Hooked on Paper with Michael Koller: Canadian Border or Canada Crossing or Fishing Trip or ?

Canadian Border or Canada Crossing or Fishing Trip or ?

If you have ever been fortunate enough to go fishing in Canada there is a good chance you crossed the border going in to Canada by car. It is an exciting part of a long trip. There is a formality to the crossing itself. You are asked a number of questions and have no idea if the ordeal is going to take minutes or up to hours pulled over on the side.

Each year I have crossed at the Fort Frances-International Falls International Bridge. The bridge is a privately owned toll bridge connecting the towns of Fort Frances, Ontario and International Falls, Minnesota. This road and rail bridge is jointly owned by the Boise Inc. and Abitibi Consolidate, which operate paper mills.

The bridge carries both road and rail traffic. Take a look at some older postcards of both the American side and the Canadian side of this crossing. Collecting even a few of these postcards can remind you of some of your favorite fishing trips. I hope these postcards bring back some of your memories.

-- Michael Koller

Hooked on Paper with Michael Koller: Matchcovers

 
There is not a great deal I can tell you about matchbooks that you don't already know. They seemed to be everywhere when I was growing up and now you seldom see them. One thing I can tell you - these little works of art are a lot of fun to collect.
 
The first commercially printed matchcover was produced around 1893 or  1894. The  Pabst Brewing Company put in an order for 10 million matchbooks in 1902 and launched this industry. The purist collectors of these little beauties call them matchcovers rather than matchbooks. A search on e-bay under either heading will provide a nice selection.
 
I like the colorful and artful books/covers - as you can see. There are some neat "good girl" covers. There are many sports stores, resorts, etc which are all interesting. Some of the old lures and fishing gear are featured and are harder to find. I recently found a Daredevle book (pictured) and was excited to see it featured Lou Eppinger's store in Detroit, Michigan.
 
You can find some of your favorite fishing camps as well.  Get hooked on paper and collect a few.











-- Michael Koller
 

Hooked on Paper: Lady Fishing Post Cards

If we would have followed the polite adage of "Ladies First" we would have posted these fishing ladies before we posted some of the men. None the less it is the ladies turn. Look at these post cards of the women having some of the fun.

The times I have been out with women fishing they have always managed to outfish me. I remember my daughter taking a lure from my tackle box and catching a fish the next three casts in a row. I had never caught a fish on that lure. Each one of her fish was a different species and each was a keeper. (True story).

Enjoy the Ladies.

Hooked on Paper with Michael Koller: Real Picture Post Cards

My favorite type of postcard is the Real Photo category. Some of these photos remind me of fishing trips taken by me either in the past or a trip as recent as last week. If you look closely at some of the older cards you will see people all dressed in their Sunday finest for a day on the water. I mean would you wear a tie out fishing?

Using a small part of your imagination when looking at these cards you can almost hear the coversations taking place before and after the photos. Stories of the days activities, lures thrown, baits used, sizes of fish, are very much like the conversations that take place today. According to the postmarks on many of these cards , their fishing adventures took place one hundred years ago; yet the photos of today are rather similar. Maybe that's proof that fishing has changed very little in the hearts and minds of those participating.













-- Michael Koller

Hooked on Paper with Michael Koller: Fishing Post Cards

Deltiology is the official name for postcard collecting. Within each subject, such as fishing, there are many variables or sub-catagories. Real photo,  exaggeration, humorous, are a few examples of this. Following is a small sample of the many fishing postcards that are out there waiting for you to come along and enjoy them.
 
Many of the cards have the postmarks on the back dating back over one hundred years. Often the messages written there are enjoyable and typical of todays speak. Please explore with me over the next several months the history and joy of "fishing" postcards.











-- Michael Koller

Hooked on Paper with Michael Koller: Wright & McGill Notebooks

Two men opened their own fishing tackle company in 1925 under the name of Wright & McGill. Stan Wright and Drew Mc Gill were those two men. They were located in Denver, Colorado then and the company remains headquartered there today. Most, if not all, fisherman are familiar with their fine products.
 
I don't remember when or where I picked up my first Wright Mc Gill notebook. I just know that I really liked it. The pocket sized, 3"X6", pad caught my eye because of the fishing graphic on the front of the notebook.  Besides a product graphic on the cover, each notebook has a calendar and about 15-20 blank pages for writing notes. The notebooks were perhaps included with a dealer kit for shops or were an item shops could give to customers making a purchase. I have founds notebooks with dates from 1954 through 1965.

If you have more information regarding these collectibles please write me at michaelkoller39@yahoo.com.
 












-- Michael Koller

Hooked on Paper with Michael Koller: Shakespeare Pocket Calendars

Since I'm not the sharpest tack in the box it took me several years to understand some things about Shakespeare pocket fishing calendars. I first bought a 1947 calendar. Several years later I found a couple different years. Eventually it dawned on me these calendars were a give-a-way item each year. The earliest year I have is 1942 and the latest is 1968.

These wallet size calendars are 2 1/2" by 3 3/4" and  are double sided. They list each month of a year and indicate which are the best days to go fishing. From a 1960 Shakespeare catalog I see these calendars listed for sale at a cost of $5.95 for 500 calendars with three  imprinted lines.  It states, "Dealers hand them out when writing up licenses or upon completing a sale." Each calendar features a different Shakespeare item for sale. Great graphics!
 
If anyone has more information cocerning these Shakespeare Pocket Calendars I'd love to hear from you: michaelkoller39@yahoo.com. Since I have many missing years I'd also be interested in any calendars you might have for sale.






-- Michael Koller

Hooked on Paper with Michael Koller: Wisconsin Fishing Regulations

One of the first forms of fishing paper I collected were fishing regulations. While I have various states regulations, I mostly have Wisconsin Fishing Regulations. The earlier regulations were called Laws and while they are still the law they now call them regulations. My collection of Wisconsin reg's starts with 1935 and runs until the present. It was my understanding the first year that there were Wisconsin reg's were 1935. In correspondence with Allen Soczka member NFLCC I'm told there are a good many  earlier years. He indicates a 1911, 1913, and nine other years prior to 1935. He also thinks there are three other years not mentioned. If any reader knows more concerning Wisconsin reg's please let me know - michaelkoller39@yahoo.com.
 
Many of the reg's list two years such as 1935-1936 or 1936-1937. Many of the reg's list a single year such as 1943, 1944, 1945 etc. Some years covers are in color while other years are in black and white.The graphics on the Wisconsin Regulations I have are  outstanding. See for yourself.












-- Mike Koller

Hooked on Paper with Michael Koller

Collecting old fishing tackle over the past many years has been a lot of fun. Each lure or reel has a history all its own. Many of the items take you back in years and remind you of your youthful days. One of the fishing items I started collecting is "paper." Paper related to fishing, that is.

There are so many variables when it comes to this aspect of "old fishing" stuff. Over the next several months I will share my limited knowledge and provide some pictures of memorabilia that might take you back in time. We will look at postcards, calendars, regulations, ink blotters, catalogs, advertising and much much more all with a fishing theme. So please join me each month - and "Get Hooked on Paper."

-- Michael Koller