home about.


Your bait of the week is this neat Abbey & Imbrie Jennings Torpedo in the box.


Fly Rod Punkies are always fun, and this one is in great shape.


Instant Collection: , Smithwick Rogue Lures, 38 of 'em.


Having just finished a chapter in my forthcoming book on M.L. Marshall, I got a kick out of this Marshall trade coin dated 1863. Not surprising, Marshall was a dedicated numismatist.


Clark Experts are always coveted baits.


There have been some great Tycoon Tackle rods up for bid lately, and this 12-ounce HRH is no exception.


The Creek Chub Open Mouth Shiner is a rare bait, especially in this condition and in the box.


This Ottow Zwarg Maximo will bring some serious coin.


This Sport Special is one of the rarest of the Heddon bamboo rods.


Lest you think only bamboo rods are valuable, check out this Phillipson Royal casting rod.


Two J.A. Coxe (Jaleouxe to the uninitiated) saltwater reels will attract a lot of attention.


This Heddon 150 in Bar Perch is a very attractive combo in its original box.


Creel Mania continues with this Wisconsin-made Bernard Kuchta (Crivitz, WI) creel.


This Creek Chub Dinger 6100 in Skunk is trying to fly under the radar.


This Baby 13 in a research box in a wild color is going to be very popular.


Speaking of tough colors, how about a Cobalt Blue Heddon Chugger?


That's it for this week! Have a safe and happy weekend, and be nice to each other, and yourself.

-- Dr. Todd

Voices from the Past: Fred Rinehart

Yesterday I profiled the life of Fred Rinehart, inventor of the Rinehart Jinx lure. As mentioned, for a brief time Rinehart served as an outdoor writer in 1937 for his local Newark Advocate newspaper. Here is one of his pieces on musky fishing in the local Muskingum River. While he will never be mistaken for Will Dilg or Dixie Caroll, I found the article charming.

Anglers Are Missing Best Part of Fishing Season;
Big Fellows Hitting in Muskingum
by Fred Rinehart

LOCAL anglers who have stored the fishing tackle back for storage are missing part of the best fishing of the year.

Fish, especially of the large game fish, feed heavily in the fall, in preparation for the dormant period of winter.

Those who have not fished the Muskingum river have a treat in store for them when they hook into a musky or pike. Many anglers are not aware of the fact that the lordly musky inhabit waters close to home; within 45 minutes' drive from Newark you will be in musky territory.

Only three rivers in Ohio can boast of having musky in their waters: The Grand river, east of Cleveland, and the Maumee river, southwest of Toledo, and the Muskingum river and drainage. Of these three, the Muskingum is the most noted, and produces the most and heaviest fish. Musky and pike live in harmony with each other, and the angler has the chance of hooking either of these two grand fish. Hooking and landing either of these fish is a thrill never to be forgotten.


The majority of the musky and pike are caught close to the falls of the dam, in or near the swift water. The pike is the more savage striker of the two, usually taking the bait with a savage rush, while the musky is a more slow-action fish. The fight is entirely different, as the pike will immediately bore for the bottom of the stream, while the musky will break water in a savage leap and roll. Wire leaders should be used, as either fish will cut a line quickly. Sometimes either will lay on the bottom after a short fight. Keep them moving. By taping your pole lightly at butt end will cause them to start moving. They will soon tire and can be landed easily.

The musky is a noted trick fighter, as after two or three savage rushes, will change tactics, such as rolling quickly and twisting the line about itself. Whenever a musky starts this, pull as hard as your tackle will endure. I have hooked and seen musky stand on their head and bore in the sand to loosen a bait. This trick usually works to the musky's advantage, and anglers agree this is their best trick. With the heavy weight of their bodies and head down, the angler's tackle, unless of the strongest material, will fail to make his majesty yield until it is too late.

Another trick is to rub and bore against a rock to loosen the lure. This can be overcome by using some pressure on the rod. On the strike it is well to set the hooks hard, as the musky's mouth is of a hard bony structure, and unless hard hook setting is done, the hooks will fail to penetrate deep enough to secure a good hold. Don't endeavor to "horse" a large fish; as the saying is, "it can't be done." A fish of from 10 to 35 pounds weight has tremendous pull. Simply hold a fairly tight line and let him make the runs. It is useless to tell an angler not to become excited, because no angler can land a fish without more or less of a nerve disorder.

Muskys will be found usually on or close to a bar, out in the river. The food they consume is around these bars and consists of shad, suckers, carp, and practically all minnows large enough to make a mouthful. A 15-pound musky can consume a large fish, as I have personally known of a four-pound carp taken from the stomach of a 36” musky. Plugs of four and five inches, or larger, are most commonly used, also spoons and bucktail, but plugs account for most musky in the Muskingum River. Natural pike finish or golden shiner are the two most noted lures, and account for the most musky strikes. The musky prefers a slow moving bait unless the water is very clear.

Lines of 18,, 24 and 30 pound test are suitable for muskys. Break about two foot off twice a day off the casting end. This part receives the most abuse and wear and will be the first to break. Examine your line carefully at intervals, as sometimes a stone cut will cause a line to fray and become weak, perhaps to cause the angler to lose a good fish.

Speaking of musky bait, several anglers prefer to use live bait, a large sucker bait six or seven inches making the best live bait. Select the edge of a bar where the water starts from shallow bar to deeper water. Do not use float and leave plenty of space between sinker and minnow, this, allows the minnow plenty of freedom and swim about. Hook minnow through both lips of mouth with fairly large hook of good quality. When the strike is made, allow your fish to make his run and stop; they will sometimes take from five minutes up to an hour in time, but when this is finished the fish will again start moving, let go 10 or 15 foot run and if the musky does not stop in this distance it is almost a surety that he has swallowed the minnow. Take all the slack up in the line and give a quick, hard jerk to set the hook, and your thrill will start.

If you wish to preserve the head for mounting, wash the head clean and using brush, wash the head completely with formaldehyde full strength and allow it to thoroughly dry, then give a couple of coats of rod varnish. Some firms supply glass eyes, this makes a neat, attractive head, and in years to come, becomes a remembrance of the thrill battle.

The weather and fall scenery are grand and beautiful along the Muskingum valley, so you anglers can still have fishing even if the weather be cool. Give the muskys a trial. When you hook one you will have that never to be forgotten thrill that many anglers travel thousands of miles for.

-- Dr. Todd

Beyond the Jinx: The Life of Fred Rinehart

Beyond the Jinx:
The Life of Fred Rinehart
by Dr. Todd E.A. Larson
© 2008

The publication of Doug Carpenter’s seminal work on the Rinehart Company gave collectors a tremendous amount of information on this popular tackle firm. Pretty much everything that could be said about the colors, variations, and styles of lures made by this company in all its incarnations are covered in incredible depth, and of course the color photos make this book an absolute must-have for anyone interested in lures from this era (to read my original review of this book click here).

There are some episodes in the life of Fred Rinehart, however, worth remembering that help to fill out his life story. Fred Elmus Rinehart was born in 1904 near Newark, Ohio and grew up as an avid outdoorsman; he enjoyed hunting as much as he did fishing. In fact, by the mid-1930s Rinehart had established himself as one of the leading outdoorsman in Licking County.

It is at this time that he first came to the attention of the local sporting community. While an employee at the local tire plant, Rinehart moonlighted as an outdoor writer for The Newark Advocate. Throughout 1937, Rinehart contributed outdoor articles primarily on hunting and hunting issues, but several also on fishing. He was a decent if unspectacular writer, and as his columns coincided with his patent application for the Rinehart water beetle fly rod bug, it is likely he gave up his writing gig as the demands of his fledgling tackle company began to take up his time. Perhaps the most interesting article he penned was on the subject of musky fishing in the Muskingum River, and a photo accompanying this article showed Fred holding two muskellunge—a 10 and 21 1/2 pounder. This picture was used a decade later in Rinehart Jinx literature. Tomorrow in The Voices of the Past column I will reproduce Rinehart’s 1937 musky article.


Fred was a talented man who had several careers. One aspect of his life that has been overlooked is that, for a period in the middle of World War II, Rinehart operated a restaurant in Newark known as The Hut. Advertisements for this apparently short-lived venture disappear by 1944, but we know that it formally opened on 26 June 1942 and had apparently been in business for a short time prior to this date. It was located at 386 East Main Street in Newark and was managed by Vera Thompson. The explanation for why he would engage in this kind of work has everything to do with timing. Although he continued to manufacture lures during the war, the paucity of components available to tackle makers meant that he likely had to seek out other work.


It was during the Second World War that Rinehart perfected his signature lure, the Jinx. The earliest mention of this lure is in the spring of 1942, when the lure was offered along with a slough of standard fishing fare by the local Newark branch of Sears, Roebuck & Company—the earliest reference to the Jinx yet discovered. Since it would have taken some time to have perfected and finalized the Jinx to a point where it could be sold over the counter at Sears, it seems likely the Jinx was developed the previous year. It is interesting to note that the Jinx sold for .90, around the same price as its main competitor— the Heddon River Runt Spook—and more than many standard nationally-distributed baits. Note that the name used was “Rinehart’s Jinx.”


Despite the war, Rinehart never gave up the dream of expanding his tackle business, and as the fighting wound down he began concentrating on the growing demand for lures in the wake of the end of the war. He must have anticipated this unprecedented boom as he reentered the tackle field long before many of his competitors. Throughout 1945, Rinehart was advertising heavily in both national magazines and in the local Newark Advocate & American Tribune. Advertisement such as the one below show that, while many firms were still struggling to kick-start production, Rinehart was declaring that the Jinx was known “from coast to coast and Canada.”


The late 1940s and early 1950s were halcyon days for Rinehart and the Jinx, as it became one of the most popular lures made by any of the non-Big 5 (Shakespeare, Pflueger, Heddon, South Bend and Creek Chub) companies. But an extraordinary growth in the tackle manufacturing field, along with the first push of the ultralight spinning reel market, meant that these days were not destined to last.

In an effort to keep up with what had to be increasingly slim profit margins, Rinehart expanded his business to include standard tackle shop sales. For example, on 27 May 1952 he took out an expansive want ad listing a Johnson Seahorse 10 HP motor for sale from “the Fred Rinehart Tackle Co., 15 Forry Street.” At first I wrote this off as a personal want ad sale, but then other items began to appear for sale from this same address. A few years later, for example, Rinehart took out a regular ad listing “New Fiberglas [sic] Boat…see this new design, the best in boats.” He listed the same address.

The smoking gun that Rinehart was now operating a sporting goods store out of his 15 Forry Street address comes in the form of advertisements run in the fall of 1956. These declare “Get your shells and licenses at Fred Rinehart Tackle,” and were run beginning on 13 September 1956. This was in anticipation of hunting season opener, so not only was Rinehart selling fishing tackle he was also selling hunting gear as well. The ads concluded: “Open ‘Til 9:00 tonight, open all night Friday the 14th.”


Clearly, sales of the Jinx had plummeted and Rinehart was doing what he had to do to keep the firm running. Bad luck seemed to dog Fred at every turn, however. Perhaps he was, like his lure, a bit jinxed during this period. On the last day of August, 1956, Fred was driving home in afternoon rush hour traffic in downtown Newark when he was involved in a three-car pileup caused by an out-of-control driver. In 1957, as Carpenter points out in his book, Rinehart sold his tackle company to Harold Kitzmiller of Gahanna, Ohio to concentrate on the development of a nursing home located next door to his 15 Forry Avenue home, only to have the firm and its assets returned to him a year later when Kitzmiller defaulted.

Then, on 10 March 1958, his run of bad luck culminated when Rinehart was badly injured in a grass fire that began when he was burning trash out behind his house. As The Newark Advocate reported:

Fred Rinehart…required resuscitator aid when a grass fire he attempted to fight single-handedly got out of control near his home Saturday afternoon. A trash fire started by the man got out of control and burned into a cornfield, firemen said, and Rinehart was nearly cut off by the encircling flames when the first truck arrived.

Overcome by smoke inhalation, it was only the quick actions of the Newark fire department that saved Rinehart from far more egregious injuries.

In the wake of this near-death experience, Rinehart found a new buyer for his tackle concern and sold it to investors in Marietta, Ohio, where it would continue for a couple of years before closing down for good in 1962.

The expenditure of capital in starting up a new business forced Rinehart to make some difficult financial decisions. Evidence of this can be found in the 15 May 1960 Newark Advocate want ads, which list a “1955 Royal Lancer Hardtop Dodge” for sale by Fred Rinehart. The price? All the buyer had to do was “take over payments.”


Dark days soon ended for Fred, and the Newark Nursing Home seemed to prosper over the next decade. He would spend the remainder of his days running the nursing home business, and eventually split his time between Newark and Lakeland, Florida. He was a member of a number of local fraternal organizations including the Eagles Club. Rinehart passed away at the age of 67 in 1972, and touchingly, his daughters would run an advertisement for a number of years after memorializing the date of his passing.

Of course, there is much to still be learned about Rinehart, but hopefully this short biography will add a little bit more to the story of Fred Rinehart. As the title of Doug’s book says, there is just something about a Jinx. And there is just something about Fred Rinehart, too.

-- Dr. Todd

The News of the Week: 14 April 2008

Vice President Cheney is accused of catching angling for more than fish...fishing stupidity is a sign of the times...fishing with a cast net?...14 year old girl is fishing guide...12 year old boy lands 12-foot hammerhead shark...NFLCC member Alan Bakke gets profiled by his hometown paper...Colorado governor gets fly rod made by prisoners...fly fishing snobs get their comeuppance...legendary rock star holds fly fishing world record...it must be THE NEWS OF THE WEEK!

The Big Lead: While out fishing, Vice President Dick Cheney is accused of catching more than bass in the reflection of his sunglasses.


Bobby Hill of The Northwest Arkansas Times profiles a master collector's obsession with fishing tackle.

The Alamogordo News details a neophyte angler's inaugural piscatorial jaunt.


Lee Stokes tells us that (fishing) stupidity is just a sign of the times.

A proposed bait and tackle shop has caused a veritable brouhaha on Lake Elsinore, California.

From the Sign of the Times Files: British provincial fishing regulations now printed in Chinese.

This is Derbyshire relates how female angling in Britain has just gotten a big boost.

Governator Schwarzenegger signs a bill to help the ailing Salmon industry; meanwhile, salmonless anglers deign to stoop to freshwater fishing.

Bill Thompson opines on tackle made in America.

The Naples News has all you need to know about cast netting history.

The Litchfield County Times waxes poetic about fishing opening on the Housatonic.

The British say never mind the light tackle, here come the carp! Complete with world's smallest internet photo.


Mormons Love Old Fishing Tackle Too: The Deseret News argues that old lures could be worth big bucks, or just memories.

14 Year Old Girl is a MUCH, MUCH better angler than you; is also fishing guide, so she has a better job than you too.


Extreme musky fishing. As if casting for a week and not catching anything isn't extreme enough...

Career criminal scams tackle shop for $5000 worth of gear, finally gets caught.

The Kennebeck Journal informs us that weighted flies rule the fly fishing world.

12-year old girl is much better angler than you, lands huge halibut.


12-year old boy is much, much, much better angler than you, lands 12-foot hammerhead shark.


What to get the angler who has everything: the ultimate fishing watch.

BBC News reports that sport fishing brings in 22.5 million pounds to the local Northern Irish economy. I believe, with current exchange rates, that is equivalent to three billion dollars American.

Long-time Minnesota collector Alan Bakke is profiled by his hometown Osakis Review, reveals love of Fisherettos.


The Worcester Telegram relates that old fishing lures jump-started a whole hobby.

From the Orvis in Cell Block D Files: Prison warden presents Colorado governor Bill Ritter with fly rod custom made by prisoners.

What's in a color? A chartreuse by any other name would catch as sweet. Or so one angler writes.

Syracuse, NY: Where fly fishing snobs get no love. The quote of the week: Fishing snobs "get these young kids thinking that if they take this up at age 4, maybe at the age of 370 they'll be a good casteer. The hell with that. That's not how it is."

Donnybrook on the Dock: 20 anglers engage in melee over fishing right-of-way. The lesson, of course, is that beer and fishing rarely mix.

Finishing with a Flourish: Jeremiah fished a Bullfrog! Cory Wells, founder of rock band Three Dog Night, also holds a fly fishing world record.



-- Dr. Todd