Fishing Lure Collectibles

N.F.L.C.C. History

Mike, the gardener, had spotted the baits in question and, knowing his long-standing interest in old lures, told Dudley Murphy, who was Curator of Education at the museum.  When Dudley followed up
the lead he discovered that the lures belonged to Jerry Routh.  Jerry and his friend, John Goodwin, had been collecting on their own for a little while and it was not long before all three were getting together
every couple of weeks to have a bite to eat and swap old as well as current tackle.  It was fun, and one
night Dudley suggested that it would be even more fun if there were a whole room full of people just trading baits.  Surely there must be other people out there with similar interests. Maybe they could form
a club. From that point the momentum towards the creation of the N.F.L.C.C. took off like a snowball avalanching down a mountainside. By September 26, 1975, Jerry and Dudley had written letters
asking people if they would like to have a club.  They got names by spending $4.00 to purchase a list of people with like interests from the Antique Trader, by talking with people such as Clarence Zahn,
Harvey Siebert, James Wisdom and Seth Rosenbaum, and by finding pictures or stories in books or magazines - such as Clyde Harbin pointing to a bunch of baits in a Grits Gresham book. They included
their want and trade lists and encouraged the formation of "an informal correspondence club"... intended as a stimulus to introduce lure collectors across the country. They wanted "to have a lot of
fun and do a lot of trading".  The letters stirred up considerable interest and trading began at a fast pace.  Enough interest existed that an organizational meet was scheduled for April 23 - 25 on the
campus of the School of the Ozarks at Point Lookout, Missouri, where John Goodwin taught.
 

The declared purposes of the club were to:

1.  Provide a list of lure collectors and the nature of their collections.
2.  Stimulate trading of lures and correspondence among collectors.
3.  Assist collectors to locate and identify fishing lures.
4.  Establish procedures for determining the value of lures.
5.  Find ways of more efficiently trading lures by mail.
6.  Conduct an annual "Trade Fest" where lure  collectors can
      meet as a group to trade and discuss lure collecting.
7.  Conduct antique fishing lure contests.

At that first meeting the club was organized successfully with Dudley Murphy as the first president.  John Goodwin handled the logistics, ;arranging for food, motel rooms, and a meeting place for the first meet.  Dick Streater sent in the idea of organizing the club into geographical regions, each with its own vice-president. Dues of $3.00 per year (in a year running from April to April ) were established to cover printing and mailing costs. There was precious little in the way of constitutions or parliamentary procedure in the club's organization at the Point Lookout founding - such things tend to evolve and were not really a priority in an informal atmosphere where a handful of individuals was involved. Indeed, the philosophy of outdoor writer Corey Ford's "Lower 40" column held sway - "Rules? There ain't no rules".  Rules hamstring fun, and fun was what meets were meant to be.  However, in the next few years the club would find itself arbitrating disputes and dealing with collectors who wanted to sell or speculate. John Goodwin first raised the fear of dealers in a club letter dated 9-5-77, noting "complaints . . . (of) dealers in our midst - who won't trade but will sell . . . at high prices" and the club responded by producing a Membership Information Sheet that concluded with a membership oath stating, "I collect lures for fun, not for profit.  I would rather trade than sell, and I certify that I am not a dealer or speculator, but am a collector." The club found it more difficult to deal with the sales of collections when collectors' financial circumstances or decisions to leave the hobby were involved.  Selling baits, once frowned upon at meets, took its place with trading by the time of the Paris, Kentucky meet in 1979.

Knowledge and Grading Systems
When a new hobby emerges there are really no guidelines. Today, lots of good reference books exist.  In 1975 there were none. My own personal reference work was an article entitled "Antique Bass Lures" by Robert E. Price in the May, 1961, Sports Afield.  Knowledge is power.  Finding, collecting, and trading old catalogues - or photocopies - became a priority.  Showing off collections, as was encouraged at Point Lookout, the first Dowagiac, and Osage Beach Nationals, provided a good education. Astute collectors Clyde Harbin and Dick Streater responded to the need by publishing their landmark works: Clyde's compilation of Heddon catalogues and Dick's Reference Catalog of Old Fishing Lures  Both are still invaluable works! Carl Luckey's first edition of his Identification and Value Guide was also published (featuring lures from Clyde Harbin's collection) and has educated many collectors and flea market vendors, as well as helped bring new collectors into the club. Once a bait was identified, however, it was still necessary to give a description when offering it for trade or telling of a great find. Clarence Zahn gave hints to collectors in Clyde Harbin's book, recommending collector self-education as an essential tool. Typical of the early period, he advised that the importance placed on condition should best be left to the individual collector who should decide what is important, what is most desired, and what could be settled for.  "Character" might or might not matter.  In 1977 Dick Streater contributed what has become the established lure grading system used by the N.F.L.C.C. to this day.

Finding Baits
Finding old baits was pretty challenging before the reference books came out, before flea marketers and pickers started stocking baits, and before regional meets existed. We are now in a more cosmopolitan period where baits from all over are brought to most meets. Baits once occurred in regional concentrations. For example, wood River Runts often popped up in Missouri but were virtually unknown in New England. To get one you had to find another collector to trade with from that region, or else go there. Since many baits were made in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio, collectors in those parts were at a distinct advantage. Locally, collectors put up posters, sought out veteran fishermen, visited old tackle shops (where '50's baits still existed) as well as hardware and barber shops (which once sold baits).  Garage sales and pawn shops were important sources. Hobby cards began to flourish as members advised each other of their interests or left the cards with potential sources. Ads in weekly community papers were a great means of locating baits. Another highly successful strategy was to canvass the old-time companies.  At that time they still had prototypes, unsold stock, or factory seconds that could be purchased. Some great finds came directly from Heddon, Creek Chub, and South Bend. Interests and Values At the outset, both today's heavyweights and lightweights were prized as collectibles. Paul Bunyan's might readily be swapped for Miracle Minnows. A Heddon Black Sucker was a
cherished find, but so was a C.C.B.C.O. Gar Minnow, a Mills Yellow Shakespeare. Jamison, Wilson, and Rush ranked right up there with Heddon, Creek Chub, Shakespeare, Pflueger, and South Bend.
 

Hierarchies in "the Big Five" and "miscellaneous" collections came later. The main thing was getting something neat.  (Today meets much more involve money, speculation, and a business approach). Then it was trading from the heart. What money was exchanged was minimal - usually only after several trade offers had failed, and, as I've noted before, selling was actively discouraged. Contemplation and romance were key factors in bait acquisitions.  In an age of spinner baits, soft plastics, and molded baits it was really something to see a fifteen pointer, enamel glistening and glass eyes sparkling - and to envision hauling it through the pads with a leviathan bass in hot pursuit!  That was something you'd put in a collection;  something you'd never see today and something that clearly evoked a bygone era. The aesthetics of the baits themselves had a way of hooking collectors. Intricate scale patterns, felt ears, adjustable lips, multiple line ties, and engraved metal - all testified to an era when craftsmanship mattered.  Historical significance was another criterion that influenced choice. Everyone wanted a prime example of the first bait, and controversy raged over whether it was a Heddon Expert, a Rush Tango, or a Shakespeare Revolution, or perhaps some yet unidentified gem. Clyde Harbin gave us all an important guideline to values when The Bassman noted, "Ain't nothin' worth nothin until someone wants it."  That observation has served many a collector well over the years!

Membership Growth
The letters sent out by Dudley Murphy and Jerry Routh had started the ball rolling.  By September, 1975, 13 members had enrolled in the N.F.L.C.C. and the club roster showed 23 members by August 17, 1976.  When I joined in late 1977, the membership list could still be fitted onto a single sheet of paper. By the Paris, Kentucky meet in 1980, the club had grown to 375 members. Club member identification cards were introduced in June, 1980. As of December 1, 1990, there were 3263 members. Reminiscences of Early Meets I've already made several references to the Point Lookout Meet.  In many ways it was typical of the meets up to the end of the Paris National. Club members near the site advised of local accommodations, procured a meeting room and security, advised of nearby water bodies, etc. In this case, John Goodwin did the bulk of the organizing and letter writing. He encouraged bringing fishing gear for use at Lake Taneycomo, Bull Shoals, or Table Rock, as well as trade stock. On Saturday a group dinner and slide show by Clyde Harbin was planned "to top off the day's trading, lying, fighting, and fishing".  The bulk of the action took place over 14 - 15 hours on Saturday, April 24, 1976, at the School of the Ozarks with 13 members present.  It was suggested that the next national meet be held in Dowagiac, Michigan.The first structured meet was the "Dowagiac Plug Fest" held June 17 - 18, 1977, at the Dowagiac Conservation Club.  There was a good sound to the place. Dowagiac called itself the "city with The Lure" and it had early associations with the sport of bait casting. There was also a dock from which members could throw old baits. People took lodgings or camped nearby. Trophies were awarded for the quality and artistry of collections.  James Heddon's sons was quite supportive of the meet, sending out a nationwide news release encouraging people to come to see the displays and bring in old tackle for identification.  A tour of the Heddon plant found many eager viewers. John Goodwin again did the leg work while Dudley chaired the meet. John Goodwin was elected President for the 1977 - 1978 term.

Reelfoot Lake in northwestern Tennessee hosted the first antique lure tournament.  Reelfoot had been formed in 1811 by the New Madrid Earthquake and covered 20,000+ acres with cypress lined shallow swampy water.  It was described as the "World's Largest Natural Fish Hatchery". Organized by Ted Bruehl and Tom Rainey, it took place April 15, 1978. Pflueger Supreme reels and Bristol rods were pressed into service and old baits were given a workout from "classic antique boats". Much trading also occurred as a cold front went through and limited the action on the water. Few other antique tournaments have been tried, although I've thrown some beaters and repaints with Rich Treml and Dudley Murphy. I can assure you it's a memorable experience. Two of my Bassers, a Flap tail, and a Crazy Crawler have been exceptionally effective! Plans had been to hold the 1978 meet in Garrett, Indiana, but arrangements fell through and the gym of the Osage Beach High School in Osage Beach, Missouri, was selected as an alternative for July 14 - 15.  John Goodwin again handled the arrangements for the meet. Osage Beach is on Lake of the Ozarks, and some of us fished the area below the dam for white bass.  About 21 members attended, and trading was brisk. Judging displays again occurred, and I won a certificate for being the first international exhibitor, and came in fourth in the Road Runner category - despite traveling 32 hours by bus!
Dennis Boulais and Rich Cardinal had come 1400 miles from Connecticut - a great example of determination and obsession typical of early lure collecting. Clarence Zahn was chosen as President, James Wisdom was Treasurer, while Joe Nelson got the job of Secretary with responsibility for a newsletter. 

 The first formal NFLCC NEWSLETTER was published in October, 1978, with a Slope Nose Expert on the masthead.  The first one-page newsletter had been published by James Wisdom in the fall of 1977;  the first Gazette with the frogs logo, border, and typesetting was not published until January 1979.  Anyone who was at that meet will recall the violent storm that lashed the town - trees bending 60 degrees, doors having to be forced open by three people, rain streaming down the inside walls of the gym, and the power blackout.  Enough said! Questionnaires were distributed to the membership seeking input on the 1979 meeting site.  Dowagiac, Michigan;  Hayward, Wisconsin;  Memphis, Tennessee;  and Winter Haven, Florida were all possibilities, with the choice  being the Dowagiac Union High School in Dowagiac, Michigan.  The swap meet was scheduled on July 6 - 7 to take advantage of an additional travel day with the holiday weekend that would not be charged to people's vacation time. Clarence Zahn organized the meet.  There were two subtle changes in emphasis:  no judging of displays and no emphasis on going fishing.  Again the Heddon company was highly supportive, providing a tour of the plant. We could view the making of a bait from start to finish, see the color boards showing available patterns for baits produced, and marvel at the three main cases in the Heddon Collection display. Joe Courcelle was elected President, Larry Smith began his long and distinguished career as Newsletter Editor, and Jackie Hewlett became Secretary-Treasurer.

The 1980 National was arranged by Joe Courcelle and held at the American Legion Hall in Paris, Kentucky - an area associated with the Snyder bait casting reel.  Lodgings were often a half-hour's drive away.  The land was flat, with racehorses and bluegrass abounding - and no water to fish. The meet was a beehive of activity.  Dick Wilson had come with six Artistic Minnows and Don DeYoung had a ton of Shakespeare items available.  The meet ran Friday to Sunday, July 11 - 12 - 13, with 56 members in attendance. Things were so hectic that the security guard virtually had to run the members out of the hall Friday night - two hours after we were supposed to shut down. The canteen offered standard fare and some regional specialties. Joe Courcelle sought, and was granted, a second term.  Jackie and Larry were also returned to office.  Paris was the last national meet held where members stayed off-site and therefore, the last before room-hopping became standard practice.  Joe Courcelle presented a draft constitution which was discussed.  The identification of unethical practices came up, with the club to start policing it's own members.  Del Scrobell was asked to investigate insurance for lure collections. An update had already been prepared by Vernon Kirby on the lure display at the Freshwater Hall of Fame in Hayward, Wisconsin.  Art Kimball and Pete Haupt were very active in this project, and 29 collectors contributed 64 lures to the effort. At this meet it was determined that members with outstanding dues would be dropped from the roll - apparently several had been there for some time. In many ways this was the first "real" business meeting since the organizational swap meet.

Summary Thoughts
The N.F.L.C.C. has changed in many ways since it's inception. The hobby has grown immensely in popularity, demonstrating that the founder's aspirations of filling meeting halls with people were not pie in the sky.  The hobby has also become more complex, with speculation often replacing romance and structure replacing informality.  The N.F.L.C.C. has surely suffered growing pains, but it has evolved and matured, and offers each of us an opportunity to pursue our pastime.  As we move into the '90's, let us not forget our roots, and may we still "have a lot of fun" with our hobby.