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It was a Plano 8600, that
old box. It was, and still is, probably the best ever made. Sturdy
latches big
enough for even cold, numb hands to open on a blustery December fishing
day. And, a positive locking
handle, in case one forgot to close those latches. A hip roof-style
container, both sides of the top folded
back to allow total access to its massive depths. The three-level lure
trays pulled smoothly up and out,
providing more storage space than any box its size should be able to
contain. It had survived a thousand
bassin' outings, being dropped, kicked, sat on and, once, even serving
as a jack stand while a trailer tire
was being changed. For a fact, they don't make 'em like they used to.
Opening the old relic
produced a gold mine of long-forgotten treasures. A lifetime of fishing
memories
were revisited as the contents were displayed. Flashbacks of events long
past came as though they were
yesterday, rather than countless years.
-A small plastic bag of bail
springs and other parts for the original, green-colored Cardinal 3 and 4
spinning
reels. Remembered by many as the best ever made, the original Cardinal,
manufactured by ABU Company
in Sweden, ceased to be available for a while. Demand brought it back,
but the current version is no
comparison to the one that took so many bass when Tim's Ford Lake in
Tennessee, was new and unspoiled.
-With all the cracked and
faded paint, it was still one of Smithwick's best. Named the "Buck
'n Bawl", this
cousin of the famed Devil Horse top water lure was a half inch shorter
than when originally purchased. Too
many bass had pressured the rear hook, gradually reaming the eye screw
from the wooden body. One
Spring day in Alabama, a small pocket knife performed surgery and the
small lure was able to sally forth to
do battle again.
-Carefully threaded on a
safety pin, four original Sampo ball-bearing swivels. Bought when these
'best of
breed' cost only a nickel, they replaced many a barrel swivel on spinner
bait blades.
-An over-sized jig head,
made of plastic and containing some small steel shot. Creme Lure Company
had
made its first attempt at cashing in on the rattle craze with this
product in the early 1970's. Fond
remembrances of Field Tester days.
-A couple of faded lures
that, when made, were factually called 'rubber worms'. About 1950
vintage (a very
good year), they resemble an earthworm in shape, are hard as a garden
hose and smell like a recap tire
casing. However, bass of many fish generations ago seemed to like them.
-The original safety
pin-style spinner bait, a Houser ell Diver. Not many around. The rubber
skirt is melted
into a sticky, oozing blob, but the remainder is well preserved. Made
with heavy wire, a giant tear-drop blade
and a swivel that, alone, would choke a horse, the Diver looks as though
it would stand up to a mauling from
a shark.
-The round label from an
old, gold-colored Eagle Claw fiberglass rod.
-A small package of hooks
marked "Made in USA", a rare item these days.
-A spare handle nut for the
red Garcia Ambassadeur 5000 reel, the olden symbol of a 'true' bass
fisherman.
-With rusted hooks, a loose
lip, and numerous battle scars, a Heddon River Runt Spook that was
retired
when more glamorous crank plugs out-advertised it. One of the first to
be made of plastic. Probably still as
good as any.
-The Barlow knife may wife
gave me for Christmas while we were dating in college. The large blade
is
broken. So is the marriage.
-A rubber cricket with a
bent hook, to which many a sunfish gave his all for a ten year old kid.
-A key to some long
forgotten lock..
-The 1959 Arkansas fishing
license says "J. Porter, green eyes, brown hair, 18 years old, six
feet tall, 160
pounds." Let's see, if 27 years equals 40 more pounds-----. No
wonder those trolling motor batteries get tired
quickly. Heck, no one was ever that thin.
-A faded photograph of a
true 'sportsman' with a big stringer full of bass. I seem to recall that
they were
dragged all over town for everyone to admire, until they finally spoiled
and had to be disposed of.
Conservation was not a topic then. Hope we didn't learn too late.
-An old metal key, with
which to open a can of Vienna Sausages. They made great replacements for
broken cotter pins, something rip tabs will never do.
-It has no hooks and the
paint is all but gone; but the old 59 cent Hula Popper, the first lure
bought with a
kid's earned money, still lies in wait for just one more chance at the
world record and immortality.
It's just on
old collection of junk, but it's priceless.
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