New All-Tackle World Record Brown Trout!

See Page 6

The Official Publication of the Fresh WaterFishing Hallof Fame

VOL. 33NO. 4Fall 2009

Inside:

AwardsPresented, page 2

World RecordsUpdate, page 6

Ol’ Tackle Talkby Chris Slusar, page 8

TopwaterFishing by BabeWinkelman, page 10

El Salto Bass byRon Schara,page 11

Elmer Guerri (right) and Emmett Brown presents Dr. James Gammon (center) withhis Enshrinement plaque at the Hall this past August.

Founded 1960Incorporated Not For Profit 1970

P.O. Box 690, 10360 Hall of Fame DriveHayward, WI 54843

Phone 715/634-4440http://www.Freshwater-Fishing.org

e-mail: fishhall@cheqnet.net

Printed February 15, April 15, August 15, November 15

Programs and Activities

• Recognition of World Fresh WaterSportfishing Records

• Record Book Published Annually• Enshrinement for Achievement and

Accomplishment• Library for Research and Pleasure• Educational Museum of Sportfishing

Artifacts

Museum open April 15 through October 317 days a week, 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

(no admittance after 3:30 p.m.)Administration Office open year ‘round

5 days a week, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (exceptChristmas-New Year interim weeks)

Executive Board of Directors

Bill Beckwith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PresidentBill Gautsche . . . . . . . . . . . . Vice PresidentTed Dzialo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SecretaryTom Turngren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TreasurerRandy Albrecht . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DirectorScott Allen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DirectorJohn Dettloff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DirectorDave Perkins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DirectorDon Robinson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DirectorJim Scheer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DirectorHarold Tiffany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DirectorWendy Williamson . . . . . . . . . . . . DirectorBen Wold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director

Professional and Volunteer Staff

Emmett Brown . . . . . . . Executive DirectorKathy Polich . . . . . . . . . Business ManagerDarlene Overman . . . . . . . . . . . . SecretaryMyrna Huber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ClerkEmmett Brown . . . . . . . . . . . Splash EditorTim Gavigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WebmasterTim Lesmeister. . . . . . . . Media CoordinatorClaudette Kersten . . . . . . . . . . . . Volunteer

The Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame is anon-profit educational organization

dedicated to conservation andsportfishing and to the maintenance of ahall of fame where the history of fishingand angling achievements are displayed.

A 501(c)(3) organization© Copyright 2009 Fresh Water

Fishing Hall of Fame, Inc.2

Emmett Brown presents Forrest and Nina Wood with their Enshrinement plaques atthe Forrest L. Wood (FLW) Championship Cup in Pittsburgh, PA before a veryenthusiastic crowd this past July.

Stu Tinney (left) and Len Borgstrom display their respective Legendary Angler andEnshrinement plaques awarded to them at the SEOPA annual conference this pastOctober in Punta Gorda, Florida. Hall Awards Committee member Gary Dollahonmade the presentations on behalf of the Hall. Thanks Gary!

From the

Director’s Deskby Emmett Brown

Another year of our museum operations hasended. We had a very good year “at the door.”

It appears all our hard work (and expenditure) upgrading our groundsand attractions is really paying off. On behalf of our Executive Board,staff and volunteers I would like to thank each and every one of you whohave supported us so generously in these endeavors.

Thank you very much!

Our autumn has been unusual, to say the least. I’ve talked to a lot ofpeople and no one can remember the leaves staying on the trees for solong. Many trees still hadn’t dropped their leaves by November 1st. Thisis, indeed, rare.

The only explanation I can come up with is the “nothing but sunshine”September we had, tricked Mother Nature into thinking fall was notimminent. Strictly anecdotal I know, but it’s the only one I have.

The sport show season is also fast approaching. My recommendation isyou attend at least one show this year.

The National Marine Manufacturing Association (NMMA) hosts a greatmany of these shows. This is a truly great organization which puts on asuperior show. For a complete listing of their 2010 show schedule,please go to their website at www.nmma.org. I’m sure you’ll find a shownear your home.

For those of us who live “up north,” it’s time to start thinking aboutbreaking out the ice gear (oh no!). For the rest of the fishing community,there’s a lot of open water opportunity left in the year. Get to it!

Have a safe and pleasant Thanksgiving and Holiday Season.

Best regards,Emmett A. Brown, Jr.Executive Director

The History of

Abu and Garcia

Hall Enshrinee Lennart Borgstrom haswritten a very fascinating account onhow Swedish Abu merged with theAmerican Garcia Corporation. Thismerger resulted in bringing manyinnovations to the sportfishingcommunity throughout North Americaand, indeed, the world!

Len was instrumental in making "asmall Swedish fishing tackle company aworld leader in quality fishing tacklewith products like the Ambassadeurand Cardinal reels." Len's book isentitled, "Abu and Garcia - WhatHappened?"

Len has verygraciouslymade his bookavailable toHall membersat adiscountedprice. Itnormally sellsfor $29, butLen will sell itto Hallmembers for $20 plus $2 shipping andhandling (Virginia residents will alsohave to pay sales tax). Your copy can bepurchased by contacting Len's daughter(Carina) at the following location:

LENCO INTERNATIONAL, INC.6034 Newport Cres.Norfolk, VA 23505Tel: (757) 897-1187Email: carina-lenco@cox.net

3Courtesy of the Plano Molding Co.

A Fine Fish Storyby Geoffrey Torres

y grandfather was an avidfisherman, as was my father.I had the good fortune to

fish with my grandfather in the 1960'sas a kid. He would take my brother andme fishing off of Sunny Island pier nearMiami, Florida on a regular basis. WhatI remember most was his using a handline.

I was around 6 or 7 years old, but I canremember him to this day. His love offishing was really something of a marvelto me. We would wake up at 4:30 AM,make coffee and go to the pier.

This story about my grandfather wasone I just heard recently from myfather. Perhaps I never paid muchattention to it as a kid, or perhaps Inever listened. Either way, I was soaffected by this story I want to share itwith the world. My grandfather wasborn in Key West, Florida in 1888.That's right, he was old even when Iwas a kid. He lived until the ripe old ageof 91.

My grandfather was old school. He usedto fish by hand, period. In 1947, myfather and grandfather entered into theMetropolitin Fishing Tournament. Ibelieve it was held in January orFeburary of that year. The two of themset out to fish the Tamiami Canal on the75th Avenue bridge and Flagler. Thiswas their favorite fishing spot. Myfather told me my grandfather woulduse a 2x4 as a bobber. He would usethe hand line to fish. My dad used aconventional rod and reel and used tocomplain about my grandfather cuttingup his hands on the line. He evenoffered to buy him gloves. On this day,my grandfather caught a very large fish.By all accounts it was quite a fighter.He knew he had a big one, so he justkept on tugging and slowly pulled in hiscatch. To their amazement it was a hugelargemouth bass!

They took the catch to Pier 5 (whereBayfront Park now rests) to have it

weighed. My father told my grand -father he would be disqualified if hetold the tournament officials he used ahand line. He suggested that he tellthem he was using a rod and reel.Upon weighing in the fish, it tipped thescales at 8 3/4 lbs. It was the biggestcatch of the tournament. First prizewas in the thousands of dollars. How -ever, my grandfather would not liewhen asked about the catch. He didn'tcollect the prize money. However, tome, he collected something so muchmore. His integrity, as both a man anda fisherman, was intact. My grand -father would not sell his pride orhonor. What a fine catch indeed.

Perhaps he didn't get the rewardmoney, but he taught my fathersomething far greater. My father wenton to served with distinction in theUnited States Air Force in Vietnam andretired as a Major. Honor and integrityare virtues that are best taught byexample.

Billby Lee Radke

caught my first muskie inOctober of 1986 on Yellow Lakein Burnett County, Wisconsin. It

was my first attempt. It was a thrill Iwill never forget. The fish measured 39inches. My partner Bob is gone now.

I was infected with “muskieitis.” Ijoined Chicagoland Muskie Hunters.There, I met Don Dubin. He, in turn,introduced me to Carl Rosenstein andAl Weinblatt . We started going to Lakeof the Woods, Ontario, Canada in

Stories from our Members

1990. That trip was the first of what hasbecome an annual event.

I’m the historian in the group. I takephotos of our various activities. Theyinclude our fish frys, boat shots,sunsets and, of course, the muskiesthat are caught. I put them in an albumand bring it on the trip every year. I nowhave two albums and it’s fun lookingback at those young guys back in the90's! I also keep records of fish caught.A good week by any one person is four.

I love keeping records of the muskiesI've caught. I’ve fished mostly innorthern Wisconsin. (Burnett County ,Hayward, Minocqua) and the Fox Chainin Illinois. I make copies of everyMuskies, Inc release form I havesubmitted and some I haven’t. I numbereach one. I encourage everyone to keepthese forms. They contain a wealth ofinformation. Lake of the Woods hasbeen my most productive area. In fact,in the last five years, it has been theonly place I have muskie fished. Thisyear I had 95 forms in my note book. Ifpast performance was any indicator, itwould take me a couple of years tomake one hundred.

We fish out of Helliars Resort, at NestorFalls, the last week of August everyyear. I was hoping to get my 100th, butrealistically, I had little confidence. Thefirst day was a short one and we didn’tsee a fish. Sunday was another bluebird day - nothing all day. In theevening, we were fishing a large reefarea. I was throwing a BS Willy Globe, anoisy top water bait with big blades.The pattern was black/gold lace. The

M

I

4

Lee holds number 100. A beautiful 47 inch muskie fromLake of the Woods, Ontario, Canada caught this pastAugust.

Stories from our Members

fish exploded on my bait. I used mytrolling motor to get us out of harmsway. Carl, my boat partner, got the netready and scooped her in. It was aclean release. We measured her, got anice photo and let her go. Number 96was 40 inches.

The next day I got number 97, a 39incher, in the weeds. Two hours later, Igot a 35 inch 'ski that was number 98.Now I’m starting to think, “we’ve gotthree days left, maybe there’s achance.” I have about 300 muskie luresand I've only named one. It is a HawgWobbler (black and white) which I havecalled “Shamoo” - after the famouskiller whale. Now I’m looking at this BSWilly. “I like this guy, I just caught threefish in two days all on the same bait. I’llcall him Bill” (short for Willy).

Tuesday (Day number 4) was unpro duct -ive. We saw some fish, but no hook ups.Wednesday was another blue bird day.At noon, Bill did it again! Number 99was a 33 inch 'ski. Not great, but still amuskie. Now I’m getting nervous. Wepounded the water until 3:00, nothing.

We came in for our annual fish fry. I saton the deck, cigar and martini in hand,reflecting on the great trip I’ve had. Iwould have been quite content to stayin this evening. The martini dulled my

brain and my body felt like a truck ranover it. My partner Carl was headingdown to the dock. Maybe this will be hisnight? I dragged my weary body downthe hill. We got on the water at 6:00.Another picture perfect day, not muskieweather, but beautiful none the less. Iwanted Carl to throw Bill, but hewouldn’t do it. It was getting dark, so Iwanted to try one last reef on the wayback. We have never seen a fish at thisspot, but it was an awful good lookingarea. By this time, Bill had lost hisfinish. He was buck naked on the bot -tom half and had only a few spots ofcolor on top. I had to tune him con -stant ly. At 7:45 I threw him out over thisrock shelf. Half way home there wasanother explosion. I set the hook,motored out away from the rocks andgot her in deeper water. Carl netted her,another clean release. Wow! What athrill. Number 100 was 47 inches. Wehigh fived. Carl was just as excited as Iwas. If it weren’t for him, I would havestill been in the cabin.

What made this trip especially meaning -ful was not just my 100th fish, but thefact that all five hits were solid. The fishtotally bought the bait. To them it was areal meal. To me there is nothing likethe thrill of a top water hit. It is whatmuskie fishing is all about. It’s alsoabout TLL: timing, location and luck.Muskies have a unique behavior.They’re territorial and they only eatwhen they are hungry or curious. Theirfollows are the food that feeds ourdesire to keep going.

Back at the cabin we sat on the deck,the sky above was a blanket of stars.Mars was shining brightly in the south. Iwas in a very celebratory mood. I wassurrounded by good friends, all withfishing as our common bond. Carl, towhom I will be eternally grateful, Don,Al, Emmett, Frank, Jim, Mike and Mikeand John (who helped keep Bill going).We killed the remaining scotch andtalked about the next hundred. I’m 72years old. It took me twenty-three yearsto reach this milestone. Another 100 isnot very likely. I’ll just enjoy themoment. It was a day I will never forget.

5

Hanging on the wall of my studiohallway, is a shadow box frame. It has aphoto of the muskie I caught in YellowLake in 1990. Below it, is a compart -ment with an antique lure. I decided toreplace the photo with my 47 inchmuskie and to put “Bill” in the compart -ment below. It will serve as a perma -nent reminder of that very special day.

By the way, I’m expecting a couple of“Bill’s” cousins to show up from Rollieand Helen's very shortly.

"Bill" is now permanently retired and will serve as aconstant reminder to Lee of a great day on the water!

Renew Your

Membership

Today!

Our life’s blood is through your support.Without it, we would not be able tocontinue and expand our manyprograms promoting fresh watersportfishing. We would not be able toupgrade and maintain our wonderfulsite here in Hayward, Wisconsin. Norwould we be able to improve or expandour international awards and recordsprograms. Simply stated, without youwe would perish!

Just in case you haven’t noticed, abouta year ago, we upgraded ourmembership program and created 4new membership platforms. Some ofthe exciting new benefits are: a freeannual subscription to In-Fisherman orFly Fisherman magazines; a free oneyear membership to the NorthAmerican Fishing Club; a chance to wina day of fishing with Al Lindner andtickets to an NMMA sport show. Ofcourse, we retained all of the otherbenefits with each platform as well.

For further delineation of ourmembership program, please go to ourwebsite at www.freshwater-fishing.organd check it out.

If your renewal notice is sitting on yourdesk, please send it in today. You canalso renew on-line.

Thank you.

World Angling Records Granted

4th QUARTER - 2009 UPDATENOTE: World angling records are updated quarterly and the ultimate synthesis ispublished annually in book form each April, distributed free to members, media,manufacturers and world fisheries as a public service.

NOTICE TO REPRINT©COPYRIGHT 2009 FRESH WATER FISHING HALL OF FAME. Ex cerpts or whole may be reprinted withoutwritten permission as public information only, but not for commercial profit purpose. The source of thisinformation must be credited to the Fishing Hall of Fame in a type size readably noticeable or as thecontents of the companion text.

“Kept” World Records List

DIVISION #1 – ROD/REELLine Lbs./

Fish Class Ozs. Angler Where Caught DateBULLHEAD/ 14 lb. 4-6 Roger Millvale Pond, 6/3/09Brown Aziz, Jr. Massachusetts, USA

BURBOT Unltd. 7-12 Ray Flaming Gorge Res., 7/15/09Johnson Utah, USA

CATFISH/White 16 lb. 6-11 Todd Matera Mashpee Wakepee Lake, 9/13/09Massachusetts, USA

GAR/ 15 lb. 74-8 Steve Calcasieu Ship Canal, 8/17/09Alligator Cross Louisiana, USA

MUSKELLUNGE/ 40 lb. 32-13 Kurt Trout Lake, 10/26/06Hybrid or Tiger Savageau Wisconsin, USA

TROUT/ All 41-7 Tom Big Manistee River, 9/9/09Brown Tackle Healy Michigan, USA

30 lb. 41-7 Tom Big Manistee River, 9/9/09Healy Michigan, USA

TROUT/ 14 lb. 14-8 G. Paul Noatak River, 8/7/09Dolly Varden Lee Alaska, USA

DIVISION #3 – POLE/LINE/ NO REELLine Lbs./

Fish Class Ozs. Angler Where Caught DateGOLDEYE Heaviest 1-1 Alexander Teton River, 7/17/09

(only) Kastner Montana, USA

“C&R” World Records List

DIVISION #1 – ROD/REELLine

Fish Class Length Angler Where Caught DateBUFFALO/ All 39” Jack Fox River, 7/25/09Bigmouth Tackle Karlovich Wisconsin, USA

(only)

CATFISH/ 10 lb. 52” Gerald J. Nickajack Lake, 6/28/09Blue Uhrine Tennessee, USA

CATFISH/ All 26” Scott R. Un-named Pond, 8/6/09Channel Tackle Smith Michigan, USA(Albino) (only)

CRAPPIE/ 15 lb. 11” Drew Lake Miltona, 7/11/09Black Solomonson Minnesota, USA

MUSKELLUNGE/ All 53” James Chippewa Flowage, 8/18/09Hybrid or Tiger Tackle Rafac Wisconsin, USA

20 lb. 53” James Chippewa Flowage, 8/18/09Rafac Wisconsin, USA

PERCH/ All 17” Jason St. Louis River, 8/22/09White Tackle Stewart Minnesota, USA

(only)

TROUT/ 14 lb. 33” G. Paul Noatak River, 8/7/09Dolly Varden Lee Alaska, USA

TROUT/ 17 lb. 40” Adam Lake Deifenbaker, 6/26/09Rainbow (Inland) Konrad Saskatchewan, Canada

DIVISION #2 – FLY FISHINGLine

Fish Class Length Angler Where Caught DateBASS/Rock All 13” Robert Lake Ontario, 8/1/09

Tackle Warne New York, USA(only)

BASS/ 8 lb. 22” Matthew Glenwood Lake, 8/15/09Smallmouth tippet Allport New York, USA

12 lb. 21” Don Chippewa River, 9/24/09tippet Larson Wisconsin, USA

17 lb. 21” Tom South Twin Lake, 6/5/09tippet Peterson Wisconsin, USA

20 lb. 22” Jim Chippewa River, 7/21/09tippet Miller Wisconsin, USA

25 lb. 21” Tom South Twin Lake, 6/5/09tippet Peterson Wisconsin, USA

BASS/ 15 lb. 18” Tom Keglia River, 3/4/09Largemouth tippet Peterson Hawaii, USA

BLUEGILL/ All 12” Robert Lake Ontario, 8/11/09(Brim)(Bream) Tackle Warne New York, USA

(only)

MUSKELLUNGE/ 10 lb. 42” Tom North Twin Lake, 6/12/09Natural tippet Peterson Wisconsin, USA

14 lb. 43” Tom Smoky Lake, 5/28/09tippet Peterson Michigan, USA

14 lb. 43” William Lake of the Woods, 7/24/09tippet Ludwick Minnesota, USA

15 lb. 42” Tom Namakagon River, 9/7/09tippet Greenup Wisconsin, USA

30 lb. 45” Tom North Twin Lake, 6/5/09tippet Peterson Wisconsin, USA

30 lb. 46” Robert Ottawa River, 6/20/09tippet Tomes Quebec, Canada

40 lb. 48” Tom Smoky Lake, 6/3/09tippet Peterson Michigan, USA

40 lb. 49” Mark Ottawa River, 6/20/09tippet Meritt Quebec, Canada

50 lb. 48” Robert Ottawa River, 6/21/09tippet Tomes Quebec, Canada

Unltd. 43” Tom Smoky Lake, 5/28/09tippet Peterson Michigan, USA

PERCH/ 8 lb. 14” Mindy Lake Ontario, 8/12/09Yellow tippet Chrzan New York, USA

SALMON/ 6 lb. 21” Carroll M. McKenzie River, 7/28/09Atlantic (Inland) tippet Ware Labrador, Canada

SALMON/ 6 lb. 31” Alan Jacquet River, 8/22/09Atlantic, tippet Madden New Brunswick, Canada(Sea-Run)

TROUT/ 14 lb. 19” Alan Lit. S.W. Miramichi River, 6/15/09Brook tippet Madden New Brunswick, Canada

17 lb. 18” Alan Little S.W. Miramichi River, 6/15/09tippet Madden New Brunswick, Canada

TROUT/Lake 14 lb. 34” John Lake Athabasca, 9/14/09(Mackinaw) tippet Cleveland Saskatchewan, Canada

17 lb. 35” John Lake Athabasca, 9/14/09tippet Cleveland Saskatchewan, Canada

WALLEYE 12 lb. 27” Dan Rapid River, 7/8/09tippet McGuire Minnesota, USA

14 lb. 26” Dan Rapid River, 8/9/09tippet McGuire Minnesota, USA

16 lb. 29” Dan Rainy River, 10/5/09McGuire Minnesota, USA

DIVISION #1 – ROD/REEL FOREIGN CAUGHTLine

Fish Class Length Angler Where Caught DateCATFISH/Wels All 85” Leonard J. Ebro River, 7/17/09

Tackle Kouba Aragon, Spain(only)

6See Page 9 For Record Pictures

“Must Have” Books for Every Angler by Elmer A. Guerri Book Review

ne of the most enjoyableaspects of being a twelve yearmember of the Hall’s Selection

Committee for the Hall’s AwardsProgram is that I am afforded theopportunity to say “Thank you” in a veryspecial way to individuals andorganizations that have helped mepersonally to enjoy our great sport offreshwater fishing. Being on theselection committee allows me, in somesmall way, to “give something back”and to spread the word to fellowanglers to help them further enjoy ourgreat sport.

As an avid student of fishing and fishes,I have accumulated a vast library ofbooks which have greatly added to myenjoyment of the sport. I love sharingthose books with my fellow anglers.During the 2009 Selection Committeemeetings it was decided by thecommittee to recognize one of myfavorite writers, a man who hascontributed so much to bothprofessionals and everyday anglers. It isthe committee’s hope that throughEnshrinement and through publicity ofthe awards given, others will be madeaware of publications to furtherenhance their own enjoyment of fishesand fishing.

California fisheries scientist and authorPeter B. Moyle was chosen by theSelection Committee for Enshrinementfor 2010 in recognition of his manyyears of studying and writing aboutecology and conservation of freshwaterand estuarine fishes. His extensivewritings have been important amongfisheries and fishes professionals andamong nonprofessionals, includingaquarium hobbyists and anglers.

Two of my favorite books, always kepton a shelf close-by and regularly readand re-read, are Moyle’s, FISH: ANENTHUSIAST’S GUIDE and a book he co-authored with Joseph Cech, FISHES: ANINTRODUCTION TO ICHTHYOLOGY. The“Enthusiast’s Guide” is specificallywritten for a non-professional audience,but his “Ichthyology” book is also wellwithin the understanding of non-professionals.

Folks who enjoy fishing who take thetime to obtain and to read and studythese two books will, I am certain,share my opinion that these two booksare exciting “must-have!” books. Thiswriter learns something new with eachre-reading of these books, and theopportunity for confirmation of thingslearned from Moyle’s writings occurs onnearly every fishing trip. There issomething in Moyle’s books for everyangler, something describing everyangler’s favorite species and “homewaters”. The illustrations are vivid andaccurate, and the descriptions of thehabits and behaviors of freshwaterfishes are enlightening and instructive,the results of years of astuteobservation and learning by acompetent scientist and writer.

If you are a beginning angler or oneaccomplished with “the angle” you willhave trouble deciding which of thesebooks to read first. If you are like me,each of these books will be filled withunderlines, your own handwrittencomments in the margins, and lots andlots of !!! that highlight important ideasand thoughts. I have two copies of eachof Moyle’s books, one of each that arepersonal well-worn copies filled with mynotes and one of each that areunmarked copies to be shared withothers—until they can get copies of theirown…..and they always do!

If you don’t just completely come“unglued” over these two books, thenfishing isn’t your “cup of tea”. Perhapsyou should look into Bingo or maybeembroidery—but I don’t think that willbe the case. Get on-line and order thesebooks—you, also, may want to get twocopies of each.

You will love these books!

Enjoy!

FISH: AN ENTHUSIAST’SGUIDE, by Peter B.Moyle. Illustrations byChris Mari van Dyck.University of CaliforniaPress. Copyright 1993by The Regents of the Universityof California. ISBN: 0-520-20165-5(paperback) ISBN: 0-520-07977-9(cloth).

FISHES: ANINTRODUCTION TOICHTHYOLOGY thirdedition, by Peter B.Moyle and Joseph J.Cech, Jr. Department ofWildlife, Fish and Conservation BiologyUniversity of California, Davis. PrenticeHall, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458.Copyright 1996, 1998, 1982 byPrentice-Hall, Inc. ISBN: 0-13-372996-6.

O

Recipe Courtesy of Babe Winkelman

Bass Hash

Hey, fish doesn’t always have to be fordinner. Try this one for your next heartybreakfast with a couple eggs and somebuttered wheat toast. It’s a real treat!

2 pounds of bass, cooked & flaked1 pound hash browns (thawed)1/2 cup green pepper (chopped)1/2 onion (chopped)1 pound bacon (cooked and crumbled)reserve bacon greaseGarlic powderBabe Winkelman’s Northwoods GrillSeasoningSalt & pepper to taste

Fry bacon until crispy and crumble it. Inthe bacon grease, sauté onions and greenpeppers until the onion is transparent,then remove from pan. In same pan, fryyour hash browns until they’re slightlybrown. Season the hash browns, thenadd the onions, peppers and fish. Cookuntil the dish reaches your desiredcrispiness.

Kris Winkelman's "Ultimate Wild Gameand Fish Cookbook" is available for$19.95 plus $9.00 shipping & handling. Toorder, log onto www.winkelman.com orcall 1-800-333-0471

7

he South Bend Bait Company(“South Bend”) was one of thegiants that helped shape the

fishing tackle industry we know today.Although this short introduction willfocus on lures, the company alsomanufactured a wide variety of qualityrods, reels and related accessories.

Originating in South Bend, Indiana, thecompany has roots dating as far backas the 1890’s, but was not formallyorganized until 1909 and did not finditself on solid footing until around 1915.It was at this time that Ivar Henningstook over as co-owner, president andgeneral manager.

Among many other attributes, Henningswas known for his leadership andorganization. He quickly saw promise ina burgeoning fishing tackle industry andrepositioned the fragile business togrow revenues from just over $7,000 in1910 to nearly $1,000,000 by 1926.

Mr. Hennings is also credited withoriginating the “Oreno” name, a brandthat attached to many of the SouthBend products and drove bothrecognition and growth. Introduced in1916, the iconic Bass-Oreno wasthought to be the first lure to employthe new name.

The late teens also saw the introductionof another South Bend staple, the Surf-Oreno. A favorite northwoods lure fordecades, the Surf-Oreno was (and stillis!) the weapon of choice for manymusky anglers.

By the early 1930’s, the company hadgrown to over 400 employees andexpanded into new and largerfacilities…..quite a feat in thechallenging economic climate. Arguably,the company enjoyed its greatestprosperity in the 10 or so years

preceding World War II. It was duringthis time that the company’s colorfuland detailed product catalogsblossomed, many of which arecollectible today.

Like most manufacturing concerns,South Bend directed its resourcestoward the war effort during most ofthe early to mid 1940’s, resumingproduction of fishing tackle in 1947.Scarcity of raw materials held off fullproduction until the early 1950’s.

The South Bend Bait Company The post-war era marked a transition toless complicated lure designs andrelated manufacturing processes. Glassand tack eyes were replaced withpressed eyes and hook hardware wasgenerally one piece, known as surfacehardware.

Mr. Hennings, the driving force behindSouth Bend for decades, passed away in1950 giving way to several subsequentowners and managers. In 1955, thecompany changed its name to theSouth Bend Tackle Company, a better

T

Chris Slusar

#1- Manufacturer: South Bend Bait Company, Model: #963-Surf-Oreno, Color: Yellow with Spots. This package includesa tough to find introductory box. The lure is a thin bodytype, which places manufacture between 1916 and 1919. Inthe condition shown, the combination is valued at $125-$175.

Can you ID?

No queries from the mailbag thisnewsletter, instead, I’m offering apicture of one of my favoritemiscellaneous pieces.

Description:The lure pictured is a Bing’sNemahbin Weedless Minnow, madein Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The piecedates to around 1905 and is valuedat $300-$500. The Nemahbin wasoffered in at least five colors,including a “metalized” version,which was dipped in either a nickelor copper alloy. A correct cardboardbox, in very good condition, wouldeasily triple the value of the lurealone!

Back to mailbag in the next issue,please do forward your questions orrequests for identification toslusar@wi.rr.com. Alternatively, sendyour queries to Chris Slusar in careof the Fresh Water Fishing Hall ofFame.

Until next time, enjoy an old lure!8

#2- Manufacturer: South Bend Bait Company, Model: #973-Bass-Oreno, Color: Pagin Scale. This early combinationincludes a Red Sky/Pine Tree Box, a special designexclusive to the Bass-Oreno. The lure has a raised scalepattern and is named after its inventor, John B. Pagin. Thebox and lure date to between 1928 and 1930 and arevalued at $75-$100.

The South Bend Bait Company

reflection of its diverse product line. While the company continued to thriveinto the 1960’s, it met with challengessimilar to its early peers. The adventand expansion of plastics, fiercecompetition and a changingmarketplace combined to narrowprofitability and reduce South Bend’sproduct line.

The South Bend brand continues todayand although many of the early “Oreno”products are lost to time, a good manycollections keep alive the history.

Those interested in learning more aboutthe South Bend Bait Company, includingdetails about its wide selection ofofferings, can contact me directly.#3- Manufacturer: South Bend Bait Company. These

colorful catalogs date from 1933 to 1935 (left to right) andare valued at $25-$40.

G. Paul Lee Dolly VardenTrout, 14-8, Noatak River,AK, 8/7/09.

Leonard J. Kouba Wels Catfish, 85”, EbroRiver, Spain, 7/17/09/.

John Cleveland Lake Trout, 34”, LakeAthabasca, Saskatchewan, 9/14/09.

Steve CrossAlligator Gar,

74-8, CalcasieuShip Canal, LA,

8/17/09.

9

Tom Peterson Natural Muskellunge, 45”,No. Twin Lake, WI, 6/5/09.

Scott R. Smith Albino Channel Catfish,26”, Un-Named Pond, MI, 8/6/09.

Mark Meritt NaturalMuskellunge, 49”, OttawaRiver, Quebec, 6/20/09.

Robert Warne Bluegill,12”, Lake Ontario, NY,8/11/09.

Don LarsonSmallmouthBass, 21”,Chippewa River,WI, 9/24/09.

Gerald J. Uhrine Blue Catfish, 52”,Nickajack Lake, TN, 6/28/09.

Jim MillerSmallmouthBass, 22”,Chippewa River,WI, 7/21/09.

Carroll M. WareSea-Run Atlantic

Salmon, 21”,McKenzie River,

Labrador,7/28/09.

Raise your heart rate with topwaters By Legendary Angler Babe Winkelman

I love the feeling of a deep-waterbite as much as the next guy. Thatsolid THWUMP when a big bassinhales a Carolina rig. But it justdoesn’t compare to the adrenalinecharge you get when a biglargemouth blows up on a weedlesstopwater bait in thick cover.

f all freshwater predator fish,none are better-designed forsurface feeding. The way a

bass’ eyes are set is ideal for upwardvision. The shape and size of a bass’mouth is perfect for topwater strikes.And when they un-hinge that jaw, theyimpart the powerful suction actionneeded to slurp even large prey fromthe top.

This leads me to a helpful tip.Obviously, some surface strikes are soviolent they can practically be seenfrom outer space. But because of alargemouth’s suction, sometimes thestrikes are incredibly subtle. A bass willoften creep up to a surface meal andliterally suck it in like a vacuum. Fromthe fisherman’s perspective, the baitsimply disappears like a bobber beingpulled under. For that reason, fishingtopwater baits requires constant vigilover your lure. Be ready at all times!

The BaitsFor the purposes of this column, we’retalking about slop fishing – heavyemergent and submergent weeds, oftentimes with wood mixed in. This scenarioabsolutely requires a weedless bait. Forclean, open-water topwater fishing, Imuch prefer a surface bait with acouple of treble hooks.

There’s a wide variety of weedlesssurface baits available. I personallyrecommend a wide-profile, soft-bodiedcreature with dual hooks that come upon the back of the lure rather thanhanging down. Why these threecharacteristics? First, the wide profileimproves the visibility of the bait,displaces a lot of water when twitchedand is more apt to trigger strikes frombigger fish. The soft body (and oftentimes hollow) is important because it

collapses when bit and exposes thehook points better. Finally, upwardhooks will ride above most of the coverand also are better-positioned for solidhook-ups in the upper mouth.

“Frogs” and “Rats” are two of the mostpopular patterns, and I can’t say thatone is superior to the other. I think it’sthat profile that gets them, and not theappendages hanging off the back. Colorcan be critical however. Get yourself ablack, white, green and chartreuse andyou should be pretty well covered.

The EdgesWhen you get into the slop, you’ll find avariety of edges within the cover. Theedges of open pockets, points andinside turns, and the transition pointswhere one type of vegetation meetsanother are all key edge areas thatattract bass. They are ambush pointsfrom the fish’s perspective. Key in onthem and you’ll get more topwaterbites.

The PresentationThere’s really no wrong way to fishtopwater baits. Some guys cast out andwork them in fast. Others are moremethodical. I highly endorse a slowerpresentation that mimics the way a livefrog would swim. One thing I ALWAYSdo is this: I pick my landing target andcast the bait right on it. Then I just let itsit there for at least 5-10 seconds. That

initial “plop” often gets the attention ofa nearby bass and he comes toinvestigate. He’ll often hang just belowthe unmoving lure, waiting. After the 5-10 second wait, I’ll then give it a subtletwitch. I can’t tell you how many bassI’ve hooked following that first twitch.

On the way back to the boat, make sureto pause that bait in and around anypocket or transition point that’sbetween you and the lure. Those are allambush points as I mentioned.

The HooksetThe biggest mistake anglers make withtopwater baits is setting the hook tooearly. We’re inclined to set the hook theinstant we see the bite. When we do, itoften results in a miss. Instead, give thebass a two-count before you lean backon him. It gives the fish a chance toreally inhale that bait and helps ensuregood hook penetration.

The FightBe the aggressor when fighting fish inheavy cover. Get the bass up high asquickly as you can and keep him there.If he buries in the jungle, it becomesmuch more difficult to keep him hookedand get him in. Use heavy line. At aminimum, 20 pound monofilament. Gowith 30 or more if it’s really thick cover.Many anglers like using braided line of50-pound test or higher, which is fine.But I like the way mono resists sinkingso I never have to worry about my linesagging down into the cover. It makesfor better lure action too. Plus, I believebuoyant mono helps me get and keepthat fish up high during the fight.

The RewardThe payback to spending time in theslop for largemouth bass is theexhilaration. It’s simply a ton of fun.Plus, those thick-cover haunts are keylocations for big fish. If you haven’tdone any slop fishing yet, spool upsome heavy line on a rod with a lot ofbackbone and get out there. The coveris easy to find, easy to fish and willkeep you coming back for more.

Good Fishing!10

O

Of all the rare commodities in theworld, angling exaggerations arenot among them.

hose of us who fish, in fact, expect alittle piscatorial puffery in the storieswe hear, including the ones we tell.

That was on my mind a few weeks ago whenon the Internet an item on ESPN.com posed aninteresting ques tion: Is Mexico's El Salto thehottest largemouth bass lake in the world?

Hmmmm.

Seldom is such a question asked about anybody of water. Does it follow there might be asemblance of truth to such a bold fishinginquiry?

On a cloudless dawn in late February, I set outto learn more about El Salto.

My guide, Fred Ward, was starting his thirdmonth of bass casting but seemed eager tohead down the lake. Ward, a veteran of bassfishing and tourna ments, is also a bassin'man's entre preneur. Over the years, Ward hasinvented a number of lures and helped developthe famed Helicopter Lure television campaigna few years back.

Ward's eternal search for good bass action twoyears ago led him to El Salto. "I caught somany bass between 10 and 14 pounds Icouldn't believe it," he recalled.

With only two bass fishing camps on the lake,Ward last year started his own El Salto ProBass Adventures, which caters to visitinganglers from December to June.

Ward's bass boat roared to life and away werushed to see if the world's hottest bass lakewas still that way. Past flooded cactus topsand tree brush we zipped, past islands andbays we flew like a shot. Ward had a hot spotin mind.

"We'll start with 3/8- or 1/2-ouncespinnerbaits," he announced.

I made my first cast into the world's hot spot.Nothing. A second cast. Nothing.

Over yonder a pair of Mexican fisher man werepulling up their fishing nets to gather the day'scatch of tilapia, a commercial food fishabundant in various Mexico freshwater lakes.

One of the nets accidentally held a monstersize bass. Ward rushed over to see if the fishcould be resuscitated and released.

The bass weighed 14.4 pounds!

We moved on andbegan castingagain.

Not muchhappened. Wardcaught a couple of2-pounders; Ilanded a bass evensmaller.

A hot what? I wondered.

One more cast and . . . my gosh. The swirlwas big enough to mount on the wall. Shehad a belly like a football and she had myspinnerbait inhaled in her huge jaws and shewas making an equally huge leap into thewarming Mexican air. And just as fast, shewas off.

"Well, you just lost your first 8- or 10-pounder," Ward quipped.

A few casts later, Ward landed his, a solid 8pounder, maybe more.

The El Salto bass were actually imported 15years ago from Florida waters where a strainof largemouth bass roam that are famed forgrowing big. As a result, El Salto is now in itsprime as a fishing reservoir, having been built15 years ago. While Ward and other campoperators are concerned about thecommercial netting of tilapias, there is at themoment no shortage of largemouth.

"You should have 30- to 50-bass days andmost people will tangle with a 10-pounder,although not everybody will land 'em," Wardsaid, looking intently at me.

For the next two days, casting spinner baits,topwater lures and pitching plas tic worms,the bass of El Salto seemed to be every -where. I caught 1- to 3-pounders; Fred wasnailing those plus a few 7s, 8s and one 10-pounder.

"I hope you catch a big one," Ward said,sincerely.

Well, I'd had my chances. Two huge bass inthat 8- to 10-pound range had wrappedaround trees below the surface while a third10-pound plus pig had smacked my No. 13floating Rapala and somehow missed threesets of treble hooks. Go figure. El Salto'sbass were hot; it was me who was cold.

The second evening a bassin' fella fromLouisiana arrived at the dock sporting a smilelonger than the Mexican border.

El Salto Bass By Legendary Communicator Ron Schara

T

11

"I had the greatest day of bass fishing in mylife," he said, blurting numbers. "Lots of 8s,9s, two 10s, an 11-pounder and my biggestwas 13-something."

At that moment, my largest El Salto braggin'fish didn't weigh much more than a plate ofnachos.

Last day; high noon. I'm crushed. Two hoursearlier, a for-sure 10- to 12-pounder hadsucked in a Frenzy popper, leaped high toshow herself and then plunged into a floodedtreetop, wrapped my 30-pound test linearound an unbreakable branch and spit thehooks. Fred wasn't happy. With me.

"Ron, you've got to horse those big fish - youcan't play 'em. You got to get 'em in or they'lldo a job on you."

My sad eyes nodded in agreement.

Strange thing about Mexican largemouth. Theylove warmth.

"Noon with a high sun sometimes can be thebest fishing," Ward said, adding, "Even fortopwater."

While we slipped through flooded timber andother bassy haunts, I glanced ahead of theboat in time to see a swirl of bait fish, followedby a larger swish of water made by somethingon the prowl.

Quickly, I made a long cast with a pig/jigcombo (weedless, skirted jig adorned with afrog-shaped chunk of actual porkrind).

The pig/jig sunk for a moment and thenmoved sideways. I reared back on a stout, 7-foot rod.

Up, she came. She rolled on the sur face,baring her huge belly and ex plod ed toward anadjoining tree branch. I couldn't stop her and,instantly, she was wrapped. I wanted toswallow my heart. Then, my luck changed.

Suddenly the bass was free of the tree. Shedid it on her own. I tightened the line. Now shewas in open water. Now she was mine. Fredlifted her into the boat and shouted with joy.

Fred knew something I didn't. He'd seen morebig bass.

"She's over 10!" he exclaimed, reaching for afish scale.

With the bright sun overhead, we stared at thescale's digital readout. It said, 13.1.

El Salto, the world's hottest bass lake?

Muy caliente, mi amigos.

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