Pup
Active member
Thought this might fit best under this category. A pretty good look at a couple of 'old school'-style jigs.
Hair Jigs, Then and Now
Hair Jigs, Then and Now
The Binkelman Jig & More
- Thread starter Pup
- Start date
LedHed
Sponsor
Very cool read - thnx for sharing
Hawnjigs
KISS
Was Mr. Crawford the first to design a bleeder jig tie?
Pup
Active member
Hawnjigs said:
Hawn,
I have no idea. Though, based upon much older ties I've seen from others, I'd rather doubt it.
redman
New member
The first mention that I can find of bleeder jig was some of Carrie Stevens work from the 1890's am sure that there were some boys that had tried them on the Pike and Muskie trolling streamer patterns in both New York and the Wisconsin/Michigan areas. It is interesting that Dan Gapen's Father was a innovator in his own right and had taken many of the old patterns and updated them with new looks and it is my understanding that he renamed a few to help him sell a few more flies. One of the many things that he did was to come out with a waterproof fly box with magnetic strips. Fly boxes up to that point were little cedar boxes that had felt pads in them. He did a leader wallet that was a new thing for the fly fisherman which was about all that they had back in the day. The leaders could be pretied and put in a pouch 5 leaders to a wallet in greased pads and then you only had to change the leader not the tippet. Made for faster fishing when you lost your tippet.
Just a note to let you know that fly fishing was tough back in the day. The Line had to be greased so it would float. The fly line was made of silk and after you got off the water it would have to be hung out to dry on a cloths line or if you were wealthy a line drying rack. Then loaded back on the reel for the next days fishing where you would have to grease it up again. I feel lucky to fish with monofiliment and spiderwire.
Redman
Just a note to let you know that fly fishing was tough back in the day. The Line had to be greased so it would float. The fly line was made of silk and after you got off the water it would have to be hung out to dry on a cloths line or if you were wealthy a line drying rack. Then loaded back on the reel for the next days fishing where you would have to grease it up again. I feel lucky to fish with monofiliment and spiderwire.
Redman
Interesting how things always come back into style. Sure do love reading the 'old tyme' fishing stories and really neat to see the 'old' styles catching fish (and the interest of new age anglers) in today's big $$$ tackle market. Many out there just do not know what they are missing because they are fed the main stream media fishing reports (InFishermen, BASSMaster, Field&Stream, etc.) and go with what is in print. Ya'll need to quit yappin' about our secret society or else it will become mainstream. 
Pup
Active member
Redman,
Great post. No doubt, the Gapens innovated. I believe I read somewhere that Don Gapen may have tied the first Muddler Minnow. He may have created the very first weight-forward spinner called the Nepag. Many think of the Erie Dearie as the first. I know that the Ugly Bug was an original of theirs. I've always found the history of their company and its connection to Indiana to be quite interesting. They've influenced my tying.
Fly fishing sure was a lot more work back in the day. There have been times when I've been using modern equipment and I still feel :beat-up:. I can only imagine back then...
AF,
I'm going to try to generate my own versions of classic 'Mylar' Crawford designs. Many, if not most, will be field tested by my friend Brian at Big Indiana Bass. If he catches fish on them, I'll know for sure that they work. If not, I know they're stinkers.
Please PM me our password and secret handshake as I think I've forgotten them.
Great post. No doubt, the Gapens innovated. I believe I read somewhere that Don Gapen may have tied the first Muddler Minnow. He may have created the very first weight-forward spinner called the Nepag. Many think of the Erie Dearie as the first. I know that the Ugly Bug was an original of theirs. I've always found the history of their company and its connection to Indiana to be quite interesting. They've influenced my tying.
Fly fishing sure was a lot more work back in the day. There have been times when I've been using modern equipment and I still feel :beat-up:. I can only imagine back then...
AF,
I'm going to try to generate my own versions of classic 'Mylar' Crawford designs. Many, if not most, will be field tested by my friend Brian at Big Indiana Bass. If he catches fish on them, I'll know for sure that they work. If not, I know they're stinkers.
Please PM me our password and secret handshake as I think I've forgotten them.
JSC
New member
It is hard to say who was first with this or that... Have seen so many variations that they get confusing (or could that be me?)
The "Promotions" are for those that do not know any better -- Course those Promoting are the ones making the money .
What was that hand shake & password ??? My memory can be a problem -- Not Old just getting Older.
The "Promotions" are for those that do not know any better -- Course those Promoting are the ones making the money .
What was that hand shake & password ??? My memory can be a problem -- Not Old just getting Older.
redman
New member
Pup the midwest was a hot bed of tackle and rodmaking. This was mostly caused by the depression years and the fact that there were a lot of immigrants from the Scandinavian countries that were commercial fisherman in the old country. They had to feed there families in the bad times by fishing the lakes and rivers. They used what would work and improved on what they had to work with. After the war they fished for recreation and with the returning vets that also fished found out that there was a market for there new lures. Many would become very wealth and make a name for themselves and prosperity for their families for years to come.
You are right the " Ugly Bug " was a very early lure that was very popular. The Gapen Family spent a lot of time in northern Minnesota and My mentor got to meet them. It was a Red letter day in his life. As long as we are talking about old tackle companies to come to mind as I think about Indiana South Bend and Chubb Creek. I have a old South Bend baitcaster and a few old Bass-a-renOs sp. Fun to sit and remember all those old early lures and Giants who took a risk and blazed a trail that we travel today.
Redman
P.S. I want to correct a error I made in the earlier post Carrie Stevens made Streamer Flies and Trolling Streamers not jigs. My Bad. RM
You are right the " Ugly Bug " was a very early lure that was very popular. The Gapen Family spent a lot of time in northern Minnesota and My mentor got to meet them. It was a Red letter day in his life. As long as we are talking about old tackle companies to come to mind as I think about Indiana South Bend and Chubb Creek. I have a old South Bend baitcaster and a few old Bass-a-renOs sp. Fun to sit and remember all those old early lures and Giants who took a risk and blazed a trail that we travel today.
Redman
P.S. I want to correct a error I made in the earlier post Carrie Stevens made Streamer Flies and Trolling Streamers not jigs. My Bad. RM
Pup
Active member
This is great reading Redman. Fishing history is very interesting to me. Thank you for all you've added here.
Hawnjigs
KISS
If appears South Bend decided to transition to Chinese mega-mart gear. Not complaining, their 6' Eclipse fiberglass two piece works fine as a travel / pack rod, and maybe hundreds of thousands of USA anglers are being served by SB.
Diverging a bit from the Midwest, but historical, one of the first fishing books I read as a youngster - by accident - was written by Hemingway about his South Pacific adventures. As I recall, he was fishing for marlin with no-drag reels and linen line. Exciting enuf to hold the interest of a kid(me).
Diverging a bit from the Midwest, but historical, one of the first fishing books I read as a youngster - by accident - was written by Hemingway about his South Pacific adventures. As I recall, he was fishing for marlin with no-drag reels and linen line. Exciting enuf to hold the interest of a kid(me).
JSC
New member
South Bend has been thru a lot of changes thru the many years that it has been in business .. Some Excellent, Some Good and not so good it has been a "overseas company" for many years one of the 1st to do so.
Good thread .. anything that brings out some of the history of this industry is appreciated.
:icon14:
Good thread .. anything that brings out some of the history of this industry is appreciated.
:icon14:
redman
New member
As a young lad I found a copy of Hemmingway 's " Old man and the Sea ". It came out as a movie and my dad took me to see it. Think that dad spent less than a buck for a nights entertainment that has lasted a life time.
Redman
Redman
LedHed
Sponsor
Excellent posts. Very valuable information - stuff we don't need to lose.
The Gapens have been very influential in my tyes.
Your talking about "knuckle busters" Hj.
" Old man and the Sea " - that's another post in itself. Fantastic read.
The Gapens have been very influential in my tyes.
Your talking about "knuckle busters" Hj.
" Old man and the Sea " - that's another post in itself. Fantastic read.
StumpHunter
Active member
Thanks for posting the link, very good read.
Pup
Active member
Thank you all for your comments in this thread.