BREAKING NEWS: First photos of earthquake devastation in Ohio

Via BSSNY.

-- Dr. Todd

Dr. Todd Tries Ultralight Fly Fishing

Dr. Todd Tries Ultralight Fly Fishing

When I told a friend of mine I wanted to try ultralight fly fishing, he responded disdainfully, "why would you want to use a toy rod?" That thought was on my mind a few weeks ago, as I had my first opportunity to do just that--take out my new "toy" rod and see what all the buzz is about.

I'd been planning this trip ever since I bought an ultralight fly rod from my friend Don Ludy well over a year ago, I've been looking forward to seeing how this little rod performed on the water. The problem was that I wanted a reel that would truly balance out the rod, and I was having a hard time finding one. I could certainly have used an antique 25-yard Hendryx utility reel--I've got about 10 of them sitting around the shop--but I wanted something a little more…modern. None of the small variety of available rods struck a chord with me, either.

Last winter, I was able to find the perfect reel. It was a hand-machined aluminum fly reel I got at the FATC National show in Daytona Beach, and it was perfect for my little five foot ultralight. You can read about the neat reel in question by clicking here.


It balanced out the rod perfectly. But it was still several months before I could test it out.

During my recent fishing trip, I was able to finally take the rod (a Brunsell Lil' Streamer two-piece 5' 2wt composite) out for a spin. I hooked up a two-weight Orvis floating line and was ready to go.

The first thing I discovered about ultralight fly fishing is that it takes a little while to get used to casting. Since I'd been throwing some early, heavy glass rods on the trip (in preparation for my coming book on fiberglass fly rods) it was quite a shock to go from a three-piece Horrocks-Ibbotson Sebago Lake Special to this Brunsell.

I was struggling to get rhythm for the first twenty minutes or so, but I was eventually able to toss a 1/64 ounce balsa bug 25 feet with accuracy. I've often heard these referred to as "toy" rods but there was nothing childish about it. I hooked into a number of 6-10 inch bluegills and punkinseeds, and let me tell you, it was a blast.




I was only able to hook one bass -- a small ten inch largemouth -- but it just about wrecked the weed bed, coming out of the water several times. It was a ton of fun.

I can't imagine that I'd be able to keep a two or three pound bass on with my ultralight rig, but I'd definitely like to try!

I fished the ultralight for about two hours and had great fun the entire time. I loaned it to my buddy who fished it for a short while and enjoyed it as well. I can't wait to get it out on some small Wisconsin streams and see how it handles river fish.

Two small footnotes. I took the rod to ORCA Nationals and let some friends of mine show me how to cast it. John Ganung, owner of Lang's Auctions, and Jim Schottenham (also of Lang's) are far more adept fly casters than I am and managed to unfurl some delicate 30-40 foot casts on the lawn in Waupaca, Wisconsin, where the Old Reel Collector's Association meeting was being held. John in particular has fished ultralights often and commented on how nicely balanced the outfit was, especially the reel.

Speaking of the reel, my friend Michael Hackney--a reelmaker of tremendous talent--recently inspected my little ultralight and gave it the seal of approval. He loved it. It really is a unique, and wonderful, little winch.

So I'd have to say my first ultralight excursion was a lot of fun, and I'm guaranteed to add this outfit to my fishing trips. I'll be very anxious the first time I hook into a decent sized fish to see how it handles!

And as a note to my dismissive friend, there was nothing "toy" about ultralight fly fishing!

-- Dr. Todd

News of the Week: 22 August 2011

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!

Michigan man spears record musky...man attacked by bull shark...attractive girl lands big sturgeon...the prophetess of fish...British angler hooks, lands scuba diver...why the Cisco is in trouble...poor young man has tackle stolen...overcoming tackle psychosis...Spokane youth catches massive pike...Field & Stream's vintage tackle winner is the Bass Bomb...a secret bait for catfish...Lake Michigan produces bigger salmon...bamboo rod maker enters Kenpo hall-of-fame...John Merwin remembers the International Fly Tackle Dealer show...a Chinese fishing tackle museum...it must be THE NEWS OF THE WEEK!

The Big Lead: Michigan man spears what would have been state record musky.


Man survives shock attack from bull shark, leaving shark tooth behind.


Attractive girl lands big sturgeon.


Learn about Mrs. Eveline Spencer, the propehtess of fish.


British angler thinks he hooked marlin; hooked scuba diver by mistake.


Why the Cisco is in trouble in Wisconsin waters.

What's new in fishing tackle.


Dorchester Youngster has tackle stolen by miscreants.


Overcoming "tackle psychosis."


Washington youth catches massive pike.


Field & Stream's vintage tackle contest winner is the Bass Bomb.


Britain's largest carp--Fat Lady--is found dead.

A secret catfish bait.

The Rex Rip Weedless frog.


Lake Michigan produces bigger salmon.


Bill Hensel--bamboo fly rod maker--is inducted into Kenpo hall-of-fame.

9 year old better angler than you, breaks Indiana spotted gar record.

Climate change at the end of your fly rod.

John Merwin remembers the International Fly Tackle Dealer show.

Finishing with a Flourish: A Chinese fishing tackle museum!



-- Dr. Todd

1000 Words

1000 Words

Every year we look forward to seeing what Doug Bucha runs across at Niles' Riverfest. This year he sends the following picture and commentary:

Just wanted to show you a sample of some of the lures that came into this years Niles Riverfest.  These are three of the most colorful ones.  All three are mint!!  One nice Paw Paw Crab and her two "Kissin-Cousins."

Deconstructing Old Ads: Head Lights, Tail Lights & Chrome On Each End (1915)

Head Lights, Tail Lights & Chrome On Each End

Within the past few months I opened a current copy of Field & Stream and looked at a full page ad for a fishing lure with an electric light inside. Naturally it claimed to be a “new idea” and went on to state that it had been “ruled legal in 49 States” It did not tell me what, if any, State had ruled it illegal or that it was not in fact legal in all 50 States, This reminds me if the flyrod lure that advertised it had been declared “Illegal in Yellowstone Park”, The reader of course is left to assume that its “illegal” status must be due to it's fish killing potential.


Today's ad comes from the July 1915 issue of National Sportsman and presents a new twist to the countless versions of internally lighted fishing lures that have been presented to the public in the last 100 years. The “Electric Luminous Submarine Bait” features tail lights as well as a head light and optional nickel spinners on each end. I do not recall ever seeing the “tail light” option being offered on other such baits.


The price of this bait puts it well out of reach of the average fisherman in 1915. At $1.50 for the strip-down model and $2 for the one with spinners and weedless hooks, this must rate as one of the most expensive baits offered to the public at that time. The advertised statement that the bait would be effective, “among the lily-pads” left me wondering if I would want to throw such an expensive bait into harms way. Just out of curiosity, I did a check on what $2 in 1915 would be equivalent to in 2011 and the result was $43.40! Yikes!, no wonder they didn't sell many. The last advertisement I've seen for this bait was in 1916 and it contained one of the most understated claims ever seen in fishing lure advertising. In a field where routinely a bait is proclaimed “the greatest fishing lure ever made” the 1916 ad merely says, “tried out and prooven good.”

-- Bill Sonnett

The Friday Funhouse

Video of the Week

The world's most excitedly polite ice angler hooks and lands a huge laker through the pristine ice of Lake Superior.



12 Things I Would Buy If Only I Could Afford Them

This Lexow panfish decoy from Minnesota is pretty amazing.


Man this is an incredible CCBC Injured Minnow.


This Heddon 4-Hook Slopenose is outstanding.


Another amazing Arbogast Tin Liz sunfish.


These Pearl Bait Co. lures are very cool.


A Vom Hofe Model 560 is a great reel!


Staley-Johnson Twin Minns are just delightful in every way.


An ABU Garcia 507 in the box is a rare reel.


A Shakespeare Rhodes Mechanical frog in the box is just WOW!


I've not seen one of these Aussie Steelite reels before.


This is a pretty neat old fishing oil painting!


Is there a prettier color Bagley than Easter Egg?



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

-- Dr. Todd

Jitterbug: A Vintage Tackle Concerto in Three Parts

Jitterbug:
A Vintage Tackle Concerto in Three Parts

by Dr. Todd E.A. Larson

Two of the questions I'm most often asked is how to get children interested in collecting fishing tackle, and how to get children interested in fishing.

I have a one word answer for that: Jitterbug.

A legendary topwater bait invented by tournament caster-turned-tackle maker Fred Arbogast, the Jitterbug has been one of the favored lures of topwater anglers for over six decades. In fact, it very well may be the best bass catching lure ever made.

This is a Jitterbug story, told in three parts. The first part of our concerto takes place in late July 2011. The place is Louisville, Kentucky, and the setting is the NFLCC Nationals.

Part the First: The NFLCC Nationals

I apologize for not having an NFLCC Nationals recap this year, as the ORCA Nationals was only two weeks after and I was home but two days before hitting the road again. A sad family tragedy kept me from a number of things I have meant to do. Perhaps we'll do something in the coming months when things cool down.

But this is a happy story about Jitterbugs and little girls. While delivering new books at the NFLCC Nationals (five--count 'em--five new books!) was stressful, my lovely ladies decided to come down and visit on Friday and take over the booth for a short time.

It was nice to get a few minutes on the floor, an unusual thing for me, but before long I felt a tugging on my shirt.

"Daddy," my eleven year old daughter said, "I like frog lures and all. But I think I really like THAT lure."

She was pointing at a Jitterbug.

For the next 45 minutes we went around buying Jitterbugs from the bargain tables until she had a nice bag full. Many nice people, from Dick Braun to Laurie Bingham, simply gave her lures.

"What do I do now?" she asked. "Do you know anyone who can talk to me about Jitterbugs?"

I laughed. "Oh boy," I said, "do I ever know the guy you have to talk to."

I was speaking, of course, of none other than our esteemed NFLCC president Byron Parker.

Now Byron has been working with kids and collecting for years, and he was kind enough to come over and talk to the little one for a while about Jitterbugs. Then he brought her back to his table and had her spread out her new finds, and proceeded to tell her which ones were old, which ones were newer, and other tidbits.

He even got her to admit that she loved the "Old Coach Dog" color best, and so she's now color collecting them.


Daughter checking out Buck Juhasz' table for Jitterbugs.
There was one 1950s Jitterbug that Byron told her was not in good enough condition to be collected, but that she should take it fishing. It was a 3/8 ounce black Jitterbug.

Now I have my own black Jitterbug story I will relate one day (with photographic evidence!) but suffice to say if you had to pick one color 'Bug to fish, it would be black.

We arrived home from the Nationals and my daughter immediately co-opted a display case, proudly displaying her treasures.

Little Miss Frog Lure, as Dick Braun calls her, was now officially Little Miss Jitterbug.

Part the Second: Otter Tail County, Minnesota

After 48 hours at home, the Larson clan hit the road to visit my wife's parents. My father-in-law had a massive heart attack about six months ago, which of course has been a very stressful thing for everyone and we wanted to spend as much time with him as possible. The old boy is doing OK and we were quite happy to see him.

He lives off of a great fishing lake: Otter Tail, home to some huge bass. We arrived about dinner time and I was rushing around putting things where they were supposed to go when I felt a familiar tug on my shirt.

"Daddy," Little Miss Jitterbug said. "You told me we could go fishing."

A chip off the old block.

I quickly rigged up a spinning rod and tied on the old black Jitterbug. She ran down to the dock and began to cast onto the glass calm. The lure's distinctive wobble left a trail of bubbles on the surface.


The girl fishing off the dock.

The little black Jitterbug.
The action of a Jitterbug is so enticing that whenever I'm fishing one I always think, "how can I NOT be catching fish?"

After 20 minutes of casting it was time for dinner. I came down to get her from the dock and asked what she caught.

"Just one," she said with a bit of disdain. "It was a sunfish."

Yes, even sunfish hit Jitterbugs!

The next morning we hit the water in earnest, and the daughter was casting diligently with her 'Bug with no results. An hour later she was still undaunted, when WHAM! That magic moment happens. A bass came out of the lilly pads and blasted her Jitterbug. She got a solid hook set and a few minutes later, bass in the boat! A bit shy of three pounds, a heck of a first bass!


Nice bass, kid! Now stop gritting your teeth!

Can't help lovin' that 'Bug.
We continued fishing for several hours. The water is very, very high in that part of the country, and thus there is a lot of deadfall in the water. On two occasions she snagged the Jitterbug into trees, and despite the fact we were fishing from a pontoon boat, I managed to get it out both times.

She was very, very happy about that.

So with a half dozen bass behind us, we headed back to the dock. We'd repeat this scene several times over the next week, with at least a dozen nice bass on the Jitterbug.

INTERMEZZO

A short intermission. Just like her old man, the daughter never tires of casting off the dock, but because I thought she had a better chance of catching a big crappie in the day I switched her out to a small 1960s helldiver spinner bait. It weighed about a half ounce and she could cast it a mile.

No one ever expects people to catch fish off the dock, but lo and behold! Little Miss Jitterbug proved the folks wrong. Five pounds of fighting pike and a very proud dad later, she was one happy kid.


Nice water wolf!

Close up of her finny prey.

Part the Third: Early to Bed, Early to Rise

It was the end of a great week of fishing, but I had to be in Waupaca, Wisconsin -- nearly 800 miles away -- late that evening for the ORCA Nationals. We planned on hitting the road about 8:00 a.m. so we could drive the whole way in the light.

That gave me one more chance to hit the water. I made my preparations the night before, and early the next day, with a gentle nudge, I tapped Little Miss Jitterbug on the shoulder. Dawn was breaking.

"Want to go fishing?" I asked softly.

She blinked herself awake. "Sure," she said drowsily.

Ten minutes later we were on the lake, casting a shore line I was sure contained some huge bass. I was sure because a six pounder had broken me off right near there two days previously.

She was casting that vintage Jitterbug like a pro. She was so good, in fact, that she would have made Bill Sonnett proud -- although I'm quite sure he would have wished she was using a vintage Nobby or Marhoff and a True Temper Professional or Heddon Pal rod. Maybe next year, Bill. And I know a 1980s Ryobi spinning reel doesn't count as vintage. Yet.

We were casting just past an inlet where she'd gotten a pair of nice bass a few days before. The wind had picked up slightly and was blowing the unwieldy barge in towards shore. In fact, we were less than thirty feet from the treeline. My daughter flipped out a fifteen foot cast in front of the boat, and when she got the reel handle turned two or three times it happened.

Magic.

I once asked Bill Sonnett why he liked fishing with old lures. "I want to see a bass hit an old fashioned plug," he said, "and I want it to be on top of the water, and I want it to look like the cover of one of those old sporting magazines."

That was what this was. The bass hit it so hard that it came three feet out of the water. And I swear before my maker, it looked just like this:


From Bill Sonnet's Deconstructing Old Ads.
It was a hawg, and it immediately went deep into the weeds. The daughter was using a spinning rod with eight pound test line and in the back of my mind I kept thinking there is no way that this fish is going to stay on the line.

But the daughter would not give up the fight, and took it to that bass like a champ, rod tip high, using steady pressure to pull the bass the best she could out of the weeds.

Then it got worse. The bass ran directly under the boat, and being in a pontoon boat with lots of sharp edges everywhere, I feared the worst. She kept fighting and fighting but the bass would not budge.

Then it ran for the surface and jumped a second time, no more than two feet from the boat! It looked like someone dropped a cinder block overboard.

The daughter's face was filled with awe. "Daddy. IT'S HUGE!"

I knew I had just one shot to get this fish in the boat. I had a long handled net and slid it out as far as could off the port side. Little Miss Jitterbug turned the rod to try and get the fish's head to go right. It worked like a charm, as I slid the net under its bulk and pulled it into the boat.



A fish to make a father proud! Measured 20" and released back into the wild.

So there you have it. A 20" largemouth bass, on a 1950s jitterbug, in a massive weed bed, caught and landed by an eleven year old girl. A journey begun by one man's kindness in Louisville and another man's inspiration in Michigan ended with a memory that will not be forgotten in Otter Tail, Minnesota.

And you wonder why this stuff is in my blood. Now it's in my daughter's blood, too.

Little Miss Jitterbug, indeed.

-- Dr. Todd

52 Trade Houses Part 20: F.W. Woolworth's

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 20:
F.W. Woolworth's

Frank Winfield Woolworth founded a true American iconic institution, and changed the way American business conducted their affair. The company he founded, F.W. Woolworth & Co., also sold a ton of fishing tackle, some of it branded.

Born in upstate New York in 1852, he began working in a drygoods store after a year of college in Watertown, New York. During his six year apprenticeship as a clerk, he noticed the hottest items were overstock or discontinued goods placed on the five cent table. In 1879, he founded his first store, selling everything for a nickel. It failed in less than a month. Undaunted, he struck out again several months later and this time, incorporated items priced at a dime. The Five-and-Ten cent store was launched.


F.W. Woolworth (1852-1919).
It was a huge hit, so large that by 1911 when the firm was incorporated, it had 586 stores. To commemorate his towering achievement he designed and constructed the Woolworth Building in New York City, a 792 foot high edifice to his success that was the tallest building in the world at the time. He paid $13.5 million in cash for it's construction.


The Woolworth Building's spire under construction.
He also built the legendary Winfield Hall in Glen Cove, Long Island, where he took up residence. So large it is reputed to have required six dozen full time gardeners, one stair case alone cost over $2 million to construct (approximately $41 million in today's terms).

When Woolworth died in 1919, the firm owned 1000s stores internationally and had a value of $1.33 billion dollars in today's terms. He left a personal estate of nearly $40 million (a half billion in today's money) and since it wasn't signed at the time of his unexpected passing, the money all went to his wife, suffering from senile dementia.

Wooworth's sold a lot of fishing tackle. Here's an example from my line spool collection; it's an early 1950s Woolworth's nylon casting line spool. The firm moved a lot of low end tackle, including a great deal of terminal tackle like lines, hooks, bobbers, etc.


In Britain, the Woolworth's line of tackle was branded Winfield and had a long run. Here's a 1970s advertisement hawking a full line of Woolworth's Winfield fishing tackle.


1970's Woolworth tackle ad in Britain.

Lures, reels, rods, and other items came branded with the Winfield name.
A quick personal story. The downtown Woolworth's in Duluth was where my father got his first job as a soda jerk in the late 1930s. He has fond memories of the place, as do I, as it only closed in the early 1990s. Dad remembers very well buying tackle there, but he doesn't remember any of it being marked, or any of it coming in packages. Lures were taken out of shipping boxes and put up on pegs on the wall. We still have a box of unmarked fluted spinners that he purchased in this way from Woolworth's in the late 1950s.


The Duluth Woolworth's where my father got his first job in the late 1930s.
Woolworth's is still around today, albeit under a different name--Foot Locker. The last U.S. Woolworth's closed in 1997, and the final British one a decade later. The only remaining Woolworth's store are in Germany. But they did indeed sell a lot of fishing tackle, and we should remember them for that, as well as for their contributions to so many aspects of 20th century American life.

-- Dr. Todd