John Fonger is from Oscoda, Michigan.
This is an email to me about Fish Decoys Net and a little bit of carver’s story:
“I was looking at your web site last night and it has really improved so I thought that I might be able to help clean up or expand some of the information. You are providing a great service to collectors. I, like you got started decoy collecting recently (1998) and was frustrated with not being able to identify carvers and gain a little history on their life. As a retired Lieutenant in the Michigan State Police I wanted to know about the person. In the early 70’s I was a Trooper assigned to the St. Clair Post located on the St. Clair River and knew several old time carvers and on two occasions had to arrest them (only misdemeanors). I was a duck hunter not a spear fisherman. I remember on two occasions getting malicious destruction complaints from spear fishermen who had their dark houses broken into on Anchor Bay. Kids would use the decoys and any other thing wood to make a warming fire on the ice while skating. I couldn’t understand why you would go to all that trouble when you could use a live sucker who would let you know when a northern was coming.”
You can contact John at:
John M. Fonger
3900 N US-23
Oscoda, MI 48750
989-747-0384
Jmf8@charter.net