From Detroit Lakes, MN
David carves both collectible and working fish decoys.
David Rasmussen is a retired Conservation Officer/Game Warden for the State of Minnesota. He is also known as “Ras,” He writes “I checked many spear fishermen during my 25 years as a game warden but never gave much thought to the makers of those wooden fish that swam below the ice of northwestern Minnesota. It was only after my retirement did I find an interest in collecting decoys which eventually led to the making of fish decoys. I’ve made about 1000 decoys since the spring of 2000. I am a firm believer that a fish decoy must have a good swimming ability in the water, whether it is purchased for that use or for us as a collectible item. If it doesn’t swim, it is merely a wooden carving of a fish.”
Ras offers genuine fish decoys, made by a spear fisherman that knows what it is like to look down through a hole in the ice. From the pictures below you can see that RAS takes great pride in his work in each and every fish decoy. His decoys are swim tested in a lake. Ras quickly points out that if the fish decoy does not pass his stringent swimming requirements, it is not sold as a fish decoy. RAS is involved in competitions on an area, regional, and national levels have won a number of awards in the short time he has been carving. Those competitions are based not only on artistic quality, but on swimming ability. Ras finalizes his writing with the following words of wisdom “The hobby of collecting fish decoys can be of great satisfaction. So take a look around on eBay at the different styles and techniques that my fellow carvers and I use. I am sure you will find a fish decoy that will appeal to you:
Fishcritter final note – I have purchased a few of Ras’s decoys and they are everything Ras says about his decoys – Thanks Ras for a great fish.
Update on 7/7/11
Ras added to one of his eBay auctions the following:
At this time, I am taking a break from the fish decoy world. I will not be producing any new decoys in the future months or perhaps ever again (???) but I do have a variety to offer in the upcoming months. Those that have followed me since 2001 have seen a wide variety of fish decoys. I have made about 2,200 at this time and am venturing off into another area. I am continuing work in the fish and wildlife art world and you might see some of that in the months ahead.
Folk artist David Rasmussen of the lakes country of Minnesota. Rasmussen has received numerous awards for his fish and is recognized as one of the most innovative folk art fish decoy carvers around.
Most of the decoys that I make are totally unlike the fish decoys that you will see listed. I strive to offer you something different, something unique, something other than a regular fish decoy. My goal is to make a product that is not duplicated
a 2006 Decoy by Ras with a very new style – Paint inlay and what a nice job he does.
Decoys by Ras:
14932 Leisure Drive
Detroit Lakes, MN 56501
218-847-6212
duklvr@tekstar.com
Permission Granted by RAS