RED STIER

Old Pflueger Bearcat duel spoon that is still attached to its cardboard display, It is in mint condition. They can date back to the early 1900's.

Submitted photo

“Wood” Merry Widow lure. This lure could be dated back to 1945 Made by the Makinen Tackle Co. In Kaleva, Mich.

Submitted photo

Antique card and checker table.

STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

Tell us about it

• What would you add to this story? Tell us what we missed.
• Do you have photos from this event? Documents we need to see? Share with us.
• Upload photos & videos
• More ways to get your stuff online and in the paper.

More Fishing and Boating

• A not-so-lovely weekend for a regatta
• Seaworthy: Starting the season off right
• Seaworthy: Start the season right

Share and Enjoy [?]

No calls or emails about the ID of the larger lure featured in last week’s article. I have e-mailed some of the real pros and if they come through I will let you know for sure what it is.

My typo in last week’s article, just above the three mice, should have read Shakespeare swimming mice. I did not catch it until it was too late to correct. I tried to be fancy and typed the words in the picture, got in a hurry and did not take a second look at it before submitting it. Sorry about that.

On the same track ... Many of us get in a hurry and do not take the time to look at many things which could end up resulting in letting a treasure or great story slip away.

I have known of collectors that purchased an old reel or rod and reel combinations. Days later they wake up and realize they forgot to ask the person if they had the original box for the reel.

One fellow called the person back and yes! They had it but it would cost him another fifty dollars. Another person had the box but had put it in the recycle and it was hauled off to the landfill we used to call the dump.

The moral of the story is, don’t be in a hurry and ask the right questions.

Two good questions are, do you have any more tackle you would like me to look at? Or do you know anyone that may have some tackle or whatever you are collecting? By now you may be saying, “that Red Stier has some good suggestions!”

I must admit I learned the hard way. Also, when a lady called me and asked if I would be interested in a large reel rigged with a fiberglass rod. I said I was. To my surprise when I arrived the combo turned out to be a Penn 16/0 and an early Harnell fiberglass rod for deep sea fishing with roller guides in excellent condition.

The tackle has been her late husband’s. She said her husband had fished with it quite a bit. Guess what? I purchased it and forgot to ask her if she had the box for the reel! It is a good bet she did not have it but I will never know.

I am looking around and just spied a duel spinner bait with one large triple hook wrapped with real feathers.

One of the spinners is a stamped Pflueger Bearcat, still in its original cardboard display box the reads “Pflueger Bearcat Muskallunge Bait.”

The bait is 8 ½ total inches long and has been laying in a wall display of several different brands, sizes and colors of spoons.

I went to the publication Fishing Tackle & Collectibles by Karl White, page 106, to find these baits can date back to 1900. Book value at the time of the book’s printing is $30 to $40. It should be worth quite a bit more now. I can see how it could have survived so long as it is so neat I would never use it.

I found a wood lure called Merry Widow. It could be dated as far back as 1945 and made by the Makinen Tackle Co., in Kaleva, MI. As the story goes they also made lures for Heddon but went bankrupt in 1949. Heddon then bought what was left of the company.

From what I am able to find out, I really believe this lure is Makinen made. It has been used causing some paint cracking on the bottom underneath the head making it in fair condition.

And now for other old things. I tried to bait you last week by suggesting I might have an old card/checker table to show you. It is old, really old card table that my parents used back in Greensburg, IN in the late 1930s.

They would invite their friends over to play bingo, checkers and cards setting up three tables, one of which has an inlay of a checker board and in two corners of the table two recessed holes that held two aluminum ash trays. The checkers, which I also have, are painted wood.

Of course they all came with food and spirits for the event and stayed the day.

I have tried to ID the table but to date, failed. Anyone out there ever seen one like it, let me know and we will all share the solving of the mystery of the table.

Do not forget the Dania Marine Flea Market being held at the Miami Dolphin Stadium, March 6, 7.8 and 9, opens 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday opens 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free parking; admission is $12, $10 on Sunday, children under 12 free.

You may go to their website for more information www.thedaniamarinefleamarket.com.

Good hunting!

---

Red Stier is a weekly contributor to the Marco Island Eagle. Questions or comments may be directed to redstier@aol.com or 172 Trinidad St., Naples, FL 34113.