What's the Harm in a Little Innocent Innuendo?

I was cruisin' down the Internet highway yesterday when I came across a fella who said he has noticed a change in the "descriptive language of lures." As he explained, "I am seeing phrases like 'a seductive shimmy,' 'sexy action,' 'an enticing wiggle,' 'an attractive color,' 'tempting vibrations,' 'irresistible movement,' and 'provocative presentation.'"

Before reading any further, I decided to have a look for myself. The first example I came across was this photo and its caption on the Virginia Region 7 website (http://www.varegion7.com/) bearing Jim Funk's byline. He had titled the piece "The Other Woman." The accompanying caption read, "Since the weather stinks, and I am lucky enough to have a heated garage, I've been spending some time with 'the other woman.' I've been rubbing on her and fixing trailer-hub issues. I've also organized her. Next, I will remove the passenger console again, for the last time. SPRING, PLEASE COME SOON!"

The next example I found was a Brandon Deaton blog post titled "Big Girls Need Lovin' Too," which, he quickly noted, isn't something it would be smart to say to your girlfriend or wife. After explaining that the "big girls" he's referring to are female bass beginning to think about spawning, Brandon outlines some suggestions anglers should consider before headin' out in pursuit of those girls. If you'd like to see his post, here's the link: http://www.brandondeatonfishing.com/#!Big-Girls-Need-Lovin-Too/c21xo/F893AE17-7CAA-4C95-B725-333E617561FB. Might pay to check it out before the spring ritual arrives.

My last stop yesterday on the Internet highway was when I saw this headline: "Rapala's New Shadow Raps Shimmy Seductively While Suspending." The ensuing article (http://www.onthewater.com/rapalas-new-shadow-raps-shimmy-seductively-suspending/) highlighted the fact this new suspending jerkbait "perfectly mimics a minnow's final, quivering moments before its end of days, triggering unforgettable strikes as predator fish move in for an easy meal." The article went on to say that four of the pros who fished the 2015 Bassmaster Classic were equipped with Shadow Raps, heading into the competition.

As acknowledged by the fella I quoted in the opening paragraph of this post, "I understand there are some similarities between women and bass, such as often releasing many before finding a few worth keeping, inevitable backlashes in the pursuit of them, the testing of one's patience, often being impossible to work with, and being able to so easily entice a man into obsession... . However, I don't find massive mouths, extreme aggression, and the ability to eat something one-third their body size to be attractive traits in women."

He continued, "Are we undergoing a shift in fishing style? Are we done offering false food items, and instead seeking to seduce bass? If so, we should stop using green pumpkin and bluegill jigs and instead throw pink-voltage-lipstick jig heads with a sexy-curvy shad skirt. No more baby-bass crankbaits--you'd be better off with baby momma bass cranks, featuring a sensual shimmy and promiscuous wiggle... . I would go on, but it's imperative I start smearing lip gloss on my swimbaits."

I understand where this fella is coming from; however, I don't share all of his concerns. Quite frankly, I don't see anything wrong with using a little pink in our arsenals. I have been known to use some pink Senkos, as well as pink skirts (wouldn't call 'em "sexy-curvy," though) on my chatterbaits--and successfully, a number of times, I might add. As for getting bass to bite, in general, I'm all for whatever it takes, whether that be enticing, teasing, coaxing, or seducing. If a little innocent innuendo will put fish in the boat, especially on tourney day, so be it.

Cold Snap Kills Fish Across Virginia, North Carolina

One of the coldest winters the East Coast has seen in years is the culprit in the deaths of thousands of fish along coastal Virginia and North Carolina.

That headline and lead sentence from a WAVY-TV news report sounds like something you might expect from what we've been experiencing this past week. In reality, though, it describes a fish kill that occurred about this same time last year. The date on the report is Feb. 17, 2014. Covering this event was WAVY's Liz Palka, along with her photographer, Chris Omahen (responsible for all photos used here).

One thing that grabbed my attention about this year-old fish kill, other than for the fact I missed it totally when first published, is what's in some of the accompanying photos. Palka's one interviewee (a resident of Virginia Beach) described the kill as involving "large numbers of speckled trout and puppy drum washing up near docks and canals." However, you don't need a magnifying glass to determine that more species than just those two were found in a belly-up state (check the accompanying photos for yourselves).

A marine-recreation specialist interviewed by Palka characterized the fish deaths (called a "cold stun kill"), as "natural." They first started being reported by Mid-Atlantic anglers the week of Jan. 19, 2014. The marine-recreation specialist went on to say, "From the limited data we have, in terms of numbers, it just seems to be on a larger scale this year." The 2014 cold-stun kill was serious enough, though, to prompt North Carolina to ban all recreational and commercial fishing of speckled trout in that state until mid-June last year.

According to my Internet research, the majority of winter fish kills are experienced as cold temperatures cause bodies of water to freeze over. Low dissolved-oxygen levels result from a combination of factors. The air/water interface is capped by the formation of ice, limiting the exchange of oxygen at the surface. This icy cover also reduces or completely eliminates sunlight from reaching any aquatic plant life that otherwise would produce oxygen through the process of photosynthesis.

With no light available, aquatic plant life will begin to respire (consume oxygen), along with fish and other aquatic life and further increase the oxygen demand. The bacterial decomposition of organic material and bottom sludge also depletes oxygen levels.

Over time, the dissolved oxygen levels eventually become too low to sustain aquatic life. This can vary widely, depending upon the type of aquatic organisms living in the water. For most warm-water species, like bass, crappie and bluegill, minimum oxygen levels need to be about 2 ppm. Trout species require higher oxygen levels, typically around 4 ppm. Oxygen levels below this for extended periods of time will prove to be lethal.

Given the record-setting cold temperatures we had this past week, I suppose we very well may soon see another fish kill. As a matter of fact, I heard just a couple of days ago about an isolated case that already has turned up.

The good news is this: Winter kills that occur in larger lakes and rivers rarely are serious enough, in the long run, to do lasting harm, because of the sheer number of fish those bodies of water support. There usually are enough survivors to repopulate all the species. And, too, fish kills sometimes can be beneficial for the fish community by reducing over-populated, slow-growing species.

Nevertheless, fish kills always should be reported. Contact the Virginia Marine Commission at 757-247-2200 anytime you see one.

Winter Blues or Cabin Fever: By Any Name, It's a Bummer

Are you feeling mildly depressed, lacking motivation, and suffering from low-energy levels? Those symptoms, according to something I read online, are a sure indication you're suffering from nothing more or less than the common "winter blues." Maybe it's that, or perhaps it's what fishermen refer to as "cabin fever." Whatever "it" is, I know this much: There has to be a boatload of wives who can't wait for "it" to be over.

As proof of that latter statement, I offer this comment by a fellow bass angler I found as I was surfing the Internet yesterday: "I don't know about the rest of you, but I've restocked my crankbaits, worms and frogs; restrung four reels; and spent hours pitching a Senko into a cup across my living room. I'm driving my wife bonkers!"

"So what's a man supposed to do when this kind of weather hits and just hangs around for days on end?" That's the question that kept racing through my head yesterday, as I searched for a way to get rid of the miserable feeling I had. Ultimately, I decided to email some of my fishin' buddies and ask them what they've been doing to while away the hours here lately. The following is a sampling of the responses I received.

Incidentally, a common refrain I heard was, "I've been shoveling snow"--some for hours, others for a couple of days. But there was more, too.

Rob told me he has been spending a fair amount of time putting lures together. During a phone conversation with him yesterday, I learned that he has assembled about 15 spinnerbaits and 10 buzzbaits thus far, with more to come. He plans to make most of them available to Steve at West Neck Marina this spring for sale to customers.

In Jerry's own words, "My recent free time has been consumed with my crawlspace." It seems he noticed some moisture issues under his house at the end of the air-conditioning season and has encapsulated the crawlspace "to hopefully eliminate it 'raining' under my house while I'm out fishing this summer." Jerry continued by saying, "I still have not taken my boat to Bill's Marine for the carb tune-up it needs. In fact, I haven't even bought my new fishing license yet. I want to make sure I can afford to get my outboard repaired before I buy my license."

Meanwhile, Red doesn't see the current local-weather situation as being so bad. There's a good reason for his feeling that way, though. You see, as he explained, "I grew up in Norway, where ice-out usually wasn't until May. And there, at least, we could go ice fishing when cabin fever got bad enough." He concluded by saying that he hopes our ice is gone by May--a point on which I think we all can agree. Personally speaking, I'm hoping it's gone in time for our first scheduled tournament in March, if not sooner.

As I learned from Jim, his No. 1 job the last few days has been "just trying to stay warm"--something I certainly can relate to, as well. He had to get a tech out to check his heat pump. Turned out, though, there wasn't a major problem, and more importantly, "the warranty covered it." Jim went on to note, however, that he also has "been spending a good bit of time on the Web... checking all the news and comments on the upcoming Classic this weekend. I further spent a couple days chasing a guy at a Midwest tackle shop just so I could spend some of my hard-earned cash for a couple of 'sticks'. I caught him yesterday, but not sure I should call that lucky, since I put a dent in the checkbook." And last but not least, Jim has been checking on his kin who live up north. "Got a sense of gratitude," he said, "when my sister told me it was minus-20 degrees Monday morning in northwestern Pennsylvania." He also learned that his son, who works for the resort city, had spent all Tuesday night plowing roads in Virginia Beach.

Besides sending me the story with his byline that I posted yesterday, Charlie has been traveling around Pungo, checking out some of the boat ramps. He found the North Landing at Old Pungo Ferry Road frozen all the way across, as evidenced in the photo that follows. "Never seen that before," he said. "I can imagine what it will look like on Friday after a predicted reading of 8 degrees." The other shot provided by Charlie yesterday shows what the boat ramp at West Landing Marina looked like when he was there.

             The frozen North Landing at
             Old Pungo Ferry Road

One of the boat ramps at West Landing Marina

Since my buddy, Wayne, pulled the plug on his job at the shipyard here recently, he's been mixing a whole lot of "business" with a little bit of "pleasure." By that, I mean he's been making up for a lot of lost time doing things around the house--all designed, of course, to do one thing: Make "mama" happy. For example, I called him one day when he was up to his armpits, cleaning out his fishing room at home. And a couple of other times when I called, he had a hammer in one hand and a paint brush in the other. Then here recently, he went out and got himself a computer--I'm tellin' ya, this fella has become a one-man dynamo. He explained it all to me this way, "I'm doing my honey-do list now, so when March comes, I can fish! fish! fish!" Not long ago, Wayne and some buddies spent a week down in Florida, tossing 3-pounders in the boat so fast they couldn't even count 'em all. And the adrenaline rush from that kind of fishin', coupled with the fact he's now semi-retired, is all it has taken to get him primed and ready for a 2015 season of bassin' like one other I recall. Several years back, Wayne won two bass boats while fishing a circuit from the backseat of other guys' rigs. Wouldn't surprise me if he doesn't pull off the same feat again, given how pumped he is these days. I'm not sure his feet even touch the ground when he walks. I know this: He's fishing a couple of circuits this year, and he's doing it from his own rig this time, so stand by, as Paul Harvey would say, "for the rest of the story."

And now I come to my friend, Skip, who, like Charlie, spends some time traveling around, checking out the water situation, as evidenced by the photo he took from his vehicle the other day while stopped atop the West Neck Creek Bridge--it's the one I used at the beginning of this post. Like Charlie found, there was ice all the way from one side of the creek to the other. But Skip has been doing a lot more, too. "Since someone (I think he means me) mentioned that my tacklebox might be a little large," he said, "I decided to redo my boat and remove useless stuff that I never use (see first photo below). That included tackle I never use or only use on specific lakes, which allowed me to remove that oversized tacklebox." Guess what his next statement to me was. If you say, "It really adds room," you're 100 percent correct. And while still in the cleaning mood, Skip didn't stop there. "Now I'm working on rods and reels (see second photo below)," he said. He's had a little help (in the form of caffeine) along the way, though. Would you believe he estimates he has drunk about 20 pots of coffee? That's a bunch.

            Here's how Skip's revamped
            storage box looks now.

Here, his rods are all spread out on the front deck, ready for cleaning.

Finally, there's yours truly. Most of my time has been spent in front of this computer screen, researching the Internet for any tidbits I can turn into blog posts like the one you've been reading here. Yesterday was a slight exception, in that I had to mix my computer work with keeping watch on my wife, who had come down the night before with some kind of gastro distress. After spending the day resting, she's back at what appears to be full strength again, so once more, I'm glued to this computer screen. I've been here since this morning, other than for the few minutes I spent "ice skating" my way to the curb with the trashcan in tow for the weekly collection tomorrow--or whenever they get here. I couldn't help noticing that I seemed to be the second one to get my can to the curb today, whereas I'm usually one of the last. As I was making my way to the curb and back in the house, the title of an old song sprang to mind: "Baby, It's Cold Outside." Is there anyone out there who can't relate? In my opinion, that pretty well sums up what we have felt today and, if the weather forecasters are right, tomorrow, too. I hardly can wait for the rain to start Saturday and continue all day Sunday, which, together with warmer temps, should send all this snow and ice down the drains, where it belongs.

Whether you want to call it the "winter blues" or "cabin fever," I and a lot of others evidently have it. And while I don't believe for even five minutes this blog post is going to make 'em go away, I'm hoping maybe it'll give you something to smile about for a few minutes... rather than keep pitching Senkos at a cup across the living room for hours on end.

It Pays to Be Multi-Talented

One thing is for sure: When my buddy, Charlie Bruggemann, can't go bass fishing in his kayak, he's going to find something else to occupy his time. And you can be equally sure he's not going to do it in a haphazard fashion. The following is a solid example of what I'm talking about.

By Charlie Bruggemann

I don't think this weather will ever let go. Anyway, I've been filling my time with photography and local history.

Photography

Weather-permitting, I like to walk the many trails in Tidewater with my camera. Great places to visit are the new Lake Lawson/Lake Smith Natural Area, First Landing State Park, Chesapeake Arboretum, The West Neck Creek Natural Area, and Mackay Island NWR on Knotts Island. You can find lots of subjects just driving around the back roads in the Pungo area. Here are a few examples of my outings.

         Belted Kingfisher

Gadwall Ducks

      Hooded Merganser

White Ibis

And here's an example of macro photography that I'm just getting into...

                Water Drops

 

Local History

This is a great pastime. I visit the Central Library, the Web, and the Senior Citizens Resource Center in Creeds, digging up little-known facts on Princess Anne County. Here are some interesting things I'll bet few of you knew.

Ever heard of Roper City or Starvation Farm?

It was a sawmill community that existed between the present-day West Landing Marina on the north bank of the North Landing River and the Mount Pleasant drawbridge. The community provided lumber to Norfolk and Mr. Roper's shipyard company, The Norfolk Shipbuilding and Drydock Corp., which later became NorShipCo. It's noted on the map of the Norfolk, Albemarle and Atlantic Railroad that follows shortly. (See an expansion of this info in the following extract.)

The Norfolk, Albemarle and Atlantic Railroad.

It ran from Euclid, Virginia, to Munden Point from about 1890 until 1940. Its main use was to ship farm produce to Norfolk and to transport hunters going to the hunt clubs on Back Bay.

Euclid.

I'll bet most of you never have heard of this, either. It's a village midway between Norfolk and Virginia Beach, on the Norfolk Southern Railroad, near 36 degrees 50 minutes 25.00 seconds North latitude and 76 degrees 09 minutes 20.00 seconds West longitude, Princess Anne County, Virginia. The location is the area around Witchduck Road between I-264 and Virginia Beach Boulevard. It was the place where the line split and headed south to Munden Point. The other branch eventually continued to Virginia Beach, then north around Cape Henry, across Lynnhaven Inlet, and back to Norfolk.

I'm still looking for a topo map that shows the railroad's exact position from Euclid to Munden Point. I have heard there are still a few places where the roadbed is visible. From Euclid, it went straight to the Virginia Beach Courthouse (crossing between the junction of Princess Anne Road and North Landing Road and Holland Road), then went through the village of Pungo, crossing Indian River Road just before you get to the stoplight at Princess Anne Road. More photos and articles on the railroad are available on the Web.



Other interesting maps.

This sideways 1780s map of the county shows an island from Lynnhaven Inlet to Little Creek, as well as other neat stuff.

1864 - The Civil War Years. A military recon map showing rebel camps.

1907 - The rail loop to the beach is on this map.







Said Charlie in a closing email note to me, "Often have thought about doing a history blog--maybe when I'm too old to fish."

Is One Man's Trash Another Man's Treasure?

If the previous post gave rise to some interest among any readers in perhaps testing the waters of an antique-lure or old-fishing-tackle collector, you may be wondering how to get started with such an endeavor. What follows are some grassroots ideas for your consideration should you choose to pursue a course of action directed toward finding out whether one man's trash really is another man's treasure.

Estate sales, garage sales, yard sales--any of these are always worth your time to investigate. Another possibility not to be overlooked are flea markets.

As was my experience at the estate sale I referenced in my previous blog post, a lot of the tackle being sold there was marked down to unbelievably low prices. I simply didn't find any antiques, and buying more tackle just because I could didn't make any sense.

You see, I already have entire tackleboxes of my own filled to overflowing that I haven't opened in years. One of my biggest fears, as I've expressed before, is that, should I pass first, my wife simply will start selling everything for a buck (or some other ridiculous price), just to get rid of it all. [See my blog posts of Jan. 21, 2014 ("A Little Bass-Bait Sticker Shock") and Feb. 2, 2014 ("Problem Solved").]

Be nice to your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and close friends with the same. Do likewise with all  those family members on your wife's or significant other's side, too. For that matter, you might even try to be civil with any exes who live in Texas or elsewhere, especially if you know they have some older fishin' kinfolk. If you're not able to get a peek in some of their tackleboxes while they're still alive, perhaps they'll think kindly enough about you to leave the boxes to you in their wills.

You know those free papers you find in your driveway nearly every week--the ones most people (myself included), out of irritation, immediately toss in the nearest trashcan? They're an ideal spot to run an ad for old fishing tackle. Why? you may be asking. I'll give you two reasons: (1) The ads usually are cheap, and (2) the people who typically read them are members of the over-60 crowd--the same people who generally have the lion's share of old tackle.

Your ad doesn't have to be anything fancy. Something as simple as "Wanted: Old fishing tackle for my collection" likely will work. Include your full name and a phone number where you normally can be reached anytime of day, and then just sit back and see if you get any calls. And remember, this may be a case where persistence will become your ticket to success. In other words, be prepared to run the ad more than once.

As a young kid in my little hometown of Oswego, KS, I used to spend a lot of time at the local auto-salvage yard--for a couple of reasons. First, my Granddad T used to like spending time with the dad of the two brothers who owned and operated the business. I'd drive Granddad out there, and he and his friend would spend hours sitting under a giant old elm tree swapping stories in German--both spoke it fluently--and no, if you're wondering, I don't speak the language. My dad could speak a little, but neither my brother nor I ever picked up any of it (our loss, I'm sure).

The second reason I spent a lot of time there was to dig through all the old wrecked cars for whatever I could find. Because of my graddad's association with the brothers' dad, I was allowed to roam the premises at will, and whenever I needed a part for one of my old jalopies, I could count on a deep discount on the price. When I wasn't looking for parts, I used to find lots of old souvenirs (always freebies, courtesy of the brothers), including some fishing tackle along the way. If you choose this route to look for antique tackle, you have to make sure you dig through glove boxes, seats, floorboards, ashtrays, trunks--in short, every nook and cranny there is. You never know what you'll find or where it'll be.

Another potential gold mine for old fishing tackle are the proprietors (or their surviving kin) of old-fashioned hardware or auto-parts stores that dotted the American countryside during the 20th century. These businesses often were the only place you could buy fishing tackle in those years, especially in small towns. I was lucky to have two such stores in Oswego--a Western Auto and a Firestone. As these stores disappeared, it's entirely possible some of that fishing tackle never got sold, and if you're lucky enough to track down those original proprietors or their surviving kin, you might strike it rich.

Have you ever watched "Storage Wars" on TV? For the benefit of those who may not be familiar with this show, it involves auctions of the unclaimed contents of storage units. In some cases, everything is in boxes, suitcases, or other containers of some kind. Other times, items are left loose in the units, with the door closed. Either way, people bid on the contents with no knowledge of what they're getting until they win the bidding and are allowed to see what's behind the closed door or to open the containers.

Watch the local newspapers for advertised auction dates and make plans to attend. If a bidder ends up with some fishing tackle he/she doesn't want, there's at least an even chance he/she may be willing to sell the stuff to you for a fair price--just to recoup some of his/her costs.

Local pawn shops also are worth a visit. I truthfully can't say I've ever seen any old lures, reels or other tackle in one of these shops, but I have found some nice newer stuff on display in them.

Finally, as I also mentioned in the previous blog post, you always have the option of going on eBay and bidding on antique tackle or buying it now, depending on how the things are listed. I checked that resource just the other night, and there are lots of things available for a price. It's up to you to decide whether it's enough of a treasure to warrant the going price.

Some Old Lures Worth a Lot of Money

A year or two ago, my tourney partner, Rob, told me about a local estate sale of fishing tackle that had belonged to one of the area's noted anglers. I initially didn't think much about the event until it dawned on me there was no way of predicting exactly what you might find among the gentleman's collection. I decided to go have a look, with the distinct idea in the back of my head of keeping a close eye out for anything even remotely resembling a possible antique.

As luck would have it, I found nothing that appeared to fall in that category but did make one small purchase before leaving. I feel pretty certain that, generally speaking, the folks who are successful at finding anything of value at estate or garage sales are those who routinely attend these events. And I wouldn't doubt if they, too, don't frequently walk away with their hands and/or arms full, wondering to themselves, or perhaps out loud, "Is this stuff really worth anything?"

Given that background and the fact I, like probably a lot of others, am bored out of my mind as a result of having to stay indoors because of the weather, decided to do a little Internet research into what valuable old fishing lures some lucky people have come across over the years. Little did I know the kind of money we could be talking about when it comes to such relics.

Take, for instance, this 1853 Giant Haskell Minnow. In some circles, it's arguably the rarest antique lure of all time. There's only one known to exist, and in 2003, it sold at auction in Waterville, NY, for $101,200. The auction company referred to it as the "holy grail of fishing lures."

So what makes this 6-inch copper lure with two upward hooks on its revolving tail (making it the first animated lure to be sold in America) so valuable? Because it's the only lure of its size and type in existence. Gun-maker Riley Haskell patented the design (the first actually resembling a fish) in 1859. He also made some 4.5-inch versions of the lure, which have an auction value of $10,000 to $15,000.

Another rare find for collectors of antique fishing lures is this Chautauqua Minnow, which was advertised as America's first weedless lure. Only a handful ever were made. Produced by Krantz & Smith of Jamestown, NY, in 1908, it was pretty but wasn't well-received when first introduced. Why? Because the lure proved to be ineffective and generally had a reputation as having a low success rate for catching fish--a bad omen for any lure.

Low demand accounted for the limited production, which, in turn, made them especially rare to collectors. Any owner should count himself/herself lucky to have one of these lures because you just might be able to pay a chunk of your kid's college education if you should decide to sell it. According to some reports, a Chautauqua Minnow has sold for more than $37,000 at auction, even though its estimated value is only around $12,000.

Sharing the spotlight for rare and most sought-after antique fishing lures is the Heddon Frog Lure. In 1897, honey-maker James Heddon started hand-carving wooden frog lures to give to honey distributors as a way to persuade them to buy his honey.

Heddon went on to found the first artificial-lure company in 1902. His company made several other wooden lures, but none are more treasured than his first wooden frog. This crude bait is equipped with a hook on every leg and a large treble hook on its underside.

There are only eight Heddon Frog Lures known to be in existence today. Each one typically sells for $30,000 at auction.

Also invented by beekeeper and newspaperman James Heddon was the Dowagiac Expert. This turn-of-the-century lure was named after Dowagiac, MI, where Heddon worked. It originally was sold as the Dowagiac Casting Bait, but, in time, Heddon shortened the name of this blue-and-white lure to the Dowagiac Expert.

Very few copies of this lure remain today, and even fewer are in good condition. Demand still is so high, though, that the white cardboard box it came in can sell for as much as $1,000 by itself. The lure reportedly last was sold at auction for $17,600.

Then there's the Comstock Flying Hellgramite, which some collectors consider to be the first wooden lure ever made. It imitates a larvae-stage donsonfly, also called hellgrammites. Besides the wooden body, this lure has beady, red, glass eyes and copper parts.

Harry Comstock claimed to have designed the first Flying Hellgramite, and when rival lure-maker Pflueger released another version, he took them to court and won. However, Pflueger went ahead and also released their version.

Comstock's model is worth about $12,000, while Pflueger's knockoff model, also called the Flying Hellgramite, brings about $10,000.

This rare version of the Shakespeare Muskellunge Minnow is believed to be the first of its kind. Designed and produced in Michigan, it's part of the legacy left behind by lure-maker William Shakespeare, Jr.

The son of a banker, Shakespeare revolutionized the industry with introduction of his aptly named "Revolution" lure in the late 1890s. It had three treble hooks and a propeller and was one of the earliest wooden baits sold in America.

The Muskellunge Minnow represents a refinement of that original lure. To the surprise of auctioneers, it far surpassed the estimated price of $5,500 and has sold for $23,100.

This Heddon Night Radiant is the second rarest lure in the Heddon lineup. Designed for topwater use, it was released in 1912 but never made it into the pages of the company's cataglogs.

There are two models of the Heddon Night Radiaint: a 5-inch lure with four treble hooks and a 4-inch version with three treble hooks. Some were white with a painted black stripe down the back, while others were plain ivory color.

The Heddon Night Radiant reportedly is worth approximately $10,000.

Here is what some have described as the "single most historic and important wooden minnow ever to come to auction." It's believed to be the predecessor of all American wooden, underwater lures.

This mysterious lure first was found in an Ohio angler's tacklebox, along with a variety of other antique tackle. Although historians thus far haven't been able to trace the manufacturer of this rare and possibly one-of-a-kind lure, it's often compared to the early Trory minnows, which were nearly identical in appearance.

This lure has been described as "in very good condition," even though it dates all the way back to the late 1890s. What's it worth? A cool $42,560.

If, after reading about these old lures, you find you've suddenly developed an appetite for more of the same, here's the link to a 2008 Bassmaster article: http://www.bassmaster.com/news/35-most-valuable-antique-lures. Titled "The Thirty-Five Most Valuable Antique Lures," the article is authored by Tyler Wade, the social media and B.A.S.S. Nation editor for B.A.S.S. There are some duplicates from this article in that group, but you'll also find several different ones.

In the final analysis, the odds are pretty good that, at some point in your life, you may have picked up one of your dad's or granddad's old lures and wondered whether it, too, might be worth more than the car or boat you're driving. Thanks to that tool we know as the Internet, it nowadays can be easier than you might think at first to trace the manufacturers and designers of such old lures.

If you're really lucky, you might even stumble across some dude on eBay who unwittingly is selling one of these gems of bygone days for only slightly more than the price of breakfast at a fast-food restaurant. One author described such a valuable find as "just one step below beating George Perry's 1932 largemouth bass record... ."

Good Ol' Ralph Smith...

Who's that? you're probably asking, and rightfully so, 'cause I never knew him until yesterday, either. And I really still don't "know" him, per se, nor do I have any interest in getting to know him. You see, he's just another one of those lyin', blood-suckin', low-lifes who try to scam people out of everything they have.

Yesterday morning, I received a text message from--you guessed it--ol' Ralphie. He had seen the ad for my Skeeter SX-170 in one of the several places I have it advertised for sale. And it just so happens that Ralphie was wanting to do an honorable thing--he was looking to buy my boat as a surprise birthday present for his dear ol' dad. Now before y'all go gettin' all weepy-eyed on me, I beg ya to hold it in--at least 'til you have heard, as Paul Harvey used to say, "the rest of the story." Then you can let it all out--whatever it is that you want to let out.

As ol' Ralphie explained to me in some of the worst English, spelling and punctuation I've ever seen in my life, he--a hard-working engineer--just happened to be away from his hometown of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. By gosh! How much more American can you get than that? Anyway, his work had taken him to a job down on the Mexican border, where (conveniently) there's no cellphone service. The only way we could converse was by texting or email--I chose the latter, 'cause I hate the former.

He first asked me if I could tell him the boat's history. He also wondered if I could get him a few more close-up photos than the ones accompanying the ad, and, too, he wanted to know why I was selling the boat.

Knowing what I was dealing with (rats all smell the same, whether they have two or four legs), I sent him back some half-baked answers, but included a question of my own: "Just how, if you should decide to buy this boat, do you plan to move it from Virginia Beach to Oshkosh?"

The next note from ol' Ralphie was simply unbelievable. This dude wanted either my PayPal or bank-account information--making sure I included the routing number with the latter, if I chose that route--so he could transfer the appropriate sum from his PayPal account directly into my account. And he was going to have his agent contact me directly about arranging pickup of the boat.

My next note back to him was very succinct: "Sorry, but this is a cash-deal only." And you know what? I haven't heard another peep from ol' Ralphie.

The Internet is full of cases just like what I experienced yesterday. Unfortunately, in a few instances, people are crazy enough to allow the crooks access to their accounts and end up losing everything.

In my case, the first tip-off that someone is trying to scam me is all the atrocious mistakes with English, spelling and punctuation inherent in their texts and emails. I just love taking out my editor's pencil and using their garbage to keep my 50-plus-year-old skills sharp. It also doesn't hurt that I've researched a lot of this kind of stuff on the Internet and am wary enough to keep the shysters at bay.

Before all is said and done, I wouldn't doubt that I don't get confronted by a few more of these would-be thieves before I meet someone with a bona fide interest in buying my SX-170. That's OK, though, 'cause I'll just derive a few more chuckles like I used to get as a Sailor in some of those foreign ports my ships would visit. Most "salts" know what I'm talking about--the scenario where a young, disheveled boy runs up to you as you step off the brow and says, "Hey, joe, you wanna meet my mom? ... ."

To anyone who's never been there, I only would say, "Yes, folks, that sort of thing used to really happen, just as surely as you used to find signs in Norfolk that read, 'Sailors and dogs keep off the grass.' Whether the former happens yet today, I can't say. You'd have to ask someone who still wears the uniform and deploys overseas."

However, I feel reasonably certain you won't find any more signs in Norfolk warning Sailors and dogs to keep off the grass. The only people seeing signs today in Hampton Roads (and no, I'll never recognize a "Coastal Virginia") are the local politicians who see nothing but $$$$ signs when it comes to the military population. Need I say more?

I Truthfully Can Say I Didn't Expect Much From Today's Trip...

And I wasn't disappointed. This lone 1-0 bass was it for the whole day--well, make that four hours, cause that's as long as I stayed, thanks in no small part to that sudden change in wind direction and speed.

Having shed my two coats after about an hour this morning, I quickly put them back on and would have donned a sweatshirt, too, if I had taken one with me. I figured I'd have 50s or 60s while I was out, though, so didn't bother with the sweatshirt as I was gathering up everything this morning. I'll have to chalk up today's surprise as another instance when I should have ignored what the weatherman was saying this morning and gone with my gut.

My one fish came from West Neck on a Bomber Square A about 15 minutes after I launched this morning. With a fish that early, I kinda thought the day might turn out halfway decent, but it soon became apparent I was going to be struggling. I was anything but the Lone Ranger, though, because it turns out Bob Glass and the two fellas from another boat also had only one fish to show for their efforts, and Charlie ended the day with a pair of 10-inch bass that he caught in the last five or 10 minutes.

Today marked my first trip in the SX-190, and I can't say enough nice things about the extra room afforded by this boat. With all my tackleboxes neatly tucked away in the front storage box and the net resting on the rear platform, I could walk around totally unimpeded.

The two things I have to get comfortable with before the new season kicks into high gear is the hot foot and the extra kick from the 150 outboard. Even before I left the house this morning, the overriding concern I had about today's trip was recovery of the boat this afternoon. I was careful to make sure I had the trailer in the water good, and I just eased the boat onto the bunks before pressing down ever so lightly on the hot foot. The problem was, though, I didn't feel like the boat was resting quite right on the bunks, so I backed off and tried again. This second time, I applied a bit too much power and ended up with what I had feared all along. I drove the eye over the rubber stop.

By this time, Charlie had reached the dock with his kayak, and he gladly pitched in to help me out of the predicament. I first tried backing my van down the ramp as far as possible and backing the boat off, but that didn't work. Charlie and I both then tried lifting the bow up over the stop, and that, too, failed. Then we both stood on the back of the boat and tried to pop it over the stop that way--still without success, though. Our last-ditch effort was to have Charlie hold the rope while I first pulled up a ways, then backed down and touched the brakes. That method worked like a charm, and in no time, I had winched the boat up to the stop, pulled off the ramp, and headed for my storage shed.

As I was looking at the nose stop this afternoon, it became readily apparent to me that the previous owner, Robert, has had his fair share of run-ins with the same problem, because the stop is really eat up. Before my next trip to West Neck, I will have a new neoprene model in my hands to install in place of the well-worn one. My mechanic also plans to have a look to see if the stop bracket is installed and aligned properly.

Bottom line: Despite the one problem today, I'm totally satisfied with the day. It was my first trip in about two weeks or so, and I really was chafing to get back on the water. With the weather forecast I saw earlier this evening, it looks like today's "fix" is gonna have to last a while.

Received a phone call tonight (Tuesday, Feb. 10) from Robert, the SX-190's previous owner, and he kindly reminded me of what I did wrong yesterday to cause the recovery problem described in the above post. I had the trailer backed too far in the water--a habit borne of all those many days I was using the SX-170. If the bunks weren't nearly completely underwater, it was next to impossible to drive that boat all the way up to the bow stop. I'm grateful for Robert's call tonight, and you can be sure I'll follow his advice from now on.

You've Come a Long Way, Baby, in 45 Years

In a matter of only days, fans and participants alike will be in Greenville, SC, for the 45th annual Bassmaster Classic on Lake Hartwell--the second such gathering on this body of water since 2008, when Alton Jones won the contest. The dates this year, for anyone who doesn't already know them, are Feb. 20-22.

Some call this event the "Super Bowl of Fishing." I've also seen it advertised as the "Super Bowl of Bass Fishing," and many just refer to it as the "Bassmaster Classic." Regardless of name, however, everyone knows we're talking about the granddaddy of all competitive bass fishing, which, in itself, always creates excitement. And it's been that way ever since the inaugural contest B.A.S.S. founder, Ray Scott, put together on Lake Mead, NV, in 1971.

While everyone gets revved up for the show set to take place here in a few days, I thought it might be fun to do a little comparison of that first contest with the one that took place just last year.

Setting the Bar

One of the things my online research turned up was this photo of what is believed to be the only surviving boat from the first Classic. It's a fully restored red, white and blue Rebel Fastback, powered by a 90-hp Mercury MerCruiser inboard-outboard engine. The boat originally was equipped with a Lowrance Fish-n-Temp electronics unit and bow-mounted MotorGuide electric motor.

Ray Scott ordered 24 identical boats built for those 24 anglers selected to fish the 1971 Classic. The boats were all numbered, lined up, and waiting in the water when the anglers, their wives, and about 30 outdoor writers arrived at their Las Vegas destination, which Scott didn't announce until the transporting aircraft with all aboard reached the 10,000-foot level after take-off from Atlanta, GA. (Note: Scott dropped the practice of secrecy, starting in 1977, so people could make plans to attend the festivities.)

The secrecy element was such a big part of Scott's original Classic plan that he intentionally shopped for the least conspicuous boat maker who could produce 24 identical boats and do it in such a way that no one had a clue the boats were being built. At that time, Rebel was a brand-new, little-known company in northern Arkansas.

The company was sworn to secrecy. Even the drivers who moved the boats from Arkansas to Nevada received only limited information before setting out from the factory on mysterious routings. And then they had to stop at given locations along the way for further instructions to their ultimate destination.

The 1971 Rebel Fastbacks were state-of-the-art boats at the time that cost about $4,000 each. Their reported top speed was 37 mph. After the Classic, the boats were sold, with one ending up in the possession of golfer Sam Snead. Boat No. 17, however, sat in North Carolina for decades, under good care, until Durham, NC resident, Doyle Hodgin, was out driving one day and saw it for sale.

"I saw a boat there with the word 'Classic' and a big '17' on it," said Hodgin. "I didn't know what that meant, but it was for sale, so I pulled in to look. I went home and did some homework. Then I realized that this boat was used in the first Bassmaster Classic in 1971.

"It's truly a priceless one-of-a-kind boat," Hodgin continued. "The boat had been sitting in a building for years, so it was in amazing shape. I've taken it out on the lake and fished from it. Everything original on it runs like new."

Both Hodgin and his boat were on hand in the Carlisle tire booth at last year's Bassmaster Classic Expo for all to see.

Winner of the 1971 Bassmaster Classic and its $10,000 prize, with a total weight of 43.11 lbs., was Bobby Murray (at right in this photo with Ray Scott) of Hot Springs, AR. He got the job done with only four rods and 10 pounds of tackle, which was all Scott allowed any of the 24 anglers. Another stipulation was that everyone had only one day of practice before the three days of competition started.

Murray claimed top honors by fishing Lake Mead's Rotary Cove area, 13 miles from the ramp. His fish all came from 2 feet of water--a surprise to many locals, who had predicted the contest would be won deep. His winning pattern was to run from cove to cove, making long casts with a 1/4-oz., white, tandem-bladed, Zorro Aggravator spinnerbait and bringing it past any brush in the cuts.

The technique Murray used to catch his fish also was new among the 1971 spinnerbait crowd. They were used to fishing the bait slowly, letting it sink deep, then working it slowly to the boat. The technique Murray used was to buzz the spinnerbait across the top or just below the surface. When this method failed, he would run the bait up to the brush piles, kill it for a count of two, then resume the retrieve.

Raising the Bar

Now fast forward to Feb. 21-23, 2014, when the 44th annual Bassmaster Classic and its field of 55 anglers (reduced to 25 after the second day) descended on Lake Guntersville in Birmingham, AL.

Winner of that competition, Randy Howell of Springville, AL, used this high-performance Triton 21 TRX with a 250 Pro XS Mercury OptiMax for his three days of practice and three days of competition. This masterpiece of machinery has a top-end speed that is reported to have broken the 70-mph barrier. Some even say it can reach speeds in excess of 75 mph.

Livewells in this boat have a capacity of more than 44 gallons, with an aeration timer, as well as separate recirculation and aeration pumps. These pumps are rated at 800 GPH each, compared to the 360 to 500 GPH pumps used on many boats today.

Another popular feature is the port-side rodbox, which can hold a dozen rods up to 8 feet long. Other standard goodies include pole-mounted bike seats, bow rod-buckles, bow trolling-motor wiring, a trolling-motor foot-control recess, and a 24V MotorGuide TR82 electric trolling motor. Serious tournament anglers can upgrade that MotorGuide to a more powerful 36V model and move up from the standard three-bank onboard charger.

The 21 TRX has a standard Lowrance HDS-7 fishfinder, and even that can be upgraded, too. Triton lists no fewer than 48 fishfinder options from both Lowrance and Humminbird, including screen sizes up to 12 inches and side-finding capabilities.

Still not enough? Then consider these standards: hot-foot throttle, suspension bucket seats, adjustable aluminum jackplate, and as seen in the above photo of Howell's Classic boat, dual power-poles.

With a length of 21 feet 0 inches, a beam of 95 inches, a draft of 13 inches, a displacement of 1,840 pounds, and a fuel capacity of 46 gallons, the 21 TRX qualifies as a quality fishing machine. And it has notched a Bassmaster Classic victory to prove that claim. The final cost, depending on your choice of options, can reach $70,000.

Randy Howell (pictured left) took his place in the Classic spotlight by winning the contest last year with a three-day total weight of 67 lbs. 8 ozs. His final day's 29-lb. 2-oz. catch included a 7-3 kicker fish.

Most of his bass came from the Spring Creek Bridge and rip rap along the causeway.

Helping Howell earn that victory-lap ride in the 2014 Classic was a $300 Daiwa Tatula  rod-and-Daiwa Tatula 6.3:1 reel combo.

His most productive lures included a Rapala DT 6 in demon-craw color (pictured at right) and a medium-running Livingston Lures prototype crankbait in an orange-crawfish color (pictured below). However, he also caught some fish on a bladed swim jig, including a 6-pounder near the end of the final day that culled another fish and gave him a 1-pound win over the nearest competitor.

Howell's payday for the 2014 Classic was $300,000--a 40-percent reduction from the $500,000 that had gone to winners since 2006. As explained by B.A.S.S. headquarters, this reduction was done "to sweeten the pot for the 41st- through 50th-place finishers at the 2015 Elite Series events."

I feel certain the vast majority of readers will agree that the Bassmaster Classic indeed has come a long way since that 1971 event on Lake Mead. Based on the growth experienced to this point in time, I can't help wondering what it all will look like in another 45 years. Unfortunately, I won't be around to find out.

Note: Randy Howell has given away his tour boat each year for the past four years to one lucky donor to the King's Home, and his 2014 Classic ride was no exception. Here's the way it works: For every $100 donation to the King's Home, Howell gives away one entry to win the boat. There is no limit to the number of entries a person can receive. Based in Birmingham, this facility is home to hundreds of youth, women and children seeking refuge, hope and help from abuse, neglect, abandonment, homelessness, and other difficult and impoverished conditions and circumstances all around the country.