Suggested Reading, Contributors & Collectors
The History of the Fish Hook in America
By Todd E A Larson
The Whitefish Press
An excellent little book that gives an overview of hooks from the beginning to about WWII. It will leave the reader hungry for more information about hooks but what is there is there is often fascinating and interesting. You will learn new things after you’ve finished the book.
Buy this book directly from the author at: Whitefish Press
Spring-Loaded Fish Hooks, Traps & Lures
By William Blauser & Timothy Mierzwa
This book is loaded with eye candy and great history of individual hooking devises. It shows very rare and expensive hooks to common more available and affordable hooks.
Buy this book directly from the authors at: Spring Hook
Patented Hooks, Harnesses and Bait-Holders Identification and Value Guide with Collections
By Jeff Kieny
Hooks are the most elemental and important tool in catching fish – predating ‘lures’, they form the foundation of fishing. This work is the most comprehensive study of hooks (including spring-loaded and mechanical hooks), harnesses and bait-holders ever published. Mr. Kieny takes the reader on an eye-opening, chronological walk through history; a walk that is as much about the inventors as their products. Hundreds of patented examples are individually profiled, discussed and valued. Each is photographed, presented with its original patent image, and assigned a “findability-factor”.
Detailed background, historical and introductory sections arm the reader with rich past and current perspectives on this emerging collectibles area. Other sections feature hundreds of photographs and descriptions covering both general and company-specific collections, store and salesman displays, country-specific foreign examples and an exciting show ‘n tell area. The breadth and diversity of the hook/harness area is unequalled in any other tackle collectibles area. Representing over 15 years of active research, this book is a must read for anyone interested in fishing history or tackle collecting.
Mr. Kieny, author, noted hook/harness historian and tackle collector, has been a member of the National Fishing Lures Collecting Club for nearly 20 years. Jeff is a passionate lifetime fisherman and enjoys fishing with antique fishing lures and tackle. Graduating from the University of Illinois, Jeff was previously an executive for a large multi-national firm. Now semi-retired, Jeff and his wife Glee live in Missouri, south of Kansas City.
Jeff’s book is published and distributed by the Whitefish Press. Buy this book at: Whitefish Press
Collectors
Ronn Lucas, Sr.
ronn@ronnlucassr.com
503-654-0466
Collects mostly pre WWII and particularly pre 1910 +- hooks. Blind eye salmon hooks, boxes/packaging a big plus, saltwater and freshwater hooks, very early Pflueger, English hooks, American hooks, Job Johnson, Bate, American Needle & Fish Hook Company, others, vintage paper from hook makers and sporting goods dealers about pre 1910 +-, very unusual hooks, mechanical hooks, very old (1800’s) lures considered, ancient hooks & who knows what else. If it is hook related, I may want it.
Bob Johnston
bobjohnston@hughes.net
Bob Johnston
PO Box 86
Mill River, MA 01244
Interest: Spring loaded hooks, frog & minnow harnesses,
Bob Peak
shorthorn@swva.net
540-320-1799 cell
540-745-2799 home
Interest: Zane Grey hooks, Pflueger Sobey Hooks, Edward vom Hofe hooks, Van Vleck hooks, Hardy Brothers Zane Grey hooks, Zane Grey related paper items.
Bob Wentz
jbob5@msn.com
Jeff Kieny
jeffsfishin@sbcglobal.net
My broad interest is pre-1970 hooks and harnesses (of all types), and specifically, patented hooks and harnesses (to include related historical research on the inventors and their patents).
Ken Kerr
clixpix@sympatico.ca
Michael Frome
mikefrome@sbcglobal.net
Houston Texas
Thom Nefos
springhook@tampabay.rr.com
Interest: Spring loaded hooks, traps and 19th Century Fishing Tackle
William Cooper Jr.
pixie46@comcast.net
Barry Piper
catchtroutnow@aol.com
John Butrum
jonnyblcan@charter.net
Home Phone MN 507 282-8143
The hook I am most in to are spring hooks, traps , odd ball and strange contraptions . Loose is what I am after now but carded or boxed is ok
Joel Kifer
totemjoe@yahoo.com
North Star Design & Embroidery
908 Commercial Ave.
Anacortes, WA 98221
1-360-588-0530 Store
1-360-333-8951 Cell
Barry Piper – Michigan
catchtroutnow@aol.com
Bob Stoos
kingbasser@verizon.net
Bob Hoffman
tacle1@comcast.net
Tom Minarik Sr.
tom41@ameritech.net
Dewey Whited
423-878-4615
No computer
Note: Dewey has lots and lots and lots of hooks. He buys, sells and trades all types of tackle.
Tom Minarik Jr.
coaxertm@aol.com
Frank Knapp
frank_knapp@comcast.net
Steve Linkous
smlinkous@aol.com
Dan Brock
tyee55@cmc.net
Jay Chumley
chumleyj@bellsouth.net
Tom Langworthy
tlangwor@usd.edu
Collects hooks, spring hooks, harnesses, and anything that is used employing live or dead bait. Also, chumming devises.
John Hall
jkjsmb@yahoo.com