The Friday Funhouse

The Video of the Week

Here is your fishing fails video for the past year (some salty language).



12 Things I Would Buy If Only I Could Afford Them

I do like this Ambassadeur 6500 from the 1970s.



This is a really clean Pflueger 3 hook minnow.



A Pflueger Meadow frog on the card in the box is superb.



The Bon-Net Muskie Bait is a classic Wisconsin lure.



This Talbot Venus will clean up well.



I like South Bend underwater minnows.



This Fenwick Lunkerstik 2000 is very popular.



Bagley square lip Honey Bees in rare colors -- a recipe for success.



Man, I have never seen an Arnold Hopalong in Fire Lacquer!



This Paw Paw Trout Caster is incredible.



The Walton Speed Bait in the box is very rare.



A Heddon Musky Vamp is doing well.



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

-- Dr. Todd

The Fishing Themed Advertisement: Cutler Motors (1937)

This 1937 full page advertisement for Cutler Motors is a great example of how an industrial company would use fishing to promote their products. What does fishing have to do with an electric control apparatus? Nothing, of course, which is the point. An ad like this would draw in a reader, and give them information about their industrial product. A win-win situation that was replicated over and over throughout the years.



-- Dr. Todd

Ben Wright's Spinning Reel Report for December 2013

(APOLOGIES TO EVERYONE -- THIS GOT LOST IN THE HOLIDAY SHUFFLE!)

DECEMBER 2013

WACKY, WEIRD AND CRAZY WEATHER WITH SOME WACKY, WEIRD AND CRAZY PRICES !!!!

HAPPY SELLERS:
Abu Cardinal 3 first version nib @ 690.00 WOW
Abu Garcia Cardinal 754 ewb @ 112.50
Abu-matic 140 CF nib Under Happy Sellers-----------sold @ 166.46
Daiwa Mini mite pack rod combo ecx @ 105.53
Johnny Walker Tina Mite Japan exc+ @ 108.49
(Hey Len want to sell some reels for me??)
Preciosa DGMA exc @ 188.50
Record Recordette 21 aqua exc @ 133.50

HAPPY BUYERS:
Aqua-Sport Japan exc- @ 15.00
Dam Quick Super two speed exc+ @ 76.55
Johnson Pink Princess 100B CF EWB @ 59.95
Markel Featherlite/ rite angler ewb @ 68.60
Penn 700 first version exc+ @ 52.00
South Bend 808 by Shakespeare nib @ 43.00


NO SALE----------A list of reels with starting or buy-it-now prices shown with "NO BIDS"
were some a bit high ??
Alcedo Atlantic exc @ 499.00
American Class 1V exc+ @ 500.00
Centaure
   Carbie exc @ 225.00
   River e-wb @ 238.28
Luxor mer saumon nib @ 390.00
Mitchell:
 303N nib @ 346.95
  486 nib @ 299.99
Orvis 100 SS like new @ 300.00                         
Penn 705 second version ewb @ 199.99
Shakespeare pres. 11 2860 ewb @ 299.99
Wright & McGill ETC exc+ @ 225.00
and a ZEBCO 1970 exc @ 399.99

MORE REELS THAT DID SELL
ABU CARDINALS:
 753 nib @ 54.99
  "     "    "  51.00
  "  exc   "  41.00

Dam Quick:
110 nib @ 127.53

ENGLISH:
Allcock OTO paint wear @ 500.85
Augermatic exc+ @ 363.99

FRENCH:
Centaure Pacific exc @ 80.00
Mepps Super Meca red e+wb @ 208.30

ITALIAN:
Nettuno AP paint wear @ 99.99
Zangi-----------
  Jolly second version paint wear @ 104.50
  3V missing handle @ 213.10
  Orvis 175 exc+ @ 158.45
  Pecador 300 exc @ 63.04

MITCHELL:
300DL exc+ w/wood box @ 700.00
308 pro nib @ 288.88
308 prince nib @ 260.58
358 prince nib @ 258.00
508 like new @ 281.51
SET OF 4 BOOKS----
Mitchell Collectors Reference Guide #300
Mitchell Collectors Value Guide #100 first edition
     "          "               "     "      #300
all by Dennis Roberts
and a Book by Mike DiMattio The Mitchell 300 first edition
#44 of 100
all sold @ 511.11

Penn:
720 e+wb @ 52.00
720Z nib @ 110.00

Shakespeare:
2052 first version nib @ 71.01
2052 second version nib @ 73.95
2068 RH nib w/case @ 71.09

Swedish:
TWO Victory 400 reels both exc  @775.76 for both

Waltco NY-O-LITE
marron/white exc w/poor box @ 20.75
green/white     "        '    "       @ 53.53
Black/white repaint??   @54.55

A few other reels:
Hurricane Perfecta 34 japan exc- @ 32.07
Johnson Centure 100 cf ewb @ 29.95
LaSalle by Tamco  exc @ 81.00
Toper japan e-wb @ 45.00

AND ANOTHER YEAR ENDS
BEN

Voices from the Past: O.W. Smith on "Freak Winches" (1920)

If you've ever wondered how some of the odder reels were received in their day, well, Onnie Warren Smith (O.W. Smith) can help you understand that if a reel looks weird, it probably had a weird reception. In his great book Casting Tackle and Methods (1920), Smith wrote up a section he charmingly called "Freak Winches" about a number of such reels. Today, these reels have great collector value, but at the time, they were seen as the same kind of oddity as they are today.

FREAK WINCHES

I have already referred to what I may term "freak reels," a great many of which were still-born or lived a short life though there is still any number upon the market. After all, the angling fraternity is somewhat conservative; it will not stand for a too radical innovation. A change must come gradually if it is to be adopted. There may be good points about a freak reel, but because it is a freak it will stand little show of even a fair try-out. I, Philistine though I am, do not care for a reel too different. Naturally in writing of these odd reels from my collection I will refrain from commenting upon their merits and demerits to any great extent, leaving the reader to determine in his own mind their respective value.

The "Gyratory Reel" was brought to my home by a traveling representative of a certain hardware house, a "special" he was then pushing. We tried it out on the street to the great amusement of a crowd that soon gathered and they were not all fishermen either. The name—"Gyratory"—gives a very good idea of the winch, referring to the eccentric action of the spool,wobbling from left to right like a lodge goat, with each revolution, laying the line from end to end of the spool. A lever frees the spool from the crank-shaft so that it is a "freespool." It will be noticed that it is built in the handle of the rod, is a part of the rod. The crank is of peculiar shape. All in all, I consider it one of the strangest creations ever produced for winding a line or casting. However, it certainly will handle a line in a manner to surprise the doubting Thomases, but a man would need to be possessed of more than a little courage to take the arrangement out in company on a bass-lake. Yet it may become popular.





Gyratory reel. (Two Images Courtesy of Lang's Auctions).

Another odd bass reel which came into my possession a few years ago, was the "Kenward Special," though there is nothing radically strange about it save the arrangement for thumbing. It is somewhat like the well-known single actions—"Experts"— which are so popular with trout-fly-fishermen, only much larger, being something like seven inches in diameter, a single revolution of the spool retrieving nearly two feet of line. The handle is simply two knobs fastened directly to the reel-head. At the base of the reel is a concave surface provided for the thumb, the idea being to facilitate thumbing. Though I tried out the reel somewhat at length I never succeeded in getting the hang of it, the side weight tipping the rod over in spite of my best efforts. I have always been sorry that I let those two reels get out of my collection and would be very glad indeed to replace them.



The Patented Kenward Special courtesy of Jim Schottenham's great Side-Mount Reel Site.

One sometimes sees listed, I never happened to see them in actual use, reels built in the rod handle. The innovation seems too great for the average fisherman; though one can easily discover certain advantages that such an arrangement would have, it would also have several disadvantages. The spooling of the line properly might be something of a problem, while, if not of the take-down style, a backlash would be quite difficult of solution; upon the other hand, the weight of the reel is in the center and the rod will not turn in the hand. (Parenthetically, I have often thought that without the off-set handle, same attached directly to the reel plate as in single action reels, one would have a perfect winch for trout bait fishing along brushy creeks, nothing to catch in the brush, one could even drag the rod after him without fear of entanglement.)


William Demmer's possible prototype Hurd Supercaster.
Some two years ago I received a sample "Thumezy" reel, a surprising bit of machinery. Made of German silver, put together in a workmanlike manner, it is a reel apparently built for a lifetime. The inventive genius who produced the "Thumezy" must have sat up nights thinking out the various things his winch will accomplish. Just to enumerate: the metal thumb-stall thumbs the spool, the thumb is not worn by contact with the line, and by pressing down to the lowest possible point, the spool is automatically freed from the winding gear, becomes free, so for casting it is a free-spool; to wind in, the operator but presses in on the handle which instantly connects the spool with the gear; slide on the click on the rear plate and advance the thumb-stall notch by notch—6 of them—the tension is increased with each, at the seventh the click, is thrown off, the spool becomes free once more; remove the two thumb-screws at either end, which takes the place of oil-caps, and the reel falls apart. I do not know that I have enumerated all the special features possessed by this winch, but surely I have mentioned enough to convince you that the "Thumezy" is "different" alright; however, it should not be called a "freak" for it is a practical reel.



The Benjamin Thumezy.

The "Stockford" is not a radical innovation and in nowise a freak though it appears odd. The gear is enclosed in a small gear-box attached to the outside of the head-plate, small, inconspicuous and light. The striking original feature is the lack of pillars; the ordinary reel has three above the reel-plate, the "Stockford" has but one, and that low down in the rear. The spool being open, in case of even a superlatively bad back-lash, it would not be necessary to take the reel apart, the operator can get at the line with ease. Do not imagine that because of few pillars the frame is weak and wobbly; it is unusually firm and rigid. By the way, the open frame and gear box is used to some extent by other makers; the former is a great convenience, while the latter reduces the weight of the reel.



The Stockford Reel.

To continue discussing the various patterns which from time to time have-come from original makers, would be a pleasure, but we have mentioned a sufficient number to prove that there is a reel for the lover of the unusual, and wide awake inventors are racking if not wrecking their brains to produce something different. Any day, perhaps, some angling, tool-wise Walton will invent a casting reel that will revolutionize the sport, who knows? However, I am free to admit that I am a conservative of the conservatives. I do not ask my reel to do all the work. I desire to do the major part of it myself. I prefer the simple un-everything reel. Just the same, there is no greater treat in store for the lover of bass tackle than to stand before a well filled reel cabinet, displaying the various orthodox and heterodox winches that have been produced; undoubtedly many of them spell tragedy for some inventor.

-- Dr. Todd

The News of the Week: January 13, 2014

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THE MONDAY 10: The Ten Fishing Stories of the Week You Need to Know

The Big Lead: The icy allure of ice fishing



There is an NFLCC show in Milwaukee this weekend.

Is the tuna allocation fair?

IGFAs hot catches for the month of January.



Reviewing the Beaverkill Rod Co. Legacy series rods.



The art of fly tying.

Utah company unveils a new fly wallet.



Sarah Palin is launching a new outdoor tv show called Amazing America.

Actor Josh Holloway is a fly angler.

Finishing with a Flourish:The Northern Water Flyfishers are keen on conservation.



-- Dr. Todd

1000 Words

This week in Hollywood Goes Fishing we feature a photo ca. 1970 of Ralph Edwards (1913-2005). Edwards was involved in radio from the very beginning and became a noted announcer in the 1930s, introducing the Major Bowles show among others. In 1940 he became involved with Truth or Consequences, a game show that would air for the next 38 years and which would make him a household name. While there he founded the famed Jimmy Fund, a cancer-research charity adopted by the Boston Red Sox. Edwards would later go on to produce numerous other tv shows, including The People's Court.

He was a lifelong angler.



-- Dr. Todd

The Friday Funhouse

The Video of the Week

Ever wonder where that vintage tackle you shipped to Japan ends up? Check out this guy's cool video.



12 Things I Would Buy If Only i Could Afford Them

This is an awesomely cool Hanke Minnow (only the second one I've ever seen).



Marathon "Bait Books" are always fun.



Can't beat this Milam #2.



This is a supremely cool Japan made Johnny Walker Olympet reel.



When's the last time you've seen an Arcana reel for sale?



Western Field is a VERY rare magazine.



An 1877 issue of Forest & Stream is very, very rare.



Love these Colorado Floating Moths.



This is a pretty cool Victorian fly fishing painting.



The aptly named Pflueger Surprise.



A G.E. Harrison Salmon Plug is very rare.



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

-- Dr. Todd

An Angling Miscellany with Gary L. Miller

As we are well into spearing season in the north, I felt the following article was printed in the Ludington Daly News for March 17, 1951 was appropriate.M.br>
We hooked onto another unusual fish story this week, and when we type this story we're not just flapping our fingers.

A short time ago, Clyde Eckley, local carpenter, borrowed the fish shantv of George Brant, local Dow well checker and Clyde's neighbor. Clyde wanted to do some spearing so he bought himself a ten-Inch live sucker for a decoy and started out for Lower Hamlin lake where George's shanty is located.

Fishing was rather mediocre for awhile. That is until a big pike swirled into the hole and grabbed the sucker decoy, tearing it oft the hook and getting away unscathed. Clyde the resorted to an artificial lure for decoy purposes, and it wasn't long before the same hungry pike was back again looking for another easy snack.


However, Clyde was ready for him this time. He speared the big fellow and brought him into the shanty. Then, just to verity his assumption that it was the same fish in both instances, he slit him open to look for his original live decoy. Sure enough, there was the sucker and seemingly none the worse for his hit-and-run experience. So Clyde took the wriggling sucker and put him back into the water as a live decoy again, which he most certainly was.

It was just moments afterwards that another larger pike drifted in for a quick look, and he also got nailed by the carpenter. Scales later revealed
the first pike weighed nine pounds and the second weighed fifteen. It was a very nice haul with the sucker ending up high on the list of lucky personalities. He was tossed into a pail of water where he lived for another week of active decoying.

It was W.C. Fields who said, "Never give a sucker an even break;" but Clyde's sucker deserves a pat on the back. When he was down in the mouth and things looked mighty black, he kept flipping unUl he won . . . with a head AND a tail.

-- Gary L. Miller

The Fishing Advertisement: New Zealand (1934)

Below is a great full page advertisement for travel to New Zealand. It features front and center a really cool image of a leaping trout. These kind of travel advertisements were very popular in the 1930s, when airline travel was just beginning and ocean liner travel was popular.



-- Dr. Todd

Voices from the Past: The Mysterious R.W. Hubbell (1906)

I was recently researching something completely different and ran across a really interesting article referencing a fly fishing book I've never seen before. It was published in the Wisconsin Alumni Magazine and dates from February 1906.

R. W. Hubbell. who is practicing law at Wautoma, Wis., is an enthusiast about fishing. He is the author of Hints on Fly Fishing, an attractive little pamphlet of some twenty-five pages. The advice contained in the pamphlet is very sensible and to the point. Some of it is very quaintly stated. Here is a sample of the style:

"When you go fishing go alone unless you have a tried, congenial, unselfish companion. Reflect that you should go for enjoyment, mental peace, and not for rivalry and greed. Don't follow close to another man and. if some unmannerly cad hurries to catch up and pass you, let him by. He will fish too fast, in order to try and get all the fish but he will' accomplish little. The man whose back is bristled on the trout stream you will generally find ought to have a ring in his nose at home. True sportsmen are generally genial, big-hearted, unselfish brothers to all they meet on lake, field, or stream. They would no sooner spoil another's sport than they would their own."

Has anyone ever seen Hints on Fly Fishing by R.W. Hubbell?

-- Dr. Todd

Happy Holidays from the Fishing Photographer, Doug Bucha!

In honor of Epiphany (January 6th, the date that marks the end of Christmas), we get a fantastic HAPPY HOLIDAYS from the Fishing Photographer!



-- Doug Bucha

The Friday Funhouse

The Video of the Week

This video shows sturgeon fishing in the Snake River ca. 1940.



12 Things I Would Buy If Only I Could Afford Them

This is a killer Car Gem Mignon spinning reel.



This Royal Dot spinner display is a cool Florida find.



Man, this 1924 Heddon Catalog is superb!



Joe Arguello makes some great rods.



The Wedding Cake is one of Fin-Nors classic reels.



An Arbogast Snake? Hell yeah.



I ain't gonna lie, this Lie Minnow is a killer.



A Gifford Pinchot Wilder-Dilg is a great find in the picture box.



Loving this CCBC Wiggler in Goldfish.



A Heddon 100 in the box? Definitely a great find.



Wow. This Algate's Collapsible Minnow Trap is just so damn rare!



A fightin' old lure.



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

-- Dr. Todd (stranded in an airport)

OK Everybody breathe ... IT'S LANG'S STORE TIME AGAIN!

Take a deep breath. It's that time of year again, it's LANG'S STORE TIME! That magical two hour period when unbelievable deals can be had, all the while screaming at your computer screen to MOVE FASTER!

Yes, the Lang's Store is back -- but there is a proviso. YOU NEED TO RE-REGISTER. Yes. If you have an old registration, you'll still need to RE-REGISTER. DO IT NOW instead of waiting until 5 minute before the metaphorical Shootout at the O.K. Corral.

You can read up (and REGISTER) by CLICKING HERE.
And have fun!

-- Dr. Todd