Monday, August 27, 2007

News of the Week, 27 August 2007


Lots of interesting tidbits in the news this past week.

Sad news as reported on Joe Yates' Message Board that Duane "Hal" Halverson, veteran reel collector, has passed away. No other details were available.

From the Great State of Texas comes Ray Sasser in the Dallas Morning News writing of a new bait created by Lone Star fisherman John Guerin. Guerin's Injured Minda is a top-water lure of fascinating design. I may order a couple of these myself.



J.D. Richey in The Auburn Journal asks the age-old question What is the world's best fishing lure? Any such list is sure to leave out a lot of people's favorites, as John Merwin recently discovered in Field & Stream when he listed his 50 greatest lures of all time.

Veteran collector Gabby Talkington used to collect Rapalas with corporate logos on them. This article in the Hattiesburg American profiles how easy it is to get a Rapala with your company name on it. Maybe the NFLCC should try this as a fundraiser?

A neat article in The Gainesville Times profiles Reggie Weaver, a Tennessee-born geologist and promoter of fishing. Hooked on Fishing: Retired State Geologist Began Love of Fishing as a Boy in Tennessee talks about the kind of guy who hardly ever gets the proper credit.


Reggie Weaver relaxing in his den

Even in Australia, fishing tackle is making news. In a nation with five million diehard sport angler, a recent proclamation seemed to state that fishing tackle in the commonwealth would be taxed. This article alleviates the outrage many Aussie sportsmen and women were feeling.

We have a new world record fluke from Bradley Beach, NJ, weighing 24.3 pounds.

A neat article in The Albany Times Union outlines L.L. Bean's new New York store in Fly-Fishing Is Part of the Lure

In environmental news, Operation Clean Sweep has been a great success, removing 38 pounds of lead jigs from near Ashland, WI according to this article in The Ironwood Daily Globe.

New products were in the news, including the LOOP Speedrunner and Megaloop Reel. These were profiled by Fish and Fly On-Line.


LOOP Speedrunner Reel

Another new item is the Luhr-Jensen Quiver Spoon courtesy of Southern California's The Log magazine.


Luhr-Jensen Quiver Spoon in natural rainbow pattern

From Canada's The Winnipeg Sun comes an article entitled Muskie Hunting Made Easy with New Lure. Having musky hunted a bit in my life, I can say no lure makes it easy!

Finally, two pieces in news of the weird. First is a review of a new book on Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath with an anecdote on Ozzy fishing and getting attacked by a swan.

Finally, from one of my favorite web sites (deadspin.com) comes the following article on Michael Vick (a.k.a. Ron Mexico) of dogfighting and gambling infamy. It turns out Vick is selling his 2002 Aquasport 205cc Osprey fishing boat. You even get a certificate of title signed by Vick himself.


And you thought you could escape Michael Vick news!


-- Dr. Todd

PS Anyone who runs across any news articles I've missed on fishing and fishing tackle history, drop me a link!

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