ICE SPEARING DECOYS and RELATED PARAPHERNALIA,
AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY AND INDEX
by Gary L. Miller – Copyright 1980 – November 12, 2020
Author’s note: This is intended to be a dual purpose document. It can be used in this digital format (or printed out) as a traditional bibliography or it can be used as a digital index by utilizing your computer’s search function. Either way I think you will find it a very useful tool.
BOOKS:
Anonymous. The Sportsman’s Portfolio of American Field Sports. Boston: M. M. Ballou, 1855. (Pp.20 and 24 contain illustrations and descriptions of fishing with tip-ups for pike and smelt).
Anonymous. Lake Sturgeon Harvest, Growth, and Recruitment in Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin. Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Technical Bulletin No. 83, 1975. 25 pages. Unexamined.
Apfelbaum, Ben, Eli Gottlieb and Steven J. Michaan. Beneath the Ice, The Art of the Spear Fishing Decoy. New York: E. P. Dutton and Company in association with The Museum of American Folk Art, 1990. (Basically an exhibition catalog for the exhibit of the same name. Beautifully photographed. Minimal text.)
Baron, Frank R. and Raymond L. Carver. Bud Stewart, Michigan’s Legendary Lure Maker. Hillsdale, Michigan: Ferguson Communications, 1990. (228 pages with hundreds of black & white and color illustrations but poor photo editing resulted in many items being chopped off in the pictures. Nevertheless an essential reference for the Bud Stewart collector. An interesting commentary on ice spear fishing and decoys by Bud that curiously is not entirely consistent with the actual decoys).
Baron, Frank R. One Fish, Two Fish, Green Fish, Blue Fish. Livonia, Michigan: Frank Baron, 1992. (A homemade booklet comprised of copies of articles and essays by Frank Baron, Harold Dickert and Marcel Salive, most of which were previously published in various periodicals and in Frank’s own decoy sale lists. With the exception of the cover, all the fish decoy illustrations are sketches by Jim Serdenis. The green fish on the cover is a perch by Aubrey Furton and the blue fish is a herring decoy by Alfred Dreschel. 61 pages).
Baron, Frank R. Commercial Fish Decoys, Identification and Value Guide: Collectible Decoys and Implements Used in the Sport of Ice Spear Fishing. Paducah, Kentucky: Collector Books, 2002 (Generally good but lots of filler. Values are conservative).
Batchelor, John, Rev. The Ainu of Japan; the religion, superstitions, and general history of the hairy aborigines of Japan. London: Religious Tract Society, 1892. 336 pages. (Interesting description of the Ainu using a decoy to spear pike. “This bait is nothing but a piece of iron wrapped in blue material, bound on with white bark. At the end of this is a piece of white bone, two inches long, which is furnished with a tail made of pieces of bark and a red piece of cloth.” It was used by drawing along the bottom).
Beard, Daniel Carter. The American Boy’s Handy Book. Originally published in 1882 and still in print. (Daniel Carter “Uncle Dan” Beard (June 21, 1850 – June 11, 1941) was an American illustrator, author, youth leader, and social reformer who founded the Sons of Daniel Boone in 1905, which Beard later merged with the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). His descriptions of the spearing shanty, snaring and spearing fish through the ice are right on. About the decoy he had this to say, “to be effective, it should be decorated with a brilliant red stripe on each side, a white belly, and a bright green back.”).
Bennyhof, J. A. California Fish Spears and Harpoons. Berkely and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1950. (Anthropological tract dealing with fish spears and harpoons of the indigenous peoples of California). http://digitalassets.lib.berkeley.edu/anthpubs/ucb/text/ucar009-005.pdf
Bishop, Robert. American Folk Sculpture. New York: E. P. Dutton and Company, 1974. (Pp. 128-133 contain a chapter titled “From the Waters” with 9 fish decoy illustrations including 2 Oscar Petersons, a Bert Winnie and a sketch showing how decoys are used. Some of these same illustrations also appear in the Americana article by this same author. Minimal text. This along with Hemphill & Weissman’s Twentieth-Century American Folk Art and Artists are the earliest references that I am aware of that treat American fish spearing decoys as collectible folk art. Up until this time fish spearing decoys appear to have been totally ignored by the collector press).
Bishop, Robert. Treasures of American Folk Art. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1979. (Pg. 19 contains a large color illustration of 8 assorted fish decoys some of which can now be identified as Isaac Goulette, Pearl Bethel and Frank Mizera. Very brief text).
Bishop, Robert and Jacqueline M. Atkins. Folk Art In American Life. New York: Viking Studio Books, 1995. (Basically a showcase of the collections of the Museum of American Folk Art, it’s friends and benefactors. Pg. 184 contains four color fish decoy illustrations: anonymous Sturgeon coaxer (probably Wisconsin) and three Oscar Peterson’s. Photo caption has short biographical sketch of Peterson. Curiously, all the examples shown are quite unremarkable, given that this museum has access to some of the worlds finest examples. Minimal text.)
Bishop, Robert and Judith Weissman. Knopf Collectors’ Guide to Folk Art. New York: Knopf, 1983. (I have not personally examined this source).
Blauser, William and Timothy Mierzwa. Spring-Loaded Fish Hooks, Traps & Lures, Identification and Value Guide. Paducah, Kentucky: Collector Books, 2006. (Although primarily a book of spring hooks, there is one extraordinary spring-loaded pike fish spearing decoy from Kalamazoo, Michigan featured on pp. 214 & 215).
Bonin, Richard & Raymond. Duluth Fish Decoys by David E. Perkins. Beachburg, Ont.: Heliconia Press, 2007. (ISBN 978-1-896980-36-2). (I have not personally examined this source, but according to the dust jacket, “Perkins has been carving for nearly six decades and over the years his wooden fish and “critters” have become some of the most sought-after in the country. This book documents a wide range of his work, demonstrates how his style has evolved over the years and defines methods of identification”).
Borge, Lila J. and Jay A. Leitch. Winter Darkhouse Spearing in Minnesota: Characteristics of Participants. Fargo, ND: Center for Environmental Studies, Tri-College University, North Dakota State University, September 1988, Misc. Pub. #2. (Title is self descriptive).
Brooks, Lake. Science of Fishing. St. Louis, MO: A. R. Harding, Publisher, 1912. (Not examined).
Bueno, Bill. The American Fisherman’s Guide. New York: Prentice-Hall, Inc.,1952. pp. 190-196. (Has a reprint of the classic, “The Shadow Catchers” by Gordon MacQuarrie).
Calabi, Silvio. The Collector’s Guide to Antique Fishing Tackle. Secaucus, NJ: Wellfleet Press, 1989. (Mr. Calabi is editor of Rod and Reel Magazine. Fish decoy chapter, pp. 147-170, has 15 large high quality color photos).
Carter, Arlan. 19th Century Fishing Lures, A Collector’s Guide to U. S. Lures Manufactured Prior to 1901. Paducah, KY: Collector Books, 2000. 303 pages with numerous illustrations. (A quality book that combines a well researched history of each maker with good photos, catalog and ad cuts and patent information. Of particular interest is an account on pp. 34 & 35 of William Chapman spearing muskies by jacklight on Red Lake in the early 1830s. Of additional interest are the entries on Pflueger’s fish spearing decoys, the Votaw & Thomas decoy / lure and the Pflueger Fishing Castle).
Charles, Gordon. A Boy, A Bike & Buster. Traverse City, MI: Traverse Outdoor Press, 1995, (169 pages with illustrations by Gene Hibbard. Autobiographical account of growing up in 1930s Traverse City, Michigan. Good sketches of Trude Hardware, Mark Craw, Howard Blonshine, Harry Day, Art Winnie, Ed Zimmerman, Fred Birdsey and other local places and characters. Includes an account of the introduction of smelt to Michigan).
Chiappetta, Jerry. Modern ABC’s of Ice Fishing. Harrisburg, PA: The Stackpole Company, 1966. (Good overview of the sport of ice fishing ca. 1965. The spearing chapter offers a particularly good explanation of how this sport is conducted. The book draws heavily from Michigan sources and examples as Chiappetta is from Michigan).
Claflin, Bert. Muskie Fishing. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1948, (See Ben Chosa, pp. 68-74).
Cleland, Charles E., editor. The Lasanen Site, An Historical Burial Locality in Mackinac County, Michigan. Publications of the Museum, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, 1971. (Artifacts uncovered in this dig dated to the period 1670-1715 and included, among other things, marine conch shell fish effigies and iron and bone harpoons. Cleland, however believes the shell fish to be adornments rather than fish lures).
Colio, Quintina. American Decoys. Ephrata, Penn: Science Press, 1972. (Six sentence discussion of fish decoys. Omits Michigan and others in her list of the states that still permit spearing. One photo of six unidentified decoys).
Coon, Carleton S. The Hunting Peoples. London: Jonathan Cape Ltd, 1972. (Comprehensive discussion of early man’s use of the spear which is deeply rooted in antiquity. See pp. 136-139 for descriptions of the leister, herring rake, Ainu marek and taimen spear. Pg. 148 has good description of the Ainu fish decoy used to spear cherry salmon).
Cottle, James T. Carving Fish Decoys, A Traditional American Folk Art. Stackpole Books, 1991. (Cottle is a former resident of Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan and was undoubtedly influenced in his carving by his youth there).
Damas, David, Ed. Handbook of North American Indians, Volume 5. Washington D. C.: Smithsonian Institution, 1984. (Historical background. Not examined).
Darell, Margery. Currier & Ives; Christmas in the Country. Princeton, N.J. : Pyne Press, 1974. (Illustrations and descriptions of C.&I. prints, some of which depict ice fishing scenes, tip-ups, etc.).
Densmore, Frances. Chippewa Customs. St. Paul, Minn: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1979. (Reprint of 1929 edition. Plate 45 d illustrates indian spearing decoy with birchbark tail).
Drake, Francis S., editor. THE INDIAN TRIBES OF THE UNITED STATES: THEIR HISTORY, ANTIQUITIES, CUSTOMS, RELIGION, ARTS, LANGUAGE, TRADITIONS, ORAL LEGENDS, AND MYTHS. EDITED BY FRANCIS S. DRAKE. ILLUSTRATED WITH ONE HUNDRED FINE ENGRAVINGS ON STEEL IN TWO V O L U M E S. VOL. I. PHILADELPHIA: J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO. LONDON : 16 SOUTHAMPTON STREET, COVENT GARDEN. 1884. (“In a region abounding with lakes and streams, fishing also becomes an art taught to the young. There are some modes of fishing through the ice which are very ingenious. One of the most common of these is to play a decoy through a hole perforated in the ice by means of an instrument called aishkun by the Algonkin tribes. It consists of a sort of stout chisel of iron attached firmly to a pole. The decoy is generally the image of a small fish. The Indian, placing himself flat on his stomach, covers his head with his blanket, supported by branches, in order to exclude the light. By thus excluding the extraneous glare the vision is extended into the waters below, and the watcher stands ready with his spear to dart the point
into his victim as soon as it approaches to seize the bait. In this manner, as depicted in Plate 44, the Indian is enabled to supply his family with food at the most inclement and. pinching seasons. Another mode of taking fish in the winter is to make a series of orifices through the ice in a direct line. A gill-net is then pushed by its head-lines from one orifice to another until its entire length is displayed. Buoys and sinkers are attached to it, and it is then let down into deep water, where white-fish and other large species resort at this season. By this mode, which is very common throughout the lakes where deep water abounds, these species are captured at the greatest depths, while sheltering themselves in their deepest winter recesses. Fish are sometimes brought up in the immediate vicinity of Michilimackinac from a depth of eighty fathoms.”)
Engers, Joe, General Editor. The Great Book of Wildfowl Decoys. San Diego, Cal: Thunder Bay Press, Inc., 1990. (Michigan chapter written by Bernard W. Crandell includes profiles of a number of carvers also known to have made fish decoys: John Schweikart, Yock Meldrum, Tom Schroeder, Jim Kelson, Chris Smith, Walter Struebing, Budgen Sampier, Frank Schmidt and Ed Kellie).
Federal Writers’ Project. Michigan. A guide to the Wolverine state, New York: Oxford University Press, 1st Published in 1941, 2nd printing Jan. 1943. (Pages 372 & 373 mention the Herring-Choker Jamboree held each winter at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Named for the method of spearing herring through the ice – “a carefully placed thrust through the back of the neck that shuts off the fish’s air supply.” Page 509 discusses the winter smelt fishing village, “Smeltania”, that appeared each winter on Lake Charlevoix at Boyne City, Michigan).
Fleckenstein, Henry A., Jr. American Factory Decoys. Exton, Penn: Schiffer Publishing Limited, 1981.
Forester, Frank. The Complete Manual for Young Sportsmen. New York: W. A. Townsend, Publisher, 1866.
Fritz, Ronald J. Michigan’s Master Carver, Oscar W. Peterson, 1887-1951. Boulder Junction,Wisconsin: Aardvark Publications, Inc., 1987. (Generally good but some of the dimensions and attributions cited here cannot be trusted. Numerous errors).
Gates, Charles M., ed. Five Fur Traders of the Northwest. St. Paul, Minn: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1965.
Gibson, W. Hamilton. Camp Life in the Woods and Tricks of Trapping and Trap Making. New York: Harper & Brothers, Franklin Square, 1881. (Describes spearing through the ice with a decoy and tells how to construct an underwater decoy light for spearing at night).
Gilman, Carolyn. Where Two Worlds Meet. St. Paul, Minn: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1982.
Goode, George Brown. The Fisheries and Fishery Industries of the United States, Section V, History and Methods of the Fisheries, Vol. I. Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, 1887. (Page 767 contains a description of winter spearing on Saginaw Bay in the years 1877-79).
Gribbins, Joseph. Chris-Craft, A History – 1922-1942. Marblehead, Mass.: Devereux, 2001. (Good biographical sketches of Chris Smith and others important in the history of Chris-Craft).
Gruenwald, Tom. Hooked on Ice Fishing III – Game Fish. Krause Publications, 1999. (Softcover, 300 B & W photos. Not examined).
Haid, Alan G. Decoys of the Mississippi Flyway. Exton, Penn.: Schiffer Publishing Limited, 1981. (Short biographical sketches of Lake St. Clair area duck decoy carvers who also made fish decoys; Schroeder, Kelson, Kellie, etc.)
Harbin, Clyde. James Heddon’s Sons Catalogues by the Bassman. Memphis, Tenn: The Bassman,1984. (Good source for dating Heddon decoys).
Harbin, Clyde. James Heddon’s Sons Catalogues by the Bassman. Memphis, Tenn: The Bassman,1984 with additions by Clarence Zahn. (More complete than the former).
Harbin, Clyde. Heddon Historical Footprints, James Heddon’s Son, Dowagiac, Mi. Memphis, Tenn: The Bassman, CAH Enterprises, 1995. (Valuable referrence for Heddon).
Harbin, Clyde and Bill Wetzel. A Collectors Reference Guide to Heddon Fishing Lures. Bamberg, South Carolina: 1984.
Harrell, Loy S. Decoys of Lake Champlain. West Chester, Pa.: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1986. (Brief discussion of Lake Champlain fish decoys).
Harrison, Jim. “Ice Fishing, The Moronic Sport, A Michigan Journal”, in Silent Seasons, ed. by Russell Chatham. New York: E. P. Dutton, 1978. (A humerous but accurate look at ice fishing in the Traverse City, Michigan area by a best selling author. Recommended reading).
Hastings, Ray Joe. Bow & River Gigs: Used in the Clear Streams of the Ozarks. Acclaim Press, 2008, 168 pages. (“I became interested in collecting bows, spikes, and river gigs. As I was fortunate enough to find each item, I carefully documented the provenance of each one, including where it was made, who made it, the year it was made, and the creeks or rivers where it was used. The collection that I have accumulated is what has led me to the writing of this book.”)
Helm, June, Ed. Handbook of North American Indians, Volume 6, Subartic. Washington D. C.: Smithsonian Institution, 1984. (Historical background. Not examined).
Hemphill, Herbert W., Jr. and Julia Weissman. Twentieth-Century American Folk Art and Artists. New York: E. P. Dutton & Co., Inc., 1974. (Pg. 86 illustrates a sturgeon spearing decoy from the Robert Bishop collection. This along with Bishop’s American Folk Sculpture are the earliest references that I am aware of that treat American fish spearing decoys as collectible folk art. Up until this time fish spearing decoys appear to have been totally ignored by the collector press).
Henry, Alexander. Travels and Adventures In Canada and the Indian Territories Between the Year 1760 and 1776. Rutland, Vermont: Charles E. Tuttle Co. Press, 1969.
Henshall, James A., M. D. Book of the Black Bass. Cincinnati, Ohio: Robert Clarke & Co., 1881. (Contains an interesting illustration on page 314 of bass baits of the day (1881) one of which looks a lot like a Pflueger rubber minnow but is identified as Conroy, Bissett & Malleson).
Hogan, Austin S. American Sporting Periodicals of Angling Interest: A Selected Check List and Guide. Manchester, Vermont: The Museum of American Fly Fishing, 1973. First Edition. 128 pgs. (The book has a brief overview of nineteenth century periodicals and then the meat of the book is a reference of where sporting magazines can be found in libraries all over the country. It lists the volumes and issues of all the major and minor sporting magazines. This is an indispensable reference tool for locating magazines to help with research. The last part of the book are excerpts taken from magazines that the author found of importance. Many of the excerpts deal with trout, bamboo rods, flies and other subjects of interest. Not personally examined by me).
Hubbard, Gurdon Saltonstall. Autobiography of Gurdon Saltonstall Hubbard. Publisher unknown. 1863. (Contains an account of fishing with a decoy in the winter of 1811 near Muskegon, Michigan. Believed to be the earliest account of the use of a fish decoy by a white man in Michigan or anywhere else for that matter).
Hubbs, Carl L. and Karl F. Lagler. Fishes of the Great Lakes Region. Bloomfield Hills, Mich.: The Cranbrook Press, 1947. (Good scource for information on Michigan fish species).
Hurum, Hans Jorgen. A History of the Fish Hook, and the story of Mustad, the hook maker. London, A. & C. Black, Ltd., 1977. (This book was commissioned by Mustad, the world famous Norwegian hook maker, to tell their story and not incidentally the history of the fish hook. Pg. 15 has a very interesting illustration of Russians gaffing sturgeon through the ice without the aide of bait or decoys and on pg. 21 there’s an illustration from a Swedish museum of what appears to be a fish decoy used to lure fish into a snare device. This is the first example of a fish decoy from a Scandinavian country that I have noted).
Irwin, R. Stephen, MD. Sporting Collectibles. Wayne, New Jersey: Stoeger Publishing Co., 1997. (Pages 119-132 present a good basic overview of fish decoy collecting. 23 black & white photos, including but not limited to: Ross Allen Sr., Bear Creek Bait Co., Ken Bruning, Hans Janner, Oscar Peterson and Ted Vandenbossche. No values).
Jeffrey, Cynthia. Kalamazoo’s Extraordinary Inventor, Jay B. Rhodes. Kalamazoo, Michigan: Rolling Hill Publishing Co., 2019. (Biography of fish decoy and fishing tackle inventor / manufacturer, Jay B. Rhodes. Rhodes was the owner of the Kalamazoo Fishing Tackle Co. which sold out to Shakespeare in 1905).
Kampa, Vic and Harriet Bell Carlander, A History of Fish and Fishing in the Upper Mississippi River. Upper Mississippi River Conservation Commission, 1954.
Kangas, Gene and Linda. Decoys, A North American Survey. Spanish Fork, Utah: Hillcrest Publications, Inc., 1983.
Kangas, Gene and Linda. Decoys. Paducah, Kentucky: Collector Books, 1992.
Kangas, Gene and Linda. Great Lakes Decoy Interpretations. Concord, Ohio: Creekside Art Gallery LLC, 2011. (Chapter 5 covers fish decoys of the United States and Canada. This book has many factual errors).
Keene, John Harrington. The Boy’s Own Guide to Fishing. Boston, Mass.: Lee and Shepard Publishers, 1894. (pp.162,164 and 167 contain excellent illustrations and descriptions of tip-ups and how they work).
Kieny, Jeff. Vintage Folk Art Fishing Lures and Tackle. Atglen, Penn.: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 2011. (Although the vast majority of the objects presented here are anonymous, the author does profile Bud Stewart, Burt Errett, Potter Giles, Bob Baird, Charles & Effie Bird, Aage Bjerring, Bill Grossman, C. B. Lewis and C. E. Wilson. Other makers mentioned are Dale Beatty, Nick Beckus, Leslie Blake, Ray Clippenger, Pop Dean, Sherill Denton, Richard Dulac, A. L. Fulmer, George Horst, Homer LeBlanc, Mikko, Ray Newell, George Osterhoudt, Fred Rhodes, Butch Schram, Tom Schroeder, James Sokolic and Al Walker. Inexplicably, there is no mention anywhere of Oscar Peterson).
Kimball, Art, Brad, and Scott. The Fish Decoy. Boulder Junction, Wis.: Aardvark Publications, Inc., 1986. (Lots of pictures, sketchy text. Chapter Two, “The Early History”, is quite good).
Kimball, Art, Brad, and Scott. The Fish Decoy Volume II. Boulder Junction, Wis.: Aardvark Publications, Inc. 1987. (More emphasis on contemporary carvers).
Kimball, Art, Brad, and Scott. The Fish Decoy Volume III. Boulder Junction, Wis.: Aardvark Publications, Inc. 1993. (More of the same).
Kimball, Art & Brad. Fish Decoys of the Lac Du Flambeau Ojibway. Boulder Junction, Wis.: Aardvark Publications, Inc. 1988. (Title self explanatory. Available in hardbound and softcover versions, 96 pgs.)
Kimball, Art and Scott. Early Fishing Plugs of the U.S.A. Boulder Junction, Wis.: Aardvark Publications, Inc. 1985. (Based largely on patent information).
Kimball, Art and Scott. Collecting Old Fishing Tackle. Boulder Junction, Wis.: Aardvark Publications Inc., 1980. (See Chapter 5, “Ice Spearing Decoys”. Very little information and much of that is erroneous).
King, J. C. H. Thunderbird and Lightning: Indian Life in Northeastern North America 1600-1900. British Museum Publications, 1982. (101 black & white illustrations. Not examined).
Kinietz, W. Vernon. Indians of the Western Great Lakes, 1615-1760. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan Press, 1965. (There is a reference here to an early account of indians spear fishing through the ice using “porcelain” decoys. Some believe that the decoys being used were actually made from shell and that “porcelain” was a mis-translation of a French word for “shell”).
Kirk, Robert A. Hook, Line & Spear: The Ice Fishing History of Lake Simcoe. Self Published by Robert A. Kirk, 2001. (85 pages with numerous historical photos and illustrations. An interesting account of the ice fishing traditions, decoys, spears and other implements used on Ontario’s Lake Simcoe. Makes reference to one of the earliest (1815) written accounts of indigenous spearing through the ice found in the diary of Englishman George Bond: “One winters day as he was walking on the ice, he encountered an indigenous fisherman who, “had so completely enveloped himself in a large buffalo skin that no part of his body, head, hands, or feet were to be discovered. He sat over a square cut hole in the ice, with a short spear ready to transfix any fish that might be attracted by his bait. The hole was about a foot square, and the bait was an artificial fish of white wood, with tin fins and about eight to nine inches long. The ice where he had cut was about three feet thick.” Also of interest are the unique “sidewinder” and “hook” decoys and the “spreaders”, “snaggers” and “teeters” peculiar to Lake Simcoe. Pp. 24 & 25 have good descriptions of typical Lake Simcoe fish decoys and an explanation for the wide flat style of the Lake Trout decoy used there).
Klamkin, Marian and Charles. Wood Carvings, North American Folk Sculptures. New York: Hawthorne Books Inc., 1974. (See chapter 16, “Fish and Fish Decoys”, pp. 173-178. 5 fish decoys are illustrated here. All are Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin sturgeon coaxers. Also illustrated in color on the book jacket. Scanty text).
Kline, Kathleen S., Ronald M. Bruch & Frederick P. Binkowski; with photographs by Bob Rashid. People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin’s Love Affair With an Ancient Fish, Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2009. (Historical account of the Lake Sturgeon of Wisconsin’s Lake Winnebago system and how they were conserved and now thrive through an alliance between spearing interests, scientists and conservationists. Includes info on decoy carvers Frank Denslow, Vern Gebhart, Reuben Hoelzel, Ambrose Langenfeld, Eric Oleson, George Schmidt, Mary Lou Schneider, Jake Shroven, Tom Tittl & Linus Venne and spear makers John Jurgensen, Reuben Hoelzel, Anton “Tony” Nadler, Emanuel Nadler, James Nadler & Art Sonnenberg. Highly recommended).
Koch, Ronald M. Decoys of the Winnebago Lakes. Amherst, Wisconsin: Palmer Publications, Inc. 1988.
Kohl, Johana. Kitaki Gami (Wanderings Round Lake Superior). London, England: Chapman and Hall.
Leitch, Jay A. Darkhouse Spearfishing Across North America. Fargo, ND: Center for Environmental Studies, North Dakota State University, 1992. (Good overview of spearing in Alaska, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, South Dakota and Wisconsin.)
Lewis, Russell E. Classic Fishing Lures, Identification and Price Guide, KP Books/FW Publications, 2005. (Not examined. Lewis took over the updating of later editions of Carl Luckey’s Identification and Value Guide to Old Fishing Lures and Tackle after Luckey’s death in 1998 which might explain identical errors common to both works. Case in point; Edson Lures).
Lewis, Russell E. Warman’s Sporting Collectibles, Identification and Price Guide, Iola, Wisconsin, Krause Publications, 2007. (pp. 111, 166 & 210-215 devoted to fish decoys as “Miscellaneous Fishing Collectibles.” Heavy on contemporary makers).
Lincoln, Robert Page. The Pike Family. Harrisburg, PA.: The Stackpole Co., 1953. (Chapter VI, “Pike Through the Ice”, is basically an anti-spearing diatribe by a man who previously wrote several articles describing how to make a decoy for spearing pike through the ice. Wonderfully venomous).
Lind, James A. Muskie. Chicago, Illinois: McCormick & Henderson, Inc., 1964. pp. 62-63. (Map with key showing the locations and names of all the authenticated muskie waters in the State of Michigan).
Little, Gene. Ice Fishing. Chicago, Illinois: Henry Regnery Company, 1975. (Excellent all around book on all the facets of ice fishing. Lots of illustrations).
Luckey, Carl F. Identification and Value Guide to Old Fishing Lures and Tackle, 2nd Edition. Florence, Alabama: Books Americana, Inc., 1986. (Well researched but values are, of course, outdated. Draws heavily from the work of tackle historian, Clyde Harbin. Luckey died in 1998 and subsequent editions of this work were co-authored by Russell E. Lewis which might explain errors common to both Luckey and Russell works. Case in point; the entry for Edson Lures Fish Fooler).
Lytle, Thomas. Harpoons and Other Whalecraft. Old Dartmouth Historical Society of New Bedford, Massachusetts; second edition, 1984. 256 pp. (Richly illustrated Bible of Whalecraft. Harpoons, Lances, Spades, Knives and all other implements used in the whaling industry of the 18th through 20th century are fully detailed. Book charts the development of the harpoon and other whalecraft from Europe to the whaling centers of Nantucket and New Bedford. As a historical reference book it showcases a biographical section of whalecraft manufacturers in New Bedford and Fairhaven, US Patents for Whaling Implements, a whalecraft glossary, and an illustrated catalog of the whalecraft collection at the New Bedford Whaling Museum).
MacCrimmon, Hugh R. and Elmars Skobe. The Fisheries of Lake Simcoe. Ontario, Canada: Department of Lands and Forests, Fish and Wildlife Branch, 1970. (Page 16 has an account by Englishman George Bond of native ice spearing practices on Lake Simcoe in 1815, and also the native custom of night spearing using canoe, spear, and pole-mounted torch to light the way).
MacDonald, G. A. The Saulteur – Ojibwa fishery at Sault Ste. Marie, 1640 – 1920. Master’s thesis, 1977. University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario. (Not examined).
Magin, Charles. The Charles Magin Collection of Lake Chautauqua Fish Decoys. Self Published, 2016. (Photos and descriptions of over ninety Lake Chautauqua fish decoys. Makers discussed include: Andrew and Gustavus Carlson, Harry Conroe, the Cross rig, E. G. Gleason, Mr. Hall, Albert Heminway, Edward Irwin, “M” and “W”, Harry Seymour and William Spooner).
Mazzuchelli, Samuel Charles. Memoirs, Historical and Edifying. Chicago: W. F. Printing Company, 1915. (Pg.112 contains a description by this Italian missionary in 1834 of Indians spearing sturgeon through the ice on Green Bay with a fish decoy).
McDonald, John. The Origins of Angling. Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company, Inc., 1963.
Meyer, George H., Editor. Folk Artists Biographical Index. Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research Company, 1987. (Indexes published biographical material from a wide variety of sources).
Michaan, Steven. American Fish Decoys. Pound Ridge, New York: FishDecoy.com, Ltd., 2003. (An oversized 10×12 inches and printed in six-color offset lithography on heavy stock by one of the world’s best fine art presses. This visual guide to the art of the fishing decoy has over 100 images with heavy gloss and matte varnishes. The edges of the pages have been silver-gilt. Skimpy text. Limited edition of 4000).
Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources. Michigan Fisheries Centennial Report 1873-1973. Lansing,Michigan: Michigan Department of Natural Resources, 1974. (Good historical account of the sturgeon fishery in Michigan by Wayne Tody and many other interesting reports).
Murphy, Dudley, and Rick Edmisten. Fishing Lure Collectibles, Second Edition. Paducah, Kentucky: Collector Books, 2001.
Olson, Sigurd F. The Singing Wilderness. New York: Knopf, 1956. (Contains excellent description of the spearing experience. One of the best I have read. See “Dark House”. The “Dark House” essay was repeated again in Wilderness Days also published by Knopf in 1972). Note: The Singing Wilderness, published by Alfred A. Knopf in 1956, is a classic of twentieth century nature writing. But for Sigurd Olson, getting his first book written and published was a long journey that depended not only on talent, but persistence, help, and a little bit of luck.The narrative below, an excerpt from A Wilderness Within: The Life of Sigurd F. Olson, tells the story from 1952, when Sigurd first began thinking about the book, until just before its publication in April 1956. Here’s the excerpt: “
One of the chapters for The Singing Wilderness added an ironic epilogue to this distraction from his writing. When Marie Rodell had sent the book manuscript to publishers in 1954, she also had sent individual chapters to magazines, and Sports Illustrated had bought two of them. One, called “Dark House,” the magazine renamed “Fishing at 20 Below,” and published on February 28, 1955. The article was not about ordinary ice fishing; Olson wrote about spearing, which had long been controversial among Minnesota sportsmen. Those in the northern part of the state typically had supported it; those in the southern counties often had vigorously opposed it. Within the state division of the Izaak Walton League the issue had created such dissension in the late 1940s that the northern chapters had threatened to secede.
A number of biologists in the Minnesota Conservation Department opposed spearing, saying that northern pike would disappear from the state if the practice continued. After the Sports Illustrated article appeared, state Izaak Walton League President George Laing wrote to Olson that his article had resurrected old wounds, and that Twin Cities outdoor writers “have actually pointed to your article as evidence of your disinterest in the state’s complete conservation program.” To such critics, “Fishing at 20 Below” demonstrated that Olson was unfit for the job of conservation commissioner.
Sigurd responded on March 24 that he simply hadn’t thought about the potential reaction when he submitted the article: “I guess the fact of the matter is that I have become so embroiled in controversial problems all over the country that I had forgotten how it might affect the Minnesota issue.” He said he was willing to “accept the opinions of those who know the score,” the researchers who believed spearing must end to save the northern pike.
It was a minor storm that quickly passed, but it is surprising that Olson, the Izaak Walton League’s wilderness ecologist and active in the organization since its inception three decades earlier, would be so unaware of an issue that deeply divided the league in his own state. Perhaps the outdoor writers that Laing referred to were correct, if by “disinterested” they meant that Olson had become so involved in conservation at a national level that he was losing touch with state issues. His response to Laing gives some support to such a charge.
Another possibility–and it would not necessarily preclude the above–is that Olson tended to separate his creative desires as a writer and interpreter of outdoor experiences from the political aspects of the conservation world. In his March 24 letter to Laing, Sigurd wrote that he didn’t write the essay to give support to spearing: “I wrote this little piece some years ago as a pure interpretation of the feelings of a man when he sits in a dark house and looks down through a hole in the ice waiting for something to come along. I still think it is a wonderful experience….And so I make no apologies for the way I feel about it and the joys I tried to point up in my story.”
The controversy did not keep Olson from using the essay in The Singing Wilderness under its original title, “Dark House.” He made but one significant change in the story: in the first sentence, he changed the timing of the episode from “two years ago” to “ten years ago,” undoubtedly to distance himself somewhat from charges of supporting the practice in the mid-1950s.”
Petersen, Donald J. Folk Art Fish Decoys with Values. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1996. (An excellent long awaited treatise dealing exclusively with Minnesota fish decoys that corrects many of the errors found in the Kimballs’ various works. Includes spears and accouterments).
Petersen, Donald J. Fish Decoy Makers Past and Present. Decoy Magazine, 2000. (168 pgs. 62 in full color, over 400 fish decoy illustrations including contemporary, old time makers and spears).
Petersen, Donald J. La Crosse Fish Decoys. Bloomington, IN, Balboa Press, 2017, 73 pgs. (Profiles dozens of fish decoy carvers and a couple of spear makers. Coverage includes jig sticks, decoy boxes and cheater decoys).
Pinkowski, Bob. Muskie Fever. New York: A. S. Barnes & Co., Inc., 1961. pg. 96. (Nice photo showing the unique markings of the baby muskie. This explains why we sometimes see this pattern on spearing decoys. This apparently appeals to the cannibalistic nature of the muskie).
Posen, I. Sheldon. You Hear The Ice Talking – The Ways of People and Ice on Lake Champlain.
Clinton-Essex-Franklin Library System and I. Sheldon Posen, 1986. Soft cover, 62 pgs. (Discusses the history of winter life on New York’s Lake Champlain. Topics include ice fishing, fish decoys, ice harvest, ice boating, transportation and more. Published in conjunction with “The Lake Champlain Ice Exhibition” at the Clinton County Historical Museum, Plattsburgh, New York, January – April 1987. Illustrations include ice decoys, jigging sticks, shanties and other ice paraphrenalia. Only deals with the New York side of the Lake and ignores the Vermont side).
Radcliffe, William. Fishing from the Earliest Times. Chicago: Ares Publishers Inc., 1974.
Rebus Books, Inc. American Country: Folk Art, imaginative works from American hands. New York: Time-Life Books, 1990. (This comprehensive overview of American folk art contains a chapter titled “Art of the Professional” which includes a section, pp. 82 & 83, on “The Fish Decoys of Oscar Peterson”. A full page of text and 8 examples illustrated from the collection of Ron Fritz. Peterson is the only fish decoy carver mentioned in this comprehensive work. Pgs. 166 & 167 show unidentified fish decoys from the collection of Barbara Johnson displayed in room settings. I recognize a Ted Kalnbach decoy from my own collection).
Ricco, Roger and Frank Maresca with Julia Weissman. American Primitive. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1988. (Pp. 160-163 have 6 color plates and one black & white plate of fish decoys. All are anonymous and most are of the so called “folk art” type. Scanty text with no new information. P. 227, Fig. 328 is a color plate of a Brook Trout plaque by Oscar Peterson. I believe this is the first identified illustration of a Peterson art work to appear in a major folk art book).
Richey, George. Made in Michigan Fishing Lures II. Honor, Michigan: George Richey, 2000. (Discusses Albert Winnie’s Stump Dodgers on pp. 126, 127, 174 & 175 and Art Winnie’s Salmon Jig on pg. 67. Additional entries for Bar Lake Fishing Tackle Co., Bear Creek Bait Co., Bob’s Fly Tying Shop, Bonafide Minnow, Isadore Clark, Edson Fish Lures, Gibson & Smith decoy, Heddon, Charles Kellman, J. D. Kitchen, Louis Kurtis, Moonlight, Clarence Nadolny, Oscar Peterson, Paw Paw, Jay Rhodes, George Romadke, Zack Turner and many others. This book is currently under revision by Gary L. Miller and Terry McBurney and will include many additional makers of Michigan ice fishing and spearing related items).
Roberts, Bill and Rob Pavey. The Heddon Legacy, A Century of Classic Lures. Paducah, Kentucky: Collector Books, 2002. (An indispensable Heddon reference with 368 pgs., hundreds of color illustrations and dozens of historical photographs. The chapters covering Heddon history draw heavily from Clyde Harbin’s Heddon Footprints. Adequate treatment of the Heddon Ice Decoys but somewhat incomplete as it does not cover all the different known versions nor does it illustrate the box for the first production model or the Ice Spook box or box papers).
Rostlund, Erhard. Freshwater Fish and Fishing in Native North America. Berkely: University of California Press, Publications in Geography, Volume 9, 1952. (Description of the Japanese Ainu spearing through the ice under semiconical mat darktents).
Ruggles, Glenn. Voices On The Water: An Oral History And Pictorial History of Antrim County’s Chain Of Lakes. Commerce Township, MI: Blue Heron Press, 1998, 2004. (Contains a description of the sport of “skating down” fish as practiced on Antrim County’s Torch Lake).
Salive, Marcel. Ice Fishing Spears. Potomac, Maryland: Marjac Publications, Inc., 1993. (312 pages, 460 photographs with detailed descriptions.)
Samels, Robert Lucius. Rob’s Recollections. Meacham Pub; Limited edition, 2001. 152 pgs. w/ 70 photos. (Robert is the brother of the famous spear making brothers Frank & Ben Samels. Book is a wealth of information about the early history of Whitewater Township and the Skegamog Point area. Skegamog Lake, formerly known as Round Lake is probably the finest muskie spearing lake in Michigan).
Schoolcraft, Henry R. Information Respecting the History, Condition and Prospects of The Indian Tribes of The United States: Part II. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Grambo & Co., 1852, pg. 51. (Illustrations by S. Eastman, Capt. U. S. Army; “Spearing Fish In Winter”, “Indian Shooting Fish” and “Spearing Muskrats In Winter”:
“Winter, in all the northern latitudes, brings with it the necessity of a peculiar kind of hunting, which is performed through the ice. When the ponds and rivers, where the musk-rat harbours are found, their houses are perforated with a strong and peculiarly shaped spear, (Plate 7G, Figs. 1 and 2,) by which the victim is transpierced, and the animal brought out upon its point. This act is performed while the scenery is covered with the garb peculiar to the winter solstice, and is represented in the accompanying sketch, (Plate 5.)
In a region abounding in lakes and streams, fishing also becomes an art, taught to the young. There are some modes of fishing through the ice which are very ingenious; one of the most common is, to play a decoy through holes perforated in the ice, by an instrument which is called aishkun, by the Algonquin tribes. It consists of n species of stout chisel of iron, attached firmly to a pole. (Fig. 11, Plate 76.) The decoy is generally the image of a small fish. The Indian, placing himself flat on his stomach, covers his head with his blanket, supported by branches, in order to exclude the light. By excluding the extraneous glare, the vision is extended into the waters below, and the watcher stands ready with his spear to dart the point into his victim, as soon as it approaches to seize the bait In this manner, which is depicted in Plate 6, the Indian is able to supply his family with food, at the most inclement and pinching seasons.”).
Schoolcraft, Henry R. Information Respecting the History, Condition and Prospects of The Indian Tribes of The United States: Part IV. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Grambo & Co., 1854. pg. 61. (Description of Indian spear fishing through the ice, including the use of a spear propelled by a bow. Footnotes indicate plates by S. Eastman in Part II).
Schoolcraft, Henry R. Historical and Statistical Information Respecting the History, Condition and Prospects of The Indian Tribes of The United States: Part 1. Philadelphia: Lippincott, Grambo & Co., 1854. pp. 88-89. (Describes the indian use of ice chisels and the earlier forms made of antler).
Slade, Robert A. The History & Collectible Fishing Tackle of Wisconsin, Muskego, Wisconsin: Bob & Tess Slade, 1999. (Helpful entries on the Artic Fisherman Co., Robert “Mad Dog” Billings and Blackhawk Enterprses).
Slyfield, Charles B. A Brief Sketch of the Life of Charles B. Slyfield, An Autobiography. Frankfort, Michigan: unpublished, May 9, 1912. In Benzie Area Historical Society files, Benzonia, Michigan. (Mr. Slyfield gives an account of spearing fish through the ice of Betsie Bay using a decoy in the winter of 1866).
Smith, Harold E. Collector’s Guide to Creek Chub Lures & Collectibles, Paducah, Kentucky: Collector Books, 1997.
Smith, Harold E. Collector’s Encyclopedia of Creek Chub Lures & Collectibles, Identification and Values, Second Edition, Paducah, Kentucky: Collector Books, 2002. (Great Creek Chub reference but has very limited information on the Creek Chub ice fishing decoy. Pictures 2 examples on page 155. Offers no insight into who, why, where, when, how many or colors. The weight given of 5/8 oz. seems ridiculously light to me. The information on the Wiggle-Jig is better).
Smith, H.M., and M.M. Snell. UNITED STATES COMMISSION OF FISH AND FISHERIES, PART XV. REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR 1887. WASHINGTON, D. C., GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, 1891. (Not examined).
Smith, H.M., and M.M. Snell. UNITED STATES COMMISSION OF FISH AND FISHERIES, PART XVIII. REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR 1892. WASHINGTON, D. C., GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, 1894. (Not examined).
Soderquist, Richard. Bear Creek Spearing Decoys, Bay City, Michigan: Richard Soderquist, 2003. (Self published in pdf format and available on disk or in printed loose leaf binder form. A compliation of the products of the Bear Creek Bait Co. of Kaleva, Michigan through and continuing with it’s ownership by K & E Tackle, Inc. of Hastings, Michigan).
Stark, Larry and Magnus Berglund. Hook, Line and Shelter, Ice Fishing Tales and Photos Too. Cambridge MN: Adventure Publications, Inc., 1990. (A lighthearted compedium of ice fishing stories from across North America but really has very little to do with spearing. For Stark & Berglund it’s more about the fishhouse. Of interest to fish decoy collectors is the interview with Minnesota fish decoy collector, Jim Richards, with photos and a reprint of the “Fishtown” article from the Feb. 16, 1878 issue of Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper. Good glossary).
Starr, Robin. “Fish Decoys”, in The American Sporting Collector’s Handbook, ed. by Allan J. Liu. New York: Winchester Press, 1982. (Starr erroneously states that spearing is now illegal in all states except Minnesota. General overview of collecting fish decoys with 8 black and white photographs. Mostly Minnesota fish decoys illustrated).
Stevens, Deidre. Sault Ste. Marie: Images of America. Arcadia Publishing (June 2, 2008). (Not examined).
Stockman, Reed and Scott Tougas. The PawPaw Bait Company. Monticello, Iowa: Stockman & Tougas, 2004. (Pgs. 32 & 42 illustrate 5 different ice decoys and their boxes).
Stout, William A. Saginaw Bay Waterfowl Hunting and Decoy Carvers. Bloomfield Hills, Michigan: Fanfair Enterprises, 2007. (Good reference to Saginaw Bay duck decoy carvers, many of whom also carved fish decoys; Bill Finkle, Chris Smith, Christie bros., Larry Hayden, Phil Babe, Frank Brogan, Andy Meyers, Oscar Peterson, Elmer Pestrue, Frank Schmidt, Tom Schroeder, Walter Struebing and Dan Wisenbaugh).
Streater, Richard L. Streater’s Reference Catalog of Old Fishing Lures. (Fifth Printing). Seattle, Washington: Rippee Printing, December, 1985. (Good factory reference work with many catalog and advertising illustrations).
Swanson, Ronald S. Fish Models, Plaques & Effigies. Far Hills, New Jersey: Meadow Run Press, Inc., 2009. (Broad survey of plaque and model carvers that includes illustrations of plaques carved by fish decoy carvers such as Oscar Peterson (pg.119), Alton Buchman, Tom Schroeder, John Eddy, Marvin Mason, Fred Lexow, etc.).
Tanner, Helen H., ed. Atlas of Great Lakes Indian History. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press,1987. (Pg.19 contains illustration of indians spear fishing through the ice. This is one of the illustrations by S. Eastman from the Schoolcraft reference above).
Thompson, Maurice. The Boys Book of Sports and Outdoor Life. New York, New York: The Century Company, 1886.
Thrasher, Halsey. The Hunter and Trapper. New York: Orange Judd and Company, 1868. pp. 64-65. (Has a short description of spring spearing in the shallows from a boat. Presents specific instructions on how to make a shanty, cut the hole in the ice and spear through the ice with a decoy. This is a fairly early how-to account).
Tody, Wayne H. “Whitefish, Sturgeon, and The Early Michigan Commercial Fishery.” Michigan Fisheries Centennial Report 1873-1973. Lansing, Michigan, April, 1974, (See pp. 50-56).
Tonelli, Donna. Top of the Line Fishing Collectibles, With Values. Atglen, Pa.: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1997. (Hundreds of quality color photographs of fish decoys, jigging sticks, spears, lures, reels, creels, bait boxes, fish models, plaques and trade signs. Heavily biased toward Minnesota content. Could have used a good proof reader).
Tonelli, Donna. Fish and Fowl Decoys of the Great Lakes. Atglen, Pa.: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 2002. (A collection of decoys and calls from the Great Lakes region, over 1100 color photographs, along with original vintage black and white photos, extensive related literature, and a price guide).
Traill, Catharine Parr. The Backwoods of Canada. BiblioLife, October 2007. (A collection of letters back home to England describing pioneer life in early North America. Pages 116 &117 contain excellent descriptions of indians jacklighting in summer and spearing fish through the ice in winter).
Turner, Graham. Fishing Tackle, A Collector’s Guide. London, England: Ward Lock Limited, 1989. (384 pgs. of mostly English tackle but has a chapter on American tackle collectibles with a discussion of fish decoys and an extensive price guide. Pg. 12 illustrates 2 early (3000 BC) stone fish from Eastern Siberia. Pg. 220 has color photos of Oscar Peterson fish decoys by Gary L. Miller).
Walsh, Clune, Jr., and Lowell G. Jackson, Editors. Waterfowl Decoys of Michigan and the Lake St. Clair Region. Detroit, Mich.: Gale Graphics,1983.
Walton, Izaak. The Compleat [sic] Angler. New York: The Heritage Press, 1948.
Ward, Fletcher E. Saving Chautauqua’s Muskies; A One Hundred Twenty-Five Year History Of Rearing Muskellunge On Chautauqua Lake. Bemus Point, New York: Fletcher E. Ward, 2013. (Title self explanatory. Includes historical look at muskie spearing on Chautauqua Lake with biographical sketches of fish decoy carvers Edward Irwin and Harry Seymour. Illustrations of fish decoys, Chautauqua Lake spears and gaffs. Many historical spearing photos).
Warren, William W. History of the Ojibway People. St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Historical Society, 1984, pp. 121-124. (Notes that the first known written account of a white man participating in Native American spearing of fish through the ice took place in about the winter of 1685 on Chequamegon Bay, Wisconsin: “One clear morning in the early part of winter, soon after the islands which are clustered in this portion of Lake Superior and known as the Apostles, had been locked in ice, a party of young men of the Ojibways started out from their village in the Bay of Shag-waum-ik-oug, to go, as was customary, and spear fish through holes in the ice, between the island of La Pointe and the main shore, this being considered the best ground for this mode of fishing.”
Wetzel, Charles M. American Fishing Books, A Bibliography From The Earliest Times Up To 1948, Together With A History Of Angling Literature In America. Newark, Delaware: Privately Published by Author, 1950. (Valuable reference work).
White, Bradford. Lake Champlain Ice Spearing Decoys and Carvers. Yankee Publications, Jan., 2001. 56 pages. Color illustrations. (Not personally examined by me but Tim Spreck wrote: “It was self published and is more of a portfolio than an actual traditional book. The pages are 8 1/2″ X 11 1/4″. This book covers the decoys of Lake Champlain, New York, chautauqua, as well as jigsticks and spears.”).
White, Karl T. Fishing Tackle Antiques, Reference and Evaluation. Arcadia, Oklahoma: Karl T. White, 1987.
Wong, Terry. Identification and Value Guide to South Bend Fishing Lures. Phoenix, Arizona: Terry Wong, 2000. (Pg. 54 illustrates one South Bend ice fishing decoy and the text consists of a quote from Luckey).
Wright, William Wallace. An Unfinished Story of His Early Life in Wisconsin… Dairy, 1837. State Historical Society of Wisconsin Archives. (Contains an account of Menominee indians spearing sturgeon through the ice using a wooden fish decoy weighted with lead).
Znamierowska-Prüffer, Maria. Thrusting Implements for Fishing in Poland and Neighboring Countries. Translated From Polish. Published for the U. S. Department of the Interior and the National Science Foundation, Washington, D. C. by Scientific Publications Foreign Cooperation Center of the Central Institute for Scientific, Technical and Economic Information, Warsaw, Poland, 1966. (An excellent detailed analysis of fishing spears used in Poland and other parts of the world. This is a reference sometimes cited by the U. S. Patent Office when reviewing spear patents).
Zuev, B. F. Materiyaly po étnografii Sibirii XVIII veka (1771-1772). (Materials for the 17tht Century Siberian Ethnography (1771-1772). Ak. Nauk SSSR, 1947. (An interesting 18th century description of winter catches among the Samoyeds in Siberia is given, “On rivers, rivulets and lakes, below Obdorsk and close to the sea, for example, on the rivers Voikarska, Shchuchya and Khae, when the ice becomes solid they make small shanties over the air holes in which they release as a bait specially made minute wooden fish suspended on a fine string with a pebble, and when fish, pike and others come close to the bait they thrust them with spears.”).
MAGAZINE ARTICLES:
Abercrombie, Thomas. “Ice Fishing Frigid Charm.” National Geographic Magazine, December, 1958, pp. 861-872. (Not examined).
Anonymous. “Fishing in North America.” The Penny Magazine, (June 3, 1837), pg. 332. (Contains wood engraving of “Chippeway” Indians fishing through the ice on Lake Huron at the mouth of the St. Clair River near present day Port Huron and a description of the technique of spearing with a decoy. Very early account).
Anonymous. “Fishing in Winter.” American Agriculturist, (January, 1876), pg. 25-26. (Contains 4 wood engravings of various forms of winter fishing including stunning fish through the ice, spearing fish in winter, catching small fish with net and tip-up fishing. Earliest account I have seen of stunning fish through the ice).
Anonymous. “Iceburg, U. S. A.”__This is the famous fishing village, located from three to 30 miles north of Bay City, which appears each winter as if by magic, on the icy surface of Saginaw Bay. Just as soon as the ice on the bay is thick enough to sustain the weight, commercial fishermen, and men from every walk of life who happen to be out of employment, rig up their shanties on sleds, each shanty being provided with a stove for heating, and a cot for sleeping purposes, and a box to hold provisions. Hundreds of these fishing shanties are moved out on the ice, their location depending upon the feeding grounds or runway of the finny tribes, and for from three to four months the fishermen are busy spearing fish. Fish buyers drive out each day and buy the catch. This picturesque and transient community has been named “Iceburg, U. S. A..” The season of 1904-05 brought out some 350 men, and while the catches for December and January were light, February and March proved bonanzas. Expert spear-fishermen made from $5 to $10 per day. The ice for January, February and March, 1905, was three feet thick.
Anonymous. “Fishtown.” Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, (February 16, 1878), pp. 412-413. (Discussion of ice fishing activity on Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron. Five excellent wood cut illustrations of ice shanties on the bay).
Anonymous. “Fishtown: A Winter Settlement On Lake Huron.” Frank Leslie’s Popular Monthly, Vol. XI, No. 2, (February, 1881), pp. 231-234. (Discussion of ice fishing activity on Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron. 5 engravings, including: “Fishermen on Their Way to Erect the Winter Village on the Fishing Ground”, “Weighing Fish for the Market”, “Fishtown During the Business Season”, “A Night Scene in a Fishing Shanty” and “Carrying Fish to the Storehouse.” Nearly identical to the above cited artle, “Fishtown”, from 1878).
Anonymous. “Game-Fishes Of The Florida Reef.” The Century Magazine, May, 1891. (Interesting account of the use of the Tampa or Florida Grains including numerous illustrative engravings).
Anonymous. The American Boy, March, 1902, Detroit, Michigan. (Cover has a springtime illustration of a boy spearing in a creek).
Anonymous. “New York – Perils of Winter Fishing on Lake Erie – Incindents of the Great Ice Shove of January 20th.” Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, February 5, 1887. (Three ice fishing scenes illustrating equipment, transportation, etc. and most importantly what happens when there is an unexpected ice break-up).
Anonymous. “Spearing Fish At Torchlight.” The Illustrated London News, Mar. 20, 1858, pg. 292. (Short article accompanying a wood engraving titled, “Spearing Fish At Night” (This is the same illustration published in America by Currier & Ives under the title, “Black Bass Spearing On The Restigouche”). “The custom of spearing fish is almost universal throughout the frontiers of the United States and Canada and, though one that might be excused in the savage, it is inexcusable in those who pretend to be civilized. In many rivers where the salmon once abounded they are now extinct, and the same remark applies to a game fish peculiar to America called the Black Bass. And here – premising that the Sketch before us represents a scene on the Restigouche, in New Brunswick, the men being Acadians – we cannot refrain from quoting the subjoined incident growing out of an adventure on Lake George as published in the “Wilds of America” – “The idea having occurred to us of spearing a few fish by torchlight, we secured the services of an experienced fisherman and with a boat well supplied with fat pine, we launched ourselves on the quiet waters of the lake about an hour after sundown. Bass were very abundant and we succeeded in killing some half dozen of a large clan. We found them exceedingly tame and noticed, when we approached, that they were invariably alone, occupying the center of a circular and sandy place among the rocks and stones. We inquired the cause of this, and were told that the bass were casting their spawn, and that the circular places were the beds where the young were protected. On hearing this our conscience was somewhat troubled for what we had been doing, but we resolved to take one more fish and then go home. We now came to a large bed, around the edge of which we discovered a number of very small fish and over the center of the bed a very large and handsome bass was hovering. We darted our spear and only wounded the poor fish. Our companion told us that if we would go away for fifteen minutes and then return to the same spot, we should have another chance at the same fish. We did so, and the prediction was realised. We threw the spear again, and again missed our game, though we succeeded in nearly cutting the fish in two pieces. ‘You will have the creature yet; let us go away again,’ said my companion. We did so, and to our utter astonishment, we again saw the fish all mutilated and torn, still hovering over it’s tender offspring! To relieve it of it’s pain we darted the spear once more, and the bass lay in our boat quite dead; and we returned to our lodgings on that night a decidedly unhappy man. The bass that we took on the night in question, owing to their being out of season, were not fit to eat, and we had not even the plum of palatable food to offer. The maternal affection of that black bass for it’s helpless offspring, which it protected even unto death, has ever seemed to us in strict keeping with the loveliness and holiness of universal nature.”).
Apfelbaum, Ben. “Fish Decoys, A Native American Craft.” The Clarion, Vol. 15, No. 1, (Winter 1990), pp. 46-49. (An interview with Ben Chosa and his views on the manufacture and use of the fish decoy by the Lac du Flambeau Ojibway. Includes a photo of Chosa holding one of his decoys. Sidebar announcement of “Beneath the Ice: The Art of the Fish Decoy” an exhibition to be held at the Museum of American Folk Art’s Feld Gallery at Lincoln Square. Photos of six pieces from that exhibit. Great cover photo of Oscar Peterson trout decoys).
Archer. “Fishing in The Great Lakes.” Forest and Stream, Jan. 27, 1876. (Excellent detailed contemporaneous description of “Pickeralville” on Saginaw Bay and various methods of spearing including sturgeon spearing by indians).
Babe, Phil. “Franklin Discher Decoys.” NFLCC Gazette, (June, 1992), pg.22. (An excellent in depth analysis of Mr. Discher and his decoys with many valuable tips on identification).
Babe, Phil. “Carl Owen (1906-1992): Old-time Carver Remembered.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 12, No. 6, (November-December, 2012), pp. 54-55. (Short sketch of this Grand Rapids, Saginaw and Whittemore, Michigan professional woodcarver. Includes 6 wildlife carving illustrations).
Bachler, Thomas J., “Historical References on the Use of Fish Decoys”, Osloff Dewit 1859 letter, (March 2, 2004). (In an 1859 letter sent from the river town of Red Wing, Minnesota a pioneer wrote: “We have a coy fish fashioned of wood, tin fins. We let it through a hole cut through the ice with a string fastened. The real fish fancy they are going to have a good meal and make for the coy. Then we pick them out with the spear”). http://dns.advnet.net/batchman40/history.html (now defunct).
Baron, Frank R. “The Fish Decoy.” The Decoy Hunter, No. 24 (March/April, 1985), pp. 5-9, 16. (Sketchy general article with 14 decoy photos (some of the decoys are pictured twice and one is upside down). Great cover photo of “record” sturgeon speared on Black Lake in 1957 (except it was not a record). Note that the middle photo on pg. 8 is labeled “Maker unknown”. It should be obvious to even the novice collector that this decoy is the work of Ernie Peterson and is brand spanking new, not “ca. 1950” as stated in the caption).
Baron, Frank. “Bud Stewart – Michigan’s Master Lure and Ice Decoy Carver.” Lure Collector, Book No. 3, (Spring 1986) pp.10-12. (Contains a brief history of Bud and his baits).
Baron, Frank. “Collecting Ice Decoys.” Tackle Trader, Vol. 3, Issue 1, (Winter/Spring 1988) pp. 7-15. (Juxtaposed with an ad for Baron’s 1st Annual National Ice Decoy Show and presented in interview format. Illustrations include examples by Hans Janner Sr., Oscar Peterson, Andy Trombley, Bud Stewart, Jim Foote, Chub Buchman, Pflueger, Heddon, Bear Creek, Paw Paw, Creek Chub and Moonlight.).
Baron, Frank. “The Kurtis Katch-All Lure.” The NFLCC Gazette, (Sept., 1997), pg. 6. (Illustrates patent for this multi-purpose dead bait holder).
Baron, Frank. “Commercial Fish Decoys.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 48, (Mar., 2002). (Not examined).
Baron, Frank R. “Frog Fish Spearing Decoys.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 6, No. 2, (March-April, 2006), pp. 12-14. (16 illustrations of southern Michigan frog decoys most of which are unidentified).
Baron, Frank R. “Remembering John Kalash (1929-2018).” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 19, No. 3, (May-June, 2019), p. 70. (Short remembrance of this Moscow, Michigan fish decoy carver. One photo).
Bauer, Erwin A. “Stiff and Stark.” Outdoor Life, Vol. 113, No. 1, (January, 1954), pp. 41-43. (Interesting account of carp gaffing / hooking / snagging as practiced in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. This is similar to the sucker hooking / snagging sport practiced in New York and Pennsylvania that involves gaffing carp with small gaff hooks affixed to golf club handles).
Bauer, Erwin A. “Shanty Caviar.” Outdoor Life, (February, 1958), pp. 45-47, 92-93. (Unexamined).
Bauer, Erwin A. “Gadget World of Ice Anglers.” Sports Afield, Vol. 151, No. 1, (January, 1964), pp. 42-45.
Beard, Dan. “Winter Sketches on the Long Island Shore.” Harper’s Weekly, Vol. XXVII., No. 1368, (March 10, 1883), p.152. (Center panel illustrates spearing eels through the ice).
Beardslee, Steven and Richey, George, “Apod Lures – H & S Tackle Co.” NFLCC Gazette, (Spring, 1995), pp. 15 & 16. (Sketches Hilton Speck’s H & S Tackle Co. and their Apod and Flatback lures).
Bennet, E.P. “Fishing in Northern Michigan.” Hunter-Trader-Trapper, Vol. XXIV, No. 4 (July 1912), pp. 51-53 (Contains a good description of sucker spearing and bullhead dipping), pp. 47 & 53 (pictures of Meier brothers of Stevens Co., Minn. with catch of furs and speared pickerel) and p. 55 (has picture of Sturgeon caught at Indian River, Mich.).
Beskin, Gerald S. “The Lucky Stick.” Sports Afield, (May, 1951), pp. 96. (Good picture of William Faue at work and a couple of his products).
Bishop, Robert. “Folk Art From The Ice Fisherman.” Americana, Vol. 6, No. 1, (March/April 1978), pp. 28-29. (Bishop was director of the Museum of American Folk Art in New York City. Illustrations include an Oscar Peterson fish decoy and a seldom seen variant of a Winnie decoy. These same illustrations appeared earlier in color in American Folk Sculpture.)
Bjerring, Aage. “Fish Decoys.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 48, (Mar., 2002). (Not examined).
Brodell, James David, M.D. and Louis A. Zona, Ph.D. “A Circle of Life, The Magical, Spiritual American Hardwood Sculptures of John T. Sharp.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 12, No. 2, (March-April, 2012), pp. 56-7. (Biographical sketch of Kent, Ohio wildlife sculptor, John T. Sharp, with numerous photos of the man, his tools and his work, including a pair of hanging dead salmon and a bass still life. Short paragraph on the Butler Institute of American Art, of which Dr. Zona is Executive Director and Chief Curator).
Brewer, Keith. “Contemporary Fish Decoy Carver – A.J.Downey.” Lure Collector, Book No. 8, (Summer 1987) pp.20-23. (An in-depth interview with this well known carver).
Brewer, Keith. “The Fish Decoy.” Lure Collector, Book No. 5, (Fall 1986), pp.19, 29. (An interview with Art Kimball, one of the authors of “The Fish Decoy”).
Brewer, Keith. “South Bend’s Ice Decoy.” Lure Collector, Book No. 3, (Spring 1986) p. 15. (Contains a very brief description of this rarity and an illustration from the 1923-24 South Bend Tackle Catalog).
Bryant, Matt. “Orville Smock: Discovering an Unknown Kansas Carver.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 10, No. 6, (November-December, 2010), pp. 38-45. (Biographical (1892-1980) sketch and discussion of this mostly unknown carver’s many diverse works which include numerous fish plaques).
Buchert, Keith. “The Andersen Spearing Decoys of Mankato, Minnesota.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 7, No. 2, (March-April., 2007), pp. 18-21. (Overview of the fish decoys of Jim and Harvey Andersen of Mankato, Minnesota w/ 8 fish decoy photos. Also includes photos of a spear by Dr. Beach).
Carmichael, Hoagy B. “Crafty Catches.” Arts & Antiques, (Summer, 1987), pp. 74-77, 126. (Good well written article. “Artsy” illustrations include many of the big name decoys; Hans Janner, Pecor Fox, Andy Trombley, Oscar Peterson, Isaac Goulette, Augie Janner and Tom Schroeder.).
Carnaghi, Len. “Larry Hayden – Michigan’s Blue Ribbon Carver.” North American Decoy Magazine, (Fall, 1973), pp. 16-19. (Extremely complimentary piece about the discovery of a new carver and how he took the duck decoy carving world by storm in 1971).
Carnaghi, Len. “James R. Kelson: A Mount Clemens Legend.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 1, (January-February, 2004), pp. 24-26. (Short sketch of a noted Lake St. Clair, Michigan duck & fish decoy carver. No fish are illustrated or mentioned but valuable as background nonetheless).
Carter, H. Troy. “John Fairfield: Master Decoy Man.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 3, (May-June 2003), pp. 44 & 45. (Rehash of the author’s earlier article that appeared in the June, 1998 issue of the NFLCC Gazette where he recounts his personal experience with this important Marenisco, Michigan carver and draws from Nick Torella’s earlier work to round it out).
Carver, Raymond & Barbara. “Bud Stewart – Michigan’s Legendary Lure Maker.” The NFLCC Gazette, (June, 1999), pp. 18 & 34. (Tribute to Bud Stewart upon his death).
Catana, Jerry. “Kelson & Reghi.” Decoy Collector’s Guide, Vol. 6, 1977, pp. 104-115.
Clark, Edie. “Hooked on Fish Decoys.” Yankee, Vol. 51, No. 3, (March, 1987), pp. 94-99. (General article with five photos of Derald Radtke’s Minnesota fish decoy collection. A couple look like they could be Faue’s).
Clark, Malcolm. “Ice Hole Angels.” Sporting Classics, Vol. III, Issue IV, (Sept./Oct., 1984), pp.69-70. (Description of spearing through the ice. Makes the erroneous claim three times that spearing is illegal everywhere but Minnesota. Three photos, one historic. Mr. Clark obviously has read Starr).
Cleland, Charles E. “The Inland Shore Fishery of the Northern Great Lakes: Its Development and Importance in Prehistory.” American Antiquity, Vol. 47, No. 4, 1982, pp. 761-784. (Reviews the archaeological and historical evidence for the aboriginal fishery of the region and how it evolved from the Late Archaic to historic times).
Connor, Barbara. “Tom Schroeder Fish Decoys.” The Decoy Hunter, No. 27, (September-October, 1985), pp. 10-11.
Cottle, James T. “How To Carve Fish Decoys.” Michigan Out-Of-Doors, Vol. 42, No.1, (January, 1988), pp.33-35.
Crandall, Dennison R. “It’s Hooking-Up Time.” Outdoor Life, Vol. 131, No. 1, (January, 1963), pp. 36-7 & 97-100. (Good account of the sport of “hooking” or snagging suckers through the ice in New York’s Otsego County. There is no decoy involved in this type of spearing but instead the fish are driven to ice holes where the “hookers” are waiting by “beaters” pounding on the ice. Illustrations and descriptions of the sucker “rake” or “hook” and how it’s made and how to use it. This device looks like a reverse or upside down spear).
Crandell, Bernard W. “The Remarkable Tom Schroeder.” Decoy Collector’s Guide, Vol. 6, 1977, pp. 60-69.
Crandell, Bernard W. “Chris Smith, Innovative boat builder and decoy maker.” Decoy Magazine, March/April 1992. (Not examined).
Dale, Bonnycastle. “The Mid-Winter Muskie.” Outing, (December, 1915), pp. ?. (Wonderful article describing making a decoy and snaring a muskie with a brass wire noose through the ice on a Canadian Lake. Three photos. They just don’t write like this anymore).
Dalrymple, Byron W. “The Big, Often Unguessed World Of Fishing Beneath Winter’s Ice.” The Fisherman, (January, 1958), pp. 19-24, 65-71.
Dana, Gordon Kay. “The Joys of Ice Fishing.” Sportsman’s Digest, Vol. 2, No. 2, (February, 1923), pp. 53-55. (Discusses: spud design, methods of fishing for crappie and pike, using a revolver to dispatch the big ones, fishing with a light at night).
Dashner, Shirley. “Marv Johnston: Maker And User Of…Spearfishing Decoys.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 1, (January-February., 2004), pp. 52-55. (Discussion of this Minnesotan’s background and his contemporary fish decoy making. Lots of pictures).
Deiss, Ron. “A Brief History of the Pearl-Button Industry In Muscatine, Iowa.” Illinois Antiquity, Vol. 37, No. 1, 2002, pp. 1-7. Illinois Association for Advancement of Archaeology, Champaign, Illinois. Available online at http://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/PearlButton/index.html. (2 images of indian mussel shell fish lures / decoys and 1 of mussel shell fishing spoons, wobblers and spinner blades made by upper Mississippi river pearl-button manufacturers).
Deiss, Ron. “Ice Spear Fishing: Focusing on the Upper Mississippi River La Crosse Reach”. United States Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island, Illinois, 2005. (Ron Deiss is an archeologist in the Environmental Analysis Branch, Rock Island District, Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island, IL. This is essentially an expanded version of the article published in Illinois Antiquity in Mar. 2006. Copies of this article on computer disk can be obtained by sending $5.50 to: Ice Spear Fishing Disk, Mississippi River Visitors Center, P.O. Box 2004, Rock Island, Illinois 61204-2004. In the Glossary he mentions the following known La Crosse Reach carvers: Mike Abraham (La Crosse, WI, 1906-1995), Robert Allen (unknown address), Henry Bauer (Fountain City, WI), Bud Beranck, John Beranger (unknown address), Anthony “Tony” Bergaus (Green Island, North La Crosse, WI, 1889-1965), Charles Betts (La Crosse, WI), Pirl Billings (La Crosse, WI), George Bottcher (La Crosse, WI), Edward “Ed” Brown (unknown address), Elmer Burr (Lake Buttes des Mortes), Clyde Butterfield (La Crosse, WI), Richard Butterfield (La Crosse, WI), Don Clemmons (La Crosse, WI), Art Eeg (La Crosse, WI), Erickson family (French Island, Campbell, WI), J. Dewey Foss (unknown address), Leonard Gabel (La Crosse, WI), Joe Gohres (La Crosse, WI), Albert M Gollnick (North La Crosse, WI 1873-1927), Vic Hass (La Crosse, WI), Bud Hendrickson (La Crosse, WI, 1920-inst.), Clarence Hyde (La Crosse, WI), Ken Johnson (La Crosse, WI ?-inst.), Frank Kaufman (La Crosse, WI), Arthur “Art” Klawitter (La Crosse, WI, 1914-1998), Ray Kotnour (La Crosse, WI), Emil Liers (Homer, Minn.), Walter Lowery (La Crosse, WI), Clinton Lueth (La Crosse, WI), Fred Miller (La Crosse, WI), Edward “Ed” Moltis (La Crosse, WI), Carl Nole (Genoa, Wisconsin, 1918-inst.), Theodore R. Nole (Genoa, WI), Frank Papenfuss (La Crosse, WI), Otto Peterson (La Crosse, WI), (first name unknown) Radke (La Crosse, WI) tavern owner, Fred Roher (La Crosse, WI), George Schrader (unknown address), John F. Sherman (unknown address), Leo Sill (unknown address), Lyle Slayack, Frank Sokolic (French Island, Campbell, WI), George Spika (La Crosse, WI), Joe Spika (La Crosse, WI), Carl Thorson (La Crosse, WI), Loyd Thorson (La Crosse, WI), Floyd “Red” Tischer (La Crosse, WI), Gerald Toomey (La Crosse, WI), Edward Van Wormer (La Crosse, WI), Eldred Van Wormer (La Crosse, WI), Albion Weigel (unknown address), Arthur “Art” Wojahn (La Crosse, WI), Clarence Zielke (La Crosse, WI)).
Deiss, Ron. “Ice Spear Fishing and Fish Decoys.” United States Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island, Illinois, January, 2005. (2 pages., 5 illustrations. An abbreviated version of the previous article).
Deiss, Ron. “Ice Spear Fishing On The Upper Mississippi.” Illinois Antiquity, Vol. 41, No. 1, (March, 2006), pp. 3-9. (An excellent well researched article as might be expected from a professional archeologist. Traces the development of the fish decoy from prehistoric mussel shell decoys to the present with a focus on the La Crosse Reach. See previous 2 references).
Deiss, Ron. “Spearing Fish Through the Ice.” Big River, (January – February, 2006), pp. 16-19. (Another version of the previous 3 references).
Deiss, Ron. “A Brief History of Ice Spear Fishing on the Fox River and its Tributaries in East Central Wisconsin”. United States Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island, Illinois, May, 2006. Also published in Oshkosh Public Museum, Vol. XVIII, No. 2, (Summer, 2006), pp. i – viii. (A comprehensive historical analysis of sturgeon spearing on Lake Winnebago and the Fox River drainage in Wisconsin).
Deiss, Ron. “Frank Talbot’s River Ice Spear Fishing “Trout” Decoys.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 7, No. 1, (January-February., 2007), pp. 48-50. (Discusses discovery of 5 trout fish decoys from Serpent River Ontario owned by Ojibwa tribal elder, Frank Talbot).
Deiss, Ron. “A Brief History of Ice Spear Fishing on the Fox River and its Tributaries in East Central Wisconsin.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 7, No. 4, (July-August, 2007), pp. 8-17. (A comprehensive historical analysis of sturgeon spearing on Lake Winnebago and the Fox River drainage in Wisconsin).
Deiss, Ronald, “Once, Spearing was the Way to Fish.” Our Mississippi, (Winter, 2011). U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, Rock island, Illinois. (Not examined).
Detzer, Mike. “The Short, Happy Life of Smeltania.” 1946. Source unknown.
Dewhurst, C. Kurt. “Hooked on Carving, Ice Fishing Decoy Carving in Michigan.” New York Folklore, Vol. XIX, Nos. 3-4, 1993, pp. 1-17. (General overview of subject. Mentions Chequamegon Bay, Wis., Ben Chosa, Jos. Francis, Oscar Peterson, Chas. Kellman, Bud Stewart, Hans Janner, Andrew Trombley, Dave Kober, Lester Ballard, Mike Ballard and Travis Kober. Extensive footnotes).
Dickert, Harold. “Ice Spearing Decoys – Circa 1811.” NFLCC Gazette, (March, 1986). (Not examined).
Dickert, Harold. “The Spear, Commanding New Respect as a Collectible.” NFLCC Gazette, (March, 1992).
Dickert, Harold. “The Jay-Dee Bait Company of Muskegon and Twin Lake, Michigan – Revisited.” NFLCC Gazette, Vol. 41, No. 159, (June, 2019), pp. 17-20. (Biographical skech of lure & decoy maker, Jay D. Kitchen with discussion of the lures and Oscar Peterson look-a-like spearing decoys produced by him).
Diggs, Dory & Dick Watson. “Butch Irvin Schramm, Decoy Maker of the St. Clair Flats.” Decoy Hunter, (issue unknown but probably 1984), pp. 7-9. (Good biographical sketch based on interview with Schramm but focus is on his duck decoys).
Dillon, Wes. “Holy Moses!” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 12, No. 1, (January-February, 2012), pp. 46-49. (Biographical sketch of knife maker William Wales Scagel and discussion of upcoming sale of the Dr. James Lucie collection of Scagel knives and artifacts).
Dornbrook, Don. “Hunting Big Fish Under the Ice.” Popular Mechanics, (Feb., 1948), pp. 148-151, 236, 240 & 246. (Discusses sturgeon spearing in the Lake Winnebago area of Wisconsin and features Edward C. Thuerwachter, spear and decoy maker of Calumetville, Wisconsin with 2 great photos of Thuerwachter at the forge and with his decoys).
Drexler, Peggy F. “Living With Folk Art.” Country Living, Vol. 7, No. 6, (June,1984), pp. 92-97. (Several layouts show Michigan and Minnesota fish decoys used as decor in a home setting. Some that I can identify are Les Minier, Ervie Stewart, Isaac Goulette, Frank Mizera and Ernie Newman).
East, Ben. “Opening Day on Leelanau.” Sports Afield, Vol. 93, No. 3, (March, 1935), pp. 12-13. (Interesting account of fishing with the Winnie brothers, Art and Bert).
Esarey, Duane. “The Ancient Art of Decoy Fishing.” The Living Museum, (A publication of the Illinois State Museum, Springfield, Illinois), Vol. 55, No. 1 (1993), pp. 5-8.
Fashingbauer, Bernard S. “Spearing.” Fur-Fish-Game, Vol. 81, No. 1, (January, 1987), pp. 12-13. (Basically an instructional article on “how to go about spear fishing through the ice in Minnesota”. Two photos, three decoys illustrated. Two are plastic Bear Creek Ice Kings, one is wooden handmade).
“Fishtown.” Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, (February 16, 1878), pp. 412-413. (Discussion of ice fishing activity on Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron. Five excellent wood cut illustrations of ice shanties on the bay).
Fitzgerald, Rear-Admiral C. C. P. “Turtle.” The Badminton Magazine of Sports and Pastimes, No. XXX, Vol. VI, (Jan., 1898), pp. 68-82. (Excellent description of the sport of turtle spearing in the Gulf of Mexico and the gear necessary to sucessfully capture sea turtles without killing them).
Flick, Art. “Suckers For Sport.” Outdoor Life, Vol. 110, No. 6, (December, 1952), pp. 58-9 & 111-2. (Good account of the sport of “hooking” or snagging suckers through the ice in New York’s Catskill Mountain region. There is no decoy involved in this type of spearing but instead the fish are driven to ice holes where the “hookers” are waiting by “beaters” pounding on the ice. Illustrations and descriptions of the sucker “rake” or “hook” and how it’s made and how to use it. This device looks like a reverse or upside down spear).
Flickinger, Ralph A. “The Patchwork Sucker.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 46, (Sept., 2001). (Not examined).
Flickinger, Ralph A. “The Story of Orca.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 48, (Mar., 2002). (Not examined).
Flickinger, Ralph A. “The Fishtrap.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 50, (Sept., 2002). (Not examined).
Flinn, Orval N. “Eastern Trout from a Western Lake.” National Sportsman, (January, 1927), pp.12-13.
Forum, a publication of the American Fish Decoy Association.
Forsthoffer, J. P. “Fish Decoys Are Luring Folk Art Buyers.” Antique Monthly, (May 1988), pp. 1-40. (Excellent in-depth view of the fish decoy field with many good quality photos, including several examples by Oscar Peterson and one by Vandenbossche (mis-labeled Frank Schmidt)).
Fossey, Joe. “”Lost” Lake Simcoe Fish Decoy Found.” The NFLCC Gazette, (June, 1997), pp. 5 & 6. (Recounts the discovery of this rare patented mechanical fish decoy).
Fossey, Joe. “Capsule History of Busty’s Baits.” The NFLCC Gazette, (Sept., 1998), pp. 31 & 32.
Frank, Kent. “A Decoy Carving Dynasty: The Bethels of Park Rapids, MN” NFLCC Gazette, (December, 1994), pp. 12 & 13. (A short sketch of the Bethel family decoy makers).
Fritz, Ron. “The Truth About Fish Decoys.” Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 4, (Spring 1990), pp. 4-8. (A wonderfully direct discussion of the then current state of the fish decoy market and it’s problems. No ox is left ungored. 6 illustrations including examples of fish decoys by Jim Nelson, George Aho and Ernie Peterson, plus a cover photo illustrating Isaac Goulette and Oscar Peterson decoys. This article generated a lot of controversy and some of the issues raised were expanded on and or rebuted in a follow up article . See “Addressing the Controversies in Fish Decoys” by Brian McGrath).
Fritz, Ron. “Oscar Peterson, Michigan’s Premier 20th Century Folk Artist.” Decoy Magazine, Vol. 30, No. 5, (September/October 2006), cover & pp. 24-27. (Good overview of the decorative carvings of Oscar Peterson including 11 color photos plus the cover and 8 black & white pictures. Many of the pieces illustrated are in print for the first time. Article is a showcase for the David Fannon collection but no new information is presented).
Fritz, Ron. “Oscar Peterson, Michigan’s Master Fish Decoy Maker.” Decoy Magazine, Vol. 32, No. 2, (March/April 2008), cover & pp. 24-27. (Overview of Oscar Peterson’s myriad fish decoy variations with 25 high quality color illustrations plus 8 more on the cover. Generally good but could have used a little more proofreading).
Froyen, Curt. “Remembering John Sullivan.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 12, No. 4, (July-August, 2012), pp. 48-51. (Profiles Illinois duck & fish decoy carver John Sullivan).
Froyen, Curt. “Lou Schifferl: A Lifetime of Art.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 14, No. 2, (March-April, 2014), pp. 8-13. (Biographical profile of this well known folk artist who, although hadly mentioned, is a noted fish decoy and plaque carver).
Froyen, Curt. “Charlie Hunt: Multi-Talented Folk Artist.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 14, No. 6, (November-December, 2014), pp. 40-43. (Biographical profile of this Elma, New York folk artist whose broad repertoire includes fish decoys).
Froyen, Curt. “Bob Hollenback: Carver / Craftsman.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 17, No. 2, (March-April, 2017), pp. 60-63. (Biographical sketch of Bob Hollenback of Lachine, Michigan, his fish spearing decoys and other carvings).
Gallagher, Jack. “The Rhodes Mechanical Frog.” NFLCC Magazine, Vol. 14, No. 2, (December, 2004), pp. 30-33. (Good background on Jay, Fred and Bert Rhodes and their involvement in Michigan’s early fishing tackle industry).
Gazette, The NFLCC, a publication of the National Fishing Lure Collectors Club.
Gilbert, James C. “Fishing Thru The Ice.” Game Stories, Vol. 1, No. 1, (January, 1932), pp. 24-27. (Excellent account of the pike spearing experience by Dearbornite James Gilbert and his son, Jimmie at Mannie’s Inn (owned by Emanuel Sodt) on Pleasant Lake, Southwest of Ann Abor, Mich. Lots of pictures and good descriptions of various types of tip-ups and set line devices).
Goheen, Shannon. “Steve Weaver: Master Carver in the Cape Cod Tradition.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 12, No. 6, (November-December, 2012), pp. 26-30. (Profiles this Sandwich, Massachusetts carver with numerous illustrations of his work including decorative fish, frog and turtle).
Golicz, Gregory. “Ralph Johnston, A well-regarded but little known Michigan maker.” Decoy Magazine, Vol. 33, No. 1, (January/February 2009), pp. 32-35. (Biographical sketch and analysis of the waterfowl decoys of this Detroit, Michigan wood carver. Well researched. Numerous illustrations.) Note: Guyette & Deeter in their July 25, 2017 auction listed Lot 473: “Two fish decoys and one fishing lure by Ralph Johnston, Detroit, Michigan, circa 1940. Purchased directly from Ralph Johnston’s tackle box.”
Golicz, Gregory and Bud Shell. “Heavy Duty: The Decoys and Life of Walter Struebing.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 10, No. 5, (September-October, 2010), pp. 40-45. (Biographical sketch and discussion of the duck decoys and fishing lures of Marine City, Michigan carver Walter Struebing. Its believed that Struebing also made fish spearing decoys).
Golicz, Gregory and Bud Shell. “Miley Smith – From wood scraps to the Smithsonian.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 14, No. 3, (May-June, 2014), pp. 38-43. (Biographical sketch and discussion of the boats and folk art carvings including duck & fish decoys of Marine City, Michigan carver Miles “Miley” Smith. Also illustrated is a 6 tine Miley Smith fish spear).
Golicz, Gregory and Bud Shell. “The Schramm/Walters Family of Lake St. Clair.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 20, No. 3, (May-August, 2020), pp. 38-45. (Biographical sketches and discussion of the boats, punt poles, duck & fish decoys of this Lake St. Clair, Michigan family of craftsmen).
Greenig, Mark. “Collectible spears can still be found.” Northland Outdoors (Online Magazine, http://www.northlandoutdoors.com/event/article/id/51736/publisher_ID/5/), Fargo, North Dakota, (Published March 19, 2010, 03:01 PM). (Comprehensive history of George L. Randall, Randall Decoys and Spears and Randall-Paschke Corp.).
Grey, Hugh. “Tip-Up!” Field & Stream, Vol. XLVIII, No. 10, (February, 1944), pp. 40-42.
Guthrie, Greg. “John Snow.” Decoy Magazine, (January/February 1996).
Guthrie, Greg. “Buddy Wayman, Survival and artistic expression manifest in a spearing decoy.” Decoy Magazine, Vol. 33, No. 1, (January/February 2009), pp. 36-38. (Biographical sketch and analysis of the works of this Lac du Flambeau Chippewa Indian carver. Numerous decoy illustrations.)
Hall, Gary. “King, Bernard “Bun” Munuscong Bay, MI.” Decoy Magazine, (May/June 1990), p.16. (Minimal information with one photo of King’s oversize Canvasback Drake).
Hardin, Patty. “A Pike Started It All.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 39, Dec., 1999. (Not examined).
Hardin, Patty. “Carving A Place In Minnesota History.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 2, (January-February, 2001), pp. 46-50. (Biographical sketch and discussion of Minnesotan Lawrence Bethel’s fish decoys).
Hardin, Patty. “The Gathering: Perham Minnesota’s “World’s Largest Fish Decoy Show”.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 4, (May/June, 2001), pp. 45-47.
Hardin, Patty. “A Rookie Goes Fishing.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 45, (June, 2001). (Not examined).
Hardin, Patty. “The Humble Heart Of A Carver: Forming Functional Art & Family Bonds.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 5, (July/August, 2001), pp. 27-29. (Biographical sketch and discussion of the fish and duck decoys of contemporary carver Richard Brennan of Barnstead, New Hampshire).
Hardin, Patty. “Fake Fish vs. Valuable Decoys.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 1, (Nov-Dec, 2001), pp. 59-61. (Discussion of how to tell fake from real fish decoys).
Hardin, Patty. “Pususta Brothers Fish Carvers…and More.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 6, No. 5 (September-October, 2006), pp. 28-32. (Profile & discussion of these Waverly, Minnesota fish carving brothers. Numerous examples illustrated).
Hesse, Buzz. “Swan Brewster Brown Trout Carving.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 16, No. 2, (March-April, 2016), pg. 61. (Story of the author’s acquisition of the first fish carving by Swan Brewster of West Shokan, New York).
Hetrick, Allan. “Bait House Fish Signs – Allan Hetrick.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 4, (July-August, 2004), pg. 77. (Minnesota carver Hetrick’s fish signs).
Hill, Ken. “Arnold “Hook” Peterson.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, Exact issue unknown but thought to be 1992. (Brief sketchy biography written by the subject’s nephew. Not entirely accurate).
Hillman, Jode. “Carver Update: Jode Hillman.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 5, (September-October, 2011), pg. 37. (Discussion of Weakfish plaque by this New Jersey carver).
Hirschey, David K. “Do You Have A Swenson Decoy?” Decoy Magazine, (Mar./April, 1993).
Hogan, Austin S. “The Origins of Angling.” The American Fly Fisher, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Winter, 1976), pp. 18-21. (Well researched article on the historical origins of the fish decoy. Includes discussion of the Lake Baikal stone minnows).
Hornstra, Bob. “Lures of Distinction – Kostielny Bait Co.” The NFLCC Gazette, Vol. 17, No. 58 (Sept., 1993), pp. 5 & 6. (Good, in-depth article. Very informative but lacks sufficient photos of the baits discussed and those that are illustrated lack captions).
Hothem, Lar. “Fishing Decoys: Deceptive Collectibles.” The Antiques Journal, (April, 1980), pps. 24, 25 & 49. (Basic introductory article. Interestingly, even at this fairly early stage of fish decoy collecting, the author noted “fake or altered or recently made specimens being sometimes passed off as originals”).
Houser, William P. “Spring Fired Harpoon Is Deadly Against Frogs.” Popular Mechanics, (August, 1947), pg. 179. (Details how to built a spring powered harpoon from an old bamboo rod for spearing frogs).
Hubbard, Debbie Garrison. “A Short History of Fletcher Flood Water and Jack’s Landing, Hillman, Michigan.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 50 (Sept., 2002), pp. 3-5. (Well researched article on the history of the Floodwater and Jack’s Landing by a member of the owner’s family).
Infanti, Ron. “Manfred Scheel: Carver/Artist”, Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 4, (July-August, 2004), pp. 44-47. (Profiles this Quakertown, Pennsylvania contemporary professional carver of fish and fowl decoys).
Irwin, Jan. “Jim Nesladek: Quiet Sculptor of Wood”, Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 13, No. 6, (November-December, 2013), pp. 24-28. (In depth profile of this Polson, Montana contemporary professional carver of fish sculptures).
Irwin, R. Stephen. “Fish Decoys.” Sports Afield, (February, 1981), pp. 56-58. (Very general discussion of fish decoys. Three photos feature examples from Seth Rosenbaum and the author’s collections).
Irwin, R. Stephen. “Spearing Decoys.” Great Lakes Fisherman, Vol. 15, No. 1 (January, 1986),
pp. 20-21.
Jacobstaff, “Sea and River Fishing.” Forest and Stream, Vol. 1, (Nov., 1873), pg. 252. (Jacobstaff is the nom de plume of writer George Boardman Eaton).
Jones, Douglas W., “A Fishy Story from Iowa: Some Preliminary Considerations of Prehistoric Fishing Practices on the Eastern Prairie-Plains.” Journal of the Iowa Archeological Society, 2005, Vol. 50, pp. 85-98. University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa. (Not examined).
Jones, Roy. “The Phillips Minnow.” The NFLCC Gazette, (June, 1997), pp. 17-19. (Biographical sketch of lure and fish decoy maker, Fred Phillips of Blanchard, MI).
Karlins, N. F. “American Folk Art in Corporate Collections,” The Clarion, Vol. 13, No. 2, (Spring, 1988), pg. 38. (Photo of fish decoys in the Corporate collection of The Nestle Food Corporation).
Kangas, Gene. “Underwater Decoys: Fish.” North American Decoy Magazine, (Spring, 1978), pp.14-23. (Landmark article on Lake St. Clair fish decoys. Twenty-two fish decoys from Lake St. Clair region and three spears are illustrated in color).
Kangas, Gene. “Underwater Decoys: Fish.” Ohio Antique Review, (June, 1977). (Basically same article as above).
Kangas, Gene and Linda. “Lake Chautauqua Spear Fishing.” Decoy Magazine, (September/October 1988).
Kangas, Gene. “George John Aho: Carver of Spear-fishing Decoys.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 6, No. 6 (November-December, 2006), pp. 21-23. (Discussion of Rapid City, Michigan carver, Geo. Aho. Several good illustrations).
Kangas, Gene and Linda. “The Field Decoys of John Tax.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 6, (November-December, 2009), pgs. 8-15. (Although this article only addresses Tax’s field decoys it nonetheless contains a wealth of background information on this carver who also made fish decoys).
Kangas, Linda. “George and Miriam Van Walleghem, Passionately embracing their collection every day.” Decoy Magazine, Vol. 35, No. 5 (September/October 2011), pp. 8-13. (Collector profile of this very astute collector couple who have managed to amass a world class collection of both duck and fish decoys. Several photos of Michigan fish decoys by Hans Janner, Jim Rosin, Charles Kellman, Bart Perkins and the Vandenbossche family).
Kangas, Gene and Dick Walters. “Hooked On Wood, The Allure Of The Fish Decoy, A 3,000 Year Continuum.” Decoy Magazine, Vol. 36, No. 2 (March/April 2012), pp. 24-30. (General overview of the fish decoy world. Ties into an exhibition by the same name being held contemporaneously at the Center for Art in Wood in Philadelphia. Numerous illustrations including 29 color photos of fish decoys and spears from some of the country’s best collections).
Karlins, N. F. “American Folk Art in Corporate Collections.” The Clarion, Vol. 13, No. 2 (Spring, 1988), pp. 33-47. (Page 38 illustrates a group of fish decoys in the corporate collection of the Nestle Food Corporation. Although they are unidentified they appear to be primarily from Minnesota).
Ketchum, William C., Jr. “Delightful Deceptions.” Country Home, Vol. VIII, No. 1, (February, 1986), pp. 83-87.
Kieny, Jeff. “C. B. Lewis: Master Fish Decoy Maker.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 7, No. 6, (November-December, 2007), pp. 26-31. (Biographical sketch of this Quakertown, Pennsylvania fish decoy carver. Copiously illustrated).
Kimball, Annie. “The Cadillac Style and a Few More.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 41, (June., 2000). (Not examined).
Kimball, Annie. “Fish Decoy Makers of Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 51, (Dec., 2002). (Not examined).
Kimball, Annie. “The Changing Fish Decoy Styles in Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 52, (Mar., 2003). (Not examined).
Kimball, Art. “Old Fish Decoy Used For Lake Trout.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 38, Sept., 1999. (Not examined).
Kimball, Art. “John Fairfield – Master Fish Decoy Carver and Teller of Tales.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 38, Sept., 1999. (Not examined).
Kimball, Art. “Condition.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 40, (Mar., 2000). (Not examined).
Kimball, Art. “Fish/Ducks.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 42, (Sept., 2000). (Not examined).
Kimball, Art. “A Brief History of Winter Spearing Using Wood Fish Decoys On Chequamegon Bay, Lake Superior, Wisconsin.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 44, (April, 2001). (Not examined).
Kimball, Art. “The Legendary Jim Nelson.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 44, (April, 2001). (Not examined).
Kimball, Art. “Local Fish Names.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 47, (Dec., 2001). (Not examined).
Kimball, Art. “An Early Report of Fish Decoy Use in Minnesota.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 47, (Dec., 2001). (Not examined).
Kimball, Art. “Notes On Fish Decoys From LaCrosse, Wisconsin.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 49, (June, 2002). (Not examined).
Kimball, Art. “Lac du Flambeau Revisited.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 51, (Dec., 2002). (Not examined).
Kimball, Art and Annie. “Bay County, Michigan, Saginaw Bay Lake Huron, A Very Old Fishery.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 40, (Mar., 2000). (Not examined).
Kimball, Art and Annie. “Native American Fish Decoys.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 42, (Sept., 2000). (Not examined).
Kimball, Art, Annie and Scott. “Observations on Fish Decoy Collecting.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 45, (June, 2001). (Not examined).
Kimball, Art and Scott. “Fish Decoys.” Hobbies, Vol. 86, No. 5, (July, 1981), pp. 94.
Kimball, Art and Scott. “The Jay Rhodes Fish Decoy.” NFLCC Gazette, (June, 1991).
Kimball, Art and Scott. “Native American Spearfishing Decoys of the Upper Midwestern Great Lakes States.” Decoy Magazine, (November/December, 1995).
Kimball, Art and Scott. “Behold the Mighty Minnow.” Decoy Magazine, (July/August, 1997).
Kimball, Art and Scott. “Fish Decoys – Regional Characteristics.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 36, Mar. 1999. (Cursory overview of regional styles in fish decoys. Reprinted in the online Collector Cafe: http://www.collectorcafe.com/article_archive.asp?article=270&id=2009).
Kimball, Art and Scott. “What To Collect.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 38, Sept., 1999. (Not examined).
Kimball, Art and Scott. “The Bay City-Saginaw Minnows.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 39, Dec., 1999. (Not examined).
Kimball, Art and Scott. “Whitefish Decoys from Sault Ste. Marie Area.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 41, (June., 2000). (Not examined).
Kimball, Art and Scott. “Fish Decoys As Folk Art.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 41, (June., 2000). (Not examined).
Kimball, Art and Scott. “Aage Bjerring.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 42, (Sept., 2000). (Not examined).
Kimball, Art and Scott. “Regional Characteristics of Fish Decoys.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 45, (June, 2001). (Not examined).
Kimball, Art and Scott. “Report From Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 45, (June, 2001). (Not examined).
Kimball, Art and Scott. “The Tower School of Fish Decoys.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 50, (Sept., 2002). (Not examined).
Kimball, Art, Brad, and Scott. “The Fish Decoy – An Overview.” Antique Fishing Collectibles Newsletter, (May/June, 1986). (Not examined).
Kimball, Art, Brad, and Scott. “The Fish Decoy.” Decoy Hunter, (Jan./Feb., 1987), pp. 9-11. (This is a book review of The Fish Decoy by Art, Brad, and Scott Kimball. The authors review their own book ?).
Kimball, Scott. “To Coax a Sturgeon.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 40, Feb. 2000, pp. 2-3. (Not examined).
Kimball, Scott. “An Update On Sturgeon Spearing in Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 52, (Mar., 2003). (Not examined).
Kimball, Scott. “A Gallery’s Look at Fish Decoys.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 53, (June, 2003). (Not examined).
King, Madonna. “Fish by Fliger.” NEBRASKAland, Vol. 59, No. 2, (February, 1981), pp. 18-23.
Kirson, Don. “Oscar Peterson: Brook Trout (“Small Fish”), circa 1920.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 6, (November-December, 2009), pg. 41. (Deals with the provenance of a rare decorative 8” fish model by the dean of Michigan fish carvers, Oscar Peterson, and the circimstances surrounding it’s acquisition in 2003).
Kirson, Don. “Faked Out…. by the Fish I Wanted It to Be!” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 10, No. 4, (July-August, 2010), pp. 44 & 45. (Tale of being taken in by a fake).
Kohrman, Robert E. “In Search of the Michigan Grayling, Part 2: Thaddeus Norris and the Au Sable River Boat.” The American Fly Fisher, Vol 39, No. 1, (Winter 2013), pp. 2-11. (Discussses origins of the Au Sable River boat and incidentally describes three fish decoys sent to the Smithsonian Institution in 1876 by Daniel H. Fitzhugh Jr. along with a model of his Au Sable River boat for inclusion in a fisheries exhibit at Philadelphia as part of the Centennial Exposition in 1876 and Berlin in 1880: “I send you by express today three decoy fish, for spearing Salmon Trout and Wall eyed Pike through the ice. You will see they are not very elaborate affairs. Some fishermen paint gills and fins on the decoy but they are generally used just as those I send, in fact a white handled jack knife or a common spoon makes a good lure.”)
Kopelow, Paul. “Great Collections, ‘The Allure of Fish Decoys.’” Country Living, (Sept., 1992).
Koschay, Joseph. “Joseph Koschay: Michigan Carver.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 12, No. 2, (March-April, 2012), pp. 56-7. (Autobiographical sketch with several pictures of the duck and fish sculptings of this West Branch, Michigan contemporary carver).
Kovels. “Hooked on Fish Decoys.” Kovels, On Antiques and Collectibles, Newsletter, Vol. 14, No. 8, (April, 1988), pg.1. (The title doesn’t really work as fish decoys don’t generally have hooks. Although I have not examined this source in depth it appears to contain a number of good clear photos of legitimate fish decoys with short sketches of some of the principal carvers: Oscar Peterson, Jesse Ramey, Hans Janner, Jr., Issaac Goulette, etc.).
Kranstover, Steve. “John Jensen, Carving Realistic Fish Decoys.” Decoy Magazine, January/February, 1995.
Lambert, Larry. “Spencer Tinkham – Next Generation Carver.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 16, No. 5, (September-October, 2016), pp. 12-19. (Biographical sketch of young Norfolk, Virginia wildlife carver and restorer Spencer Tinkham. Several illustrations of “Tink” fish carvings).
Lang, Bob. “TACKLE Column.” Sporting Classics, Vol. VI, Issue 4, (July/August, 1987), pp. 66-67.
Lawrence, Orville. “Those Backward Spears”, Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 1, (November-December, 2000), pg. 55. (Short discussion of what the author calls “lifter spears” and what others have called “sucker rakes”).
Lawrence, Orville. “Those Backward Spears Revisited”, Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 4, (May/June, 2001), pg. 57. (More on “lifter spears” or “sucker rakes”).
Lawrence, Orville. “A. J. Downey: Fish Carver Extraordinaire”, Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 6, (September-October, 2002), pp. 30-31. (Profile of Newberry, Michigan carver, Andy Downey, and his fish decoys. 5 photos illustrating 8 decoys).
Leary, James P. “Alex Maulson, Winter Spearer.” New York Folklore, Vol. XIX, Nos. 3-4, 1993, pp. 43-58. (Informative look at Native American traditional spearing practices and techniques as practiced by the present day Lac Du Flambeau Ojibwa).
Lincoln, Robert Page. “Some Handy Fishing Kinks, A Unique Decoy Minnow.” Outdoor Recreation. Sorry, I have lost the issue information but I think it was around 1921. (Contains illustrated instructions for making a fish decoy. This is particularly interesting as Lincoln would later vehemently oppose spearing and write many articles denigrating the sport).
Lincoln, Robert Page. “Minnows to be Used as Lure in Ice Fishing.” Rod And Gun In Canada, (March 1921), pp. 1176-77. ( Illustrated instructions for making a decoy. Basically same article as previous citation).
Lincoln, Robert Page. “Penetrating to the Wintry Depths.” Sportsman’s Digest, Vol. 4, No. 1, (January, 1925), pp. 30-33, 54 & 56. (Discusses fishing for pike through the ice using a set line. Illustrations).
Lindberg, D. E.. “Metal Decoys Aid in Spearing Fish Through Ice.” Popular Science, Vol. 138, No. 1, (January, 1941), pg. 185. (Step by step instructions for building a sheet metal fish decoy. A nice illustration showing the decoy to be made and spearing through the ice. Articles of this type explain why we sometimes find sheet metal decoys from disparate areas of the country with nearly identical designs).
Lindner, Paul. “Kaleva Sailfish.” The NFLCC Gazette, (December, 1994), pg. 15. (Account of finding a Sailfish clock by Bear Creek/Makinen).
Lindner, Paul. “Kaleva Sailfish.” The NFLCC Gazette, (Mar., 1999), pg. 11. (Repeat of previous article).
Luckow, Gordy. “The Jenkins Fish Decoy from Iowa – With a Minnesota Connection”. Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 16, No. 1 (January-February, 2016), pg. 54-55. (Corrects a long held misconception about the true maker of the “Jenkins” commercial fish decoy formerly thought to have been made in Marshalltown, Iowa).
Luckow, Gordy. “Louie Leach Fish Decoys, The Original ‘Glitter Fish’”. Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 19, No. 3 (May-June, 2019), pg. 62-66. (Biographical sketch and analysis of the fish decoys made by this Fairmont, Minnesota carver. Also discusses the look-alike decoys made by Kermit Trusty of Ceylon, Minnesota. Numerous illustrations of the work of both carvers).
Lund, Robert. “Sonny Bashore: Outdoorsman and Artist.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 17, No. 4, (July-August, 2017), pp. 54-59. (Biographical sketch of noted Paulding, Ohio spearing decoy / jig stick maker and artist, Justus T. Bashore. This man has such an extraordinary list of accomplishments that you’ll come away feeling grossly inadequate).
Lunman, Larry. “Bill Lockhart: Thousand Islands Carver”, Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 6, No. 1, (January-February, 2006), pp. 27-29. (Brief profile & discussion of the duck and fish decoys of this Brockville, Ontario carver).
Lunman, Larry. “The Unique Fish Carvings of Northern Ontario’s Mike Marunchak”, Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 15, No. 3, (May-June, 2015), pp. 22-25. (Brief profile & discussion of the fish and bird carvings of this Sudbury, Ontario carver).
Lyons, Don & Joan. “The History of the Heddon Aviation Co.” The NFLCC Gazette, (June, 2000), pp. 4 & 5. (A brief sketch of this little known aspect of Heddon history from the owners of the Heddon Museum).
MacDowell, Marsha and C. Kurt Dewhurst. “Michigan Folk Art: Treasures From Untrained Hands.” Michigan Natural Resources Magazine, Vol. 46, No. 2, (March-April, 1977), pp.17-32. (Excerpts from the exhibition catalog “Michigan Folk Art, It’s Beginnings to 1941.” Same illustrations as in the catalog but the photos are in color here).
MacDowell, Marsha and C. Kurt Dewhurst. “Oscar Peterson.” Michigan Natural Resources Magazine, Vol. 51, No. 6, (November-December, 1982), pp. 58-61. (This article was published as an accompaniment to the 1982 Michigan State Museum exhibit, “Hooked On Carving – Oscar W. Peterson”. Written from Gary L. Miller’s research notes. All of the 12 color illustrations were also from Mr. Miller’s collection).
MacDowell, Marsha and C. Kurt Dewhurst. “Bud Stewart, Fine Fooler of Fish.” Michigan Natural Resources Magazine, Vol. 56, No. 5, (September-October, 1987), pp. 39-43.
MacQuarrie, Gordon. “The Shadow Catchers.” Sports Afield, Vol. 116, No. 6, (December, 1946), pp. 26-27. (In depth look at sturgeon spearing on Lake Winnebago, Wis.).
McBurney, Terry. “Michigan Ice Fishing Spears.” Woods-n-Water News, (February, 2005), pp. 90-93. (Overview of collecting Michigan spears. 7 Illustrations with values).
McBurney, Terry. “Oscar Peterson – Master Carver.” Woods-n-Water News, (January, 2006), pp. 96-98. (Survey of Oscar Peterson’s works with values. 7 Illustrations, 4 from the Gary Miller Collection).
McBurney, Terry. “A Very Special Auction.” Woods-n-Water News, (Dec., 2010), pp. 84 & 85. (Account of the sale of the John Warner fish decoy collection on Oct. 3, 2010 in Cadillac, Michigan. 8 full color Illustrations of items sold with prices realized. Photos by Gary Miller).
McBurney, Terry. “Bud Stewart, Michigan’s Extraordinary Lure Maker.” NFLCC Magazine, (Spring, 2017), pp. 6-15. (A good history of the Bud Stewart Tackle Co. and its products. 3 illustrations of fish spearing decoys).
McCarthy, Ron. “Tom Christenson: World Champion Fish Carver.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 5, (September-October, 2004), pp. 54-57. (Profile of a Mio, Michigan contemporary fish decoy & lure carver. 8 photos).
McGrath, Brian J. “Brown’s Fisheretto.” Lure Collector, Book No. 5, (Fall 1986), pp. 8-9, 29. (Contains detailed history of Brown Brothers and Brown’s Fisheretto Lures).
McGrath, Brian J. “Fishing For Folk Art – The Lures of Elman “Bud” Stewart.” Decoy Magazine, (March/April, 1989). (Not examined).
McGrath, Brian J. “Noted Wildlife Artist Takes Helm of Fish Decoy Club.” Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 1, (Summer 1989), pg. 20. (Discussion of the formation of the Great Lakes Fish Decoy Collectors and Carvers Association and it’s goal of fish decoy authentication and the problems inherent thereto. Photo of club president, Jim Foote, and his fish carvings).
McGrath, Brian J. “Addressing the Controversies in Fish Decoys.” Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 1, (Summer 1990), pp. 25-27. (Follow-up to the Ron Fritz article, “The Truth About Fish Decoys”, consisting of comments and or rebuttals from various individuals on the issues raised by Fritz. McGrath goes on to offer his own opinions about what’s wrong with the fish decoy trade. 3 illustrations of fish decoys by John Tax, Oscar Peterson and anonymous).
Mallam, R. Clark, “A Shell Fish Effigy from Allamakee County, Iowa.” Journal of the Iowa Archeological Society, 1979 # 26, pp. 38-42.
Martin, J. and Murphy, D. “Charles C. Kellman.” NFLCC Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 1, (June, 1994), pp. 8-15. (25 illustrations with an in-depth look at this important carver, including detailed descriptions of Kellman’s fish decoy construction techniques. Based on the Kellman family scrapbook and interviews with Kellman’s son, Norman).
McGrath, Brian J. “Brown’s Fisheretto.” Lure Collector, Book No. 5, (Fall, 1986), pp. 8, 9 & 29. (Brief sketch of the fishing lure and “dark house fish decoy” manufacturing operation of the Brown Brothers of Osakis and Alexandria, Minnesota).
Megan, Chuck. “Sturgeon Through the Ice – Spear Fishing Lake Winnebago.” Fur-Fish-Game, Vol. 100, No. 1, (Jan., 2003), pp. 10-13. (Photos of Art Sonnenberg and his decoys and spear. Good description of contemporary sturgeon spearing on Lake Winnebago, Wis.).
Michigan Department of Conservation. “Handbook for Ice Fishermen.” Michigan Conservation, Vol. XXXIV, No. 1, (January-February, 1965).
Miller, Gary L. “An Introduction to Vintage Michigan Fish Decoys.” NFLCC Magazine, Vol. 14, No. 2, (December, 2004), pp. 8-15. (Contains suggestions for avoiding fakes and a set of criteria for judging vintage Michigan fish decoys).
Miller, Gary L. “Transitional Fish Decoy Makers.” NFLCC Magazine, Vol. 15 No. 2, (December, 2005), pp. 6-17. (Profiles 5 transitional Michigan fish decoy carvers: Floyd Bruce, John Eddy, Marvin Mason, James Nelson and Ernest Peterson. Lots of pictures).
Miller, Gary L. “Flying Shanties” Woods-n-Waters News, (December 2006), pg. 71. (A true story of what happens when a “January thaw” combined with high winds hits “shanty town”).
Miller, Gary L. “The Winnies, Traverse City’s First Family of Fishing.” NFLCC Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 2, (December, 2006), pp. 20-33. (Profiles the 5 fishing sons of Traverse City pioneer, Isaac Winnie, with particular attention given to Albert Winnie, the manufacturer of the Bert Winnie Bait Co. fish decoys and Stump Dodger lures and Arthur Winnie, world famous fly tier. Lots of pictures).
Miller, Gary L. “Bear Creek Bait Company” Lure Collector, Book No. 8, (Summer 1987), pp.10-12, 25. (A detailed history of this important Michigan decoy and lure company).
Miller, Gary L. “Fish Decoys – The Finer Points.” Lure Collector, Book No. 6, (Winter, 1987), pp. 8 & 9. (A brief discussion of criteria used to evaluate fish decoys as a collectible).
Miller, Gary L. “Fish Decoys – Hottest New Sporting Collectible.” Lure Collector, Book No. 5, (Fall, 1986), pp.20-23. (Contains a description of spearing technique and a discussion of collecting strategies).
Miller, Gary L. “Peterson The Carver.” Antique Angler, (March/April, 1985), pp. 1, 3, 5. (A brief sketch of the man and his work.)
Miller, Gary L. “Oscar Peterson data sheet and fish decoy characteristics,” unpublished, 1984. (This was the raw material for the Antique Angler article.)
Miller, Gary L. “Not Just a Decoy Carver – The Lure and Lore of Oscar Peterson.” The NFLCC Gazette, Vol. 11, No. 34, (June, 1987), pp. 12,13. (This was basically a rehash of the two previous articles.)
Miller, Gary L. “Unmasking The Manistee.” The NFLCC Gazette, Vol. 11, No. 36, (December, 1987), pp. 8 & 9. (Story of the discovery of C. R. Harris as the maker of the Manistee Minnow).
Miller, Gary L. “Peterson Plugs.” The NFLCC Gazette, Vol. 27, No. 94, (September, 2002), pp. 18 & 23. (A detailed discussion of Oscar Peterson’s fishing lures).
Miller, Gary L. “Arthur Burkman, Traverse City, Mich. (1885-1950)” The NFLCC Gazette, Vol. 28, No. 96, (March, 2003), pp. 23-24. (A detailed look at Traverse City lure inventor, Arthur Burkman, his life and lures).
Miller, Gary L. “The License.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 5, (September-October, 2011), pp. 56-57. (Collecting hunting & fishing licenses and fish law digests, etc.).
Miller, Gary L. “Hook – The Other Peterson.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 13, No. 4, (July-August, 2013), pp. 42-46. (In-depth look at Jennings, Michigan fish decoy carver, Arnold H. Peterson).
Miller, Gary L. “‘Top Secret’ Decoys, Making & Collecting Fish Spearing Decoys: A Lifelong Passion.” NFLCC Magazine, Vol. 24 No. 1, (Summer, 2014), pp. 28-31. (The story of how Gary Miller became involved in collecting, carving and researching Michigan fish spearing decoys).
Miller, Gary L. “A Spearingly Good Day, Ice Spearing Photographs by Clyde Allison, Cadillac, Michigan.” NFLCC Magazine, Vol. 24 No. 1, (Summer, 2014), pp. 32-33. (Photo essay chronicling the spearing experience featuring recently rediscovered photos from the archive of Clyde Allison).
Miller, Gary L. “Derelict Decoy – Fish Decoy Division.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 16, No. 1, (January-February, 2016), pg. 59. (An indepth look at one particularly interesting, albeit damaged fish decoy).
Miller, Gary L. “Ferm Waltz: Kalkaska’s Grand Old Man of the Fish Decoy.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 17, No. 5, (September-October, 2017), pp. 48-51. (Biographical sketch of Ferman Waltz of Kalkaska, Michigan and an examination of his highly productive “Stub” fish decoys).
Miller, Neal R. “Phil Babe: Conservationist-Carver.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 6, (November-December, 2004), pp. 61-63. (Profile of the life and work of this East Tawas, Michigan duck & fish decoy carver).
Miller, Stephen. “The Next Hot Decoys: Fish.” International Wildlife, (Nov.- Dec. 1990.)
Montgomery, Robert. “Folk Artist & Collector: James Duane Tuckey (1915-2005).” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 10, No. 6, (November-December, 2010), pp. 58-60. (Biographical sketch of this Charlotte, Michigan artist/carver with 12 fish decoy photos by Keith Snider).
Moody, Charles Stuart. “Winter Fishing.” Outdoor Life, Vol. XXXV, No. 2, (February, 1915), pp. 105-110. (Interesting account of fishing through the ice for whitefish on Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho. Nine photos.)
Morrison, Tobin. “Wood – Be Fish.” Field & Stream, Vol. XCV, No. 2, (June, 1990), pp. 52-95. (One excellent photo and in depth discussion of fish decoy collecting. Promo for The Museum of American Folk Art’s traveling exhibition, “Beneath The Ice: The Art Of The Fish Decoy”).
Morrison, Tobin. “Hooked On Decoys.” The Saturday Evening Post, Vol. 263, No. 2, (March, 1991), pp. 64-111. (An excellent in-depth article with many high quality illustrations of fish decoys from the Michaan collection. Examples shown include Augie Janner, Andrew Trombley, Hans Janner Sr., Pearl Bethel, Oscar Peterson, Harry Seymour, Butch Schram and Raymond Stotz. Three of the photographs are taken wholly from Beneath The Ice by Apfelbaum, Ben, Eli Gottlieb and Steven J. Michaan). (http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Hooked+on+decoys.-a010397600).
Nusbaum, Philip. “Spear Fishing and Spear Fishing Decoy Collecting: Connected Yet Separate Experiential Worlds.” New York Folklore, Vol. XIX, Nos. 3-4, 1993, pp. 19-41. (My apologies to Mr. Nusbaum but this seems like a lot of innane sociological prattling to me).
Olson, Sig. “There’s Something About Spearing.” The (Hammond, Indiana) Times, (March 2, 1943) pg. 25. (Forerunner to essays eventually published under the title of “Dark House” in The Singing Wilderness, published in 1956 and Wilderness Days, published in 1972.
Olson, Sigurd. “Fishing At 20 Below.” Sports Illustrated, (February 28, 1955), pg. 36. (“The wonders of a secret world beneath the ice of a frozen lake; the explosive excitement of spearing a fish that takes your lure after long hours of waiting.”) (This article was referenced in the box papers that accompanied the Blackhawk decoy made by Blackhawk Enterprises of Edgerton, Wisconsin). Note: The Singing Wilderness, published by Alfred A. Knopf in 1956, is a classic of twentieth century nature writing. But for Sigurd Olson, getting his first book written and published was a long journey that depended not only on talent, but persistence, help, and a little bit of luck.The narrative below, an excerpt from A Wilderness Within: The Life of Sigurd F. Olson, tells the story from 1952, when Sigurd first began thinking about the book, until just before its publication in April 1956. Here’s the excerpt: “
One of the chapters for The Singing Wilderness added an ironic epilogue to this distraction from his writing. When Marie Rodell had sent the book manuscript to publishers in 1954, she also had sent individual chapters to magazines, and Sports Illustrated had bought two of them. One, called “Dark House,” the magazine renamed “Fishing at 20 Below,” and published on February 28, 1955. The article was not about ordinary ice fishing; Olson wrote about spearing, which had long been controversial among Minnesota sportsmen. Those in the northern part of the state typically had supported it; those in the southern counties often had vigorously opposed it. Within the state division of the Izaak Walton League the issue had created such dissension in the late 1940s that the northern chapters had threatened to secede.
A number of biologists in the Minnesota Conservation Department opposed spearing, saying that northern pike would disappear from the state if the practice continued. After the Sports Illustrated article appeared, state Izaak Walton League President George Laing wrote to Olson that his article had resurrected old wounds, and that Twin Cities outdoor writers “have actually pointed to your article as evidence of your disinterest in the state’s complete conservation program.” To such critics, “Fishing at 20 Below” demonstrated that Olson was unfit for the job of conservation commissioner.
Sigurd responded on March 24 that he simply hadn’t thought about the potential reaction when he submitted the article: “I guess the fact of the matter is that I have become so embroiled in controversial problems all over the country that I had forgotten how it might affect the Minnesota issue.” He said he was willing to “accept the opinions of those who know the score,” the researchers who believed spearing must end to save the northern pike.
It was a minor storm that quickly passed, but it is surprising that Olson, the Izaak Walton League’s wilderness ecologist and active in the organization since its inception three decades earlier, would be so unaware of an issue that deeply divided the league in his own state. Perhaps the outdoor writers that Laing referred to were correct, if by “disinterested” they meant that Olson had become so involved in conservation at a national level that he was losing touch with state issues. His response to Laing gives some support to such a charge.
Another possibility–and it would not necessarily preclude the above–is that Olson tended to separate his creative desires as a writer and interpreter of outdoor experiences from the political aspects of the conservation world. In his March 24 letter to Laing, Sigurd wrote that he didn’t write the essay to give support to spearing: “I wrote this little piece some years ago as a pure interpretation of the feelings of a man when he sits in a dark house and looks down through a hole in the ice waiting for something to come along. I still think it is a wonderful experience….And so I make no apologies for the way I feel about it and the joys I tried to point up in my story.”
The controversy did not keep Olson from using the essay in The Singing Wilderness under its original title, “Dark House.” He made but one significant change in the story: in the first sentence, he changed the timing of the episode from “two years ago” to “ten years ago,” undoubtedly to distance himself somewhat from charges of supporting the practice in the mid-1950s.”
Ondrick, Chuck. “Steve Robbins and “The Fish Decoy Company”.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 7, No. 5, (September-October, 2007), pp. 40-44. (Biographical sketch of this Ohio fish decoy carver and restorer).
Ondrick, Chuck. “Fred Lexow: The Man – His Art – His Family.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 5, (September-October, 2009), pp. 40-49. (Delves into Lexow’s roots, other family members and artistic skills. Six fish decoy and plaque photos).
Ondrick, Chuck and Brad Kimball. “Wisconsin Lake Winnebago Regional School of Making Ice Spearing Fish Decoys, Part 1.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 3, (May/June, 2011), pp. 12-21. (Contains biographical profiles of Frank Denslow, Harrison Denslow, Roman Diedrich, Arno Lau and Clarence Schroven).
Ondrick, Chuck and Brad Kimball. “Wisconsin Lake Winnebago Regional School of Making Ice Spearing Fish Decoys, Part 2.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 4, (July-August, 2011), pp. 12-18. (Contains biographical profiles of Ed Frerks, Lloyd Wachter, Frank Casper, Mary Lou Schneider and Bob Wilson).
Ondrick, Chuck and Brad Kimball. “Michigan St. Mary’s River Regional School of Making Ice Spearing Fish Decoys.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 12, No. 1, (January-February, 2012), pp. 20-27. (Profiles of Merlin Fournier, Larry Crumley and Larry Gilbert. Additional photos of decoys by “Crawford”, Adolph Van Citters & Jerry Reno. Others mentioned are Stan Badenski, Levi Carrick, Jim Cottle, Bun King, Mickey Kravis, Robert Leflar, Jim McKiddie, Fred McKinney and Skip Parish).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Bud Hendrickson: La Crosse, Wisconsin Ice Spearfisherman & Decoy Carver, “The Way It Was”.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 10, No. 4, (July-August, 2010), pp. 16-20. (Biographical profile of Bud Hendrickson and his first person account of spearing the La Crosse Reach. An addendum mentions Earl Kiefner and Henry Bauer).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “La Crosse, Wisconsin Fish Decoy Carvers, Biographies and Decoys, The Story Continues Part 3.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 10, No. 5, (Sept/Oct, 2010), pp. 8-17. (Biographies of Mike Abraham, Helmer Anderson, Earl Kiefner, Frank Papenfuss, John Rohrer, Fred Rohrer, Carl Thorsen and Eldred Van Wormer).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Regional Schools of Making Ice Spearing Fish Decoys – ‘All for One’ and ‘One for All’, Part 1.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 1, (January-February, 2011), pp. 36-43. (Attempts to identfy regional styles in fish decoys based on commonality of purpose. This is the “form follows function” argument. Pg. 36 illustrates a dead-on replica of an Oscar Peterson 12.5” Walleye made by A. J. Downey. Scary!).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Regional Schools of Making Ice Spearing Fish Decoys – ‘All for One’ and ‘One for All’, Part 2.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 2, (March-April, 2011), pp. 26-35. (Attempts to identfy regional styles in fish decoys based on mimicry. This is the “follow the leader” or “copycat” argument).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Lake St. Clair, The ‘Great’ Lake of Master Fish Decoy Carvers, Part 1.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 5, (September-October, 2011), pp. 26-33. (Historical background, tables of known Michigan Lake St. Clair carvers w/ life dates, profiles of Hans Janner, Sr., August Janner and Andrew Trombley).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Lake St. Clair, The ‘Great’ Lake of Master Fish Decoy Carvers, Part 2.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 6, (November-December, 2011), pp. 46-51. (Profiles of Gordon “Pecore” Fox and Staney “Butch” Czenkus Jr. with additional photos of examples of fish decoys by Bill Finkle, Butch Schramm, Paul Clinton, and Frank Kuss and one spear by Czenkus. Includes an addendum with numerous corrections to information presented in Part 1 in re: Harry Peltier, Frank Kuss, Mike Reno, Louis Reno and John Auckland).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Lake St. Clair, The ‘Great’ Lake of Master Fish Decoy Carvers, Part 3.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 12, No. 2, (March-April, 2012), pp. 32-38. (Profiles of Gerald Adams, Hans Janner Jr., Frank Kuss and Daniel Vandenbossche Sr. with additional photos of examples of fish decoys by Hans Janner Sr., Andy Trombley and Vandenbossche family. Includes a vintage photo of Frank St. Aubin).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Michigan ‘B-M-B’ Lakes Regional School of Making Ice Spearing Decoys.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 12, No. 3, (May-June, 2012), pp. 20-27. (Historical background, table of 34 known Burt, Mullett and Black Lakes carvers w/ life dates, profiles of Boyd Crist, Gil Archambo and Leon Campeau with additional photos of examples of fish decoys by tip-of-the-mitt carvers Ken Sprague, John Archambo, Truett McCall and James McCall).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Minnesota Independent Fish Decoy Carvers ‘Tarz’ Geiselhart & Marvin Przyborowski.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 12, No. 4, (July-August, 2012), pp. 12-17. (Profiles Minnesota carvers Clarence D. Geiselhart and Marvin Przyborowski).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Michigan Independent Fish Decoy Carvers ‘Jed’ Blain, ‘B.J.’ Ellis, ‘Pete’ Scavarda.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 12, No. 5, (September-October, 2012), pp. 34-38. (Profiles Michigan carvers Justin Blain, Benjamin Ellis and Peter Scavarda).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Minnesota – Park Rapids ‘Pearl Bethel’ Regional School of Making Ice Spearing Fish Decoys.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 12, No. 6, (November-December, 2012), pp. 18-25. (Profiles Minnesota carver Pearl Bethel with numerous examples of his work. Also illustrated are fish decoys by Oscar Peterson, Carl Zenner, Dale Goodrich, Ken Hill, Roy Warmbold Sr., Louie Anderson, Cyril Bethel, “Cy” Seybert, Leo Bethel and “Mag” Bethel. Also presents a table of 20 members of the Park Rapids “Pearl Bethel” Regional School with life dates).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Minnesota Park Rapids ‘Pearl Bethel’ Regional School of Making Fish Decoys – Part 2, ‘Sons of Pearl’.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 13, No. 1, (January-February, 2013), pp. 26-33. (Profiles Minnesota carvers Leo Bethel, Rodney Bethel, Lawrence Bethel and Harry Young. Several examples of the works of each illustrated).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “’Cy” Seybert and Cyril Bethel Pioneer Fish Decoy Carvers of Park Rapids ‘Pearl Bethel’ Regional School, Part 3.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 13, No. 2, (March-April, 2013), pp. 50-55. (Profiles Minnesota carvers Warren Victor ‘Cy’ Seybert and Cyril Bethel. Several examples of the works of each illustrated).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Michigan – Tower ‘Ervin Veihl’ Regional School of Making Fish Decoys, Part 1.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 13, No. 4, (July-August, 2013), pp. 34-41. (Sketches Veihl family history, presents tables of known Tower, Michigan carvers & spear makers w/ life dates, profiles carvers Ervin Veihl, Woodrow “Woody” Veihl, Carl William “Bill” Veihl and Rodney “Rod” Veihl. Examples of the works of each illustrated).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Michigan – Tower ‘Ervin Veihl’ Regional School of Making Fish Decoys, Part 2.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 13, No. 5, (September-October, 2013), pp. 8-14. (Outlines Veihl and Mason family histories and presents biographical sketches of Marvin “Mase” Mason, Lawrence Veihl, Lois Veihl and Rodney “Russ” Veihl. Numerous illustrations).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Michigan Tower Regional School – Part 3, Mark Bruning and Tower School Fish Decoys.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 13, No. 6, (November-December, 2013), pp. 36-41. (Outlines Bruning family history and presents biographical sketches of Mark Bruning and John “Jack” Eddy. Numerous illustrations, including examples by Ken Bruning, “Mase” Mason, Rod Veihl, “Marney” Mason, Russ Veihl, Ervin Veihl, Ray Veihl, Leroy “Bud” Styes, Jim Wregglesworth and Rich Treml).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Michigan Independent Fish Decoy Carvers Sherman Dewey and Vernon Baggs.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 14, No. 1, (January-February, 2014), pp. 22-28. (Biographies of both subjects with numerous examples plus illustrations of fish decoys by other indepentent carvers John Fairfield, Jed Blain, Pete Scavarda, Bud Stewart, John Tax, Leroy Howell and Ernie Newman. Also illustrates spears by Sherm Dewey and Samels family).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Newberry, Michigan ‘A Melting Pot’ of Fish Decoy Carvers ‘Styles’ Tom Singleton & Russ Hurlburt.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 14, No. 2, (March-April, 2014), pp. 38-44. (Presents Singleton family history, biographies of both subjects with numerous examples plus illustrations of fish decoys by other Newberry carvers Andy Downey Sr., Carl Christiansen, John Panula, Ernie Peterson, Mike Maxson and Joseph Singleton. Included is a life span chart of 28 Newberry area fish decoy carvers).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Newberry, Michigan Fish Decoys Ernie Peterson, John Panula, Karl Johnson.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 14, No. 3, (May-June, 2014), pp. 22-29. (Biographies of all three subjects with numerous examples plus illustrations of fish decoys by other Newberry area carvers William Berry, Chuck Vogel, Mike Mouch and A. J. Downey IV. Also includes an ilustration of a Bill Lutman 7 tine pike spear).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Chequamegon Bay ‘Superior’ Ice Spearing Fish Decoys.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 14, No. 4, (July-August, 2014), pp. 14-22. (Historical overview of spearing on Lake Superior’s Chequamagon Bay, Wisconsin. Includes biographical sketches of fish decoy carvers Ernie Newman, Wayne Carlson, John Demboski, Tom Foris, Walter Hmielewski, John Kirklewski and William Knoblauch. Also included is a lifespan table of 37 known local fish decoy makers. Illustrations include examples by the mentioned carvers plus a ‘leadhead’ spear by John Foris).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Chequamegon Bay ‘Superior’ Ice Spearing Fish Decoys – Part 2.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 14, No. 5, (September-October, 2014), pp. 16-21. (Continuation from Part 1 with profiles of Joseph Bietka, William Chingo, William Kontny Sr., Dennis kontny, Frank Kucinski, Chester Treba, Curtis Wickman and Craig Wickman. Illustrations include examples by the mentioned carvers).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Lake St. Clair, The ‘Great’ Lake of Master Fish Decoy Carvers – Revisited.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 14, No. 6, (November-December, 2014), pp. 26-32. (Continuation from Part 1 with profiles of Horace Perkins, James Kelson, “Jim” Rosin and Isaac Goulette. Includes an updated list of 92 identified Lake St. Clair carvers, 75 with life dates. Also includes a photo of Ike Goulette’s personal spear).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Michigan Fish Decoys, Ervin Stewart, Judd Duryee, Ken Sprague.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 15, No. 1, (January-February, 2015), pp. 28-33. (Biographical profiles of Ervin Stewart, Indian River, Michigan, Judd Duryee (including a Jack’s Landing decoy), Hillman, Michigan and Kenneth B. Sprague of Harrison, Michigan).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Art Kimball – Pioneer, ‘The Fish Decoy’ Organization and Identification.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 15, No. 2, (March-April, 2015), pp. 22-28. (Brief history of fish decoy collecting followed by a tribute to Art Kimball and his family for their contribution to the field of fish decoy collecting).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Frank R. Baron, ‘The Baron’ of Michigan Fish Decoys.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 15, No. 3, (May-June, 2015), pp. 38-43. (Review of Frank Baron’s life & contribution to the field of fish decoy collecting).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Michigan – Cadillac ‘Oscar Peterson’ Regional School of Making Fish Decoys.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 15, No. 4, (July-August, 2015), pp. 14-23. (Examines the “Cadillac style” and profiles carvers Oscar Peterson, Jesse Ramey, James “Jim” Nelson and Albert “Al” Nelson. Includes a table of 55 known “Cadillac style” carvers with life dates for 44 of them).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Lake St. Clair Regional School of Making Fish Decoys, Chub Buchman & Charlie Hart” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 15, No. 5, (September-October, 2015), pp. 16-22. (Continuation of “Lake St. Clair, The ‘Great’ Lake of Master Fish Decoy Carvers – Revisited.” by the same authors in Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 14, No. 6, (November-December, 2014). Profiles Alton “Chub” Buchman and his son-in-law, Charles “Charlie” Hart. Also illustrates examples by other Lake St. Clair carvers: Vandenbossche, Andrew Trombley, Harold Rickert, Abraham Dehate and Gordon “Pecore” Fox).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Michigan – Cadillac ‘Oscar Peterson’ Regional School of Making Fish Decoys – Part 2.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 15, No. 6, (November-December, 2015), pp. 28-35. (Examines the “Cadillac style” and profiles carvers Dewey Minor, Frank J. Hostman, Herman B. Platz, Leonard Nelson, Wyman G. Friske and Maxwell “Max” Stange).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Wisconsin – Lac Du Flambeau Native American Regional School of Making Fish Decoys.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 16, No. 1, (January-February, 2016), pp. 12-19. (Examines the Lac Du Flambeau School style and profiles carvers Ross G. Allen Sr., Ben Chosa Jr., Kenneth “Buddy” Wayman Sr. and John V. Snow. Included are 2 tables listing 146 known carvers. Additional illustrations of works by Allen family, Cross family, Gilbert White, Ray LaBarge, Duane Sosseur, Duane Poupart and Billy Martin).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Ed ‘One Arm’ Kellie, Michigan Independent Fish Decoy Carver.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 16, No. 2, (March-April, 2016), pp. 12-15. (Biographical sketch of Monroe, Michigan fish and duck decoy carver Edward Kellie. Numerous photos and analysis of characteristics of Kellie fish decoys. Includes photo of Kellie-made perch spear).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Michigan – Independent Fish Decoy Carver Clifford J. McNamara, ‘McNamara’s Band’.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 16, No. 3, (May-June, 2016), pp. 26-31. (Interview with Kalkaska, Michigan fish decoy carver, Clifford McNamara, with numerous photos of his work and an analysis of the identifying characteristics of his decoys. Includes a paragraph on Cliff’s son James, a short bio of old time Kalkaska carver, George R. Gill and illustrations of decoys by other Kalkaska carvers George King, Vernon Baggs and George Aho).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Michigan Fish Decoys of The Inland Waterway – Gene Hamlin, Herman Luce, Vern Clarmont.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 16, No. 4, (July-August, 2016), pp. 26-31. (Biographical sketches and review of the spearing decoys attributed to Eugene and Richard Hamlin of Topinabee, Herman Luce of Oden and Mose Laverne Clarmont of Cheboygan, Michigan. Numerous examples illustrated).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Michigan – Cadillac ‘Oscar Peterson’ Regional School of Making Fish Decoys – Part 3.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 16, No. 5, (September-October, 2016), pp. 30-37. (Examines the “Cadillac style” and profiles carvers Carl Zenner, Gerald Finch, Virgil Curtis and Leon Graham).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Pestrue Fish Decoys, Michigan – Saginaw Bay Regional School, ‘A Great Story Never Told’.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 16, No. 6, (November-December, 2016), pp. 40-44. (Biographical sketches of Martin and Theodore “Ted” Pestrue including numerous photos and descriptions of their fish decoys).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Michigan – Saginaw Bay Lake Huron Regional School of Making Fish Decoys.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 17, No. 1, (January-February, 2017), pp. 6-15. (Overview of Saginaw Bay’s historic winter fishery with discussion of its fish decoy characteristics. Biographical sketches of Dennis “D.C.” Rivet, Franklin Discher, Theodore & Martin Pestrue, David J. Ballor, Carl “Kelly” Galus Sr. and Alex “Pete” Provo. Includes numerous photos and descriptions of their respective fish decoys. Also includes a table of 17 known Saginaw Bay fish decoy carvers with life dates where known).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Michigan – Master Independent Fish Decoy Carver John Henry Fairfield, Sr..” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 17, No. 2, (March-April, 2017), pp. 36-43. (Biographical sketch of John Fairfield and indepth look at his decoys. Numerous examples illustrated. Brief discussion of John’s son, Dan Fairfield and his decoys).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Fish Decoys of ‘The Cadillac Hills’, Kenny & Louie Hill.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 17, No. 3, (May-June, 2017), pp. 32-39. (Biographical sketches of brothers Kenneth & Lewis Hill of Jennings, Michigan and their cousins Larry & Reino “Bud” Hill of Sparta, Michigan. Numerous illustrations).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Fish Decoy Makers, The Passing of ‘Legends’.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 17, No. 4, (July-August, 2017), pp. 6-14. (Biographical sketches with illustrations of fish decoy makers who have recently passed on; including Boyd Crist of Black Lake, Michigan, Merlin Fournier of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, Woody Veihl of Tower, Michigan, Lawrence Veihl of Tower, Michigan, Charlie Hart of Harrison Twp., Michigan, Bud Hendrickson of LaCrosse, Wisconsin, Bill Knoblauch of Ashland, Wisconsin and James Wayman of Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin. Others mentioned are Bill Green of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, Gerald Finch of Afton, Michigan and Mike Maxson of Newberry, Michigan).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Wisconsn – Lac Du Flambeau Native American Ice Spear Fishermen and Fish Decoy Makers.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 18, No. 5, (September-October, 2018), pp. 18-27. (Biographical sketches with illustrations of Ross Allen, Jerome LaBarge, Michael Allen, John Cross, Duane Poupart, Brooks Big John & James Wayman along with 2 tables listing a total of 152 carvers).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Minnesota – Master Independent Fish Decoy Carver, William ‘Bill’ Green.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 18, No. 6, (November-December, 2018), pp. 14-19. (Biographical profile with numerous illustrations of Bill and his fish carvings. The authors appear to excuse Bill Green’s making of unsigned copies of Fred Lexow trout fish plaques by saying, “he was commissioned to do so.” Seems a distinction without a difference).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “The ‘Andy’ & ‘A.J.’ Downey Family of Fish Decoy Carvers, Newberry, Michigan.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 19, No. 2, (March-April, 2019), pp. 14-21. (Biographical profiles with 25 illustrations of A. J. Downey III and his son A. J. Downey IV. Good overview. Included is a table of Upper Peninsula fish decoy carvers).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Russell Duff, Mike Holmes, Harley Ragan – Distinguished Fish Decoy Carvers, Iron River, Michigan.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 19, No. 3, (May-June, 2019), pp. 24-31. (Biographical profiles of each with numerous illustrations of their work. Details the relationship between these three carvers).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Chuck Vogel – Distinguished Fish Decoy Carver, Newberry, Michigan.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 19, No. 5, (September-October, 2019), pp. 16-20. (Biographical profile with numerous illustrations of Vogel’s various spearing decoys, taxidermy and decorative carvings).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Thomas ‘Tom’ Richards, Fish Decoy Carver & Spear Maker.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 19, No. 6, (November-December, 2019), pp. 50-55. (Biographical profile with numerous illustrations of Richards’ various spearing decoys, spears and other ice fishing tools).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Duane ‘Snook’ Barrett, Fish & Duck Decoy Craftsman, Osakis, Minnesota.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 20, No. 1, (January-February, 2020), pp. 20-24. (Biographical profile and discussion of how Barrett was mentored by neighbor, John Tax. Numerous illustrations of Barrett’s various fish spearing decoys, duck decoys and other decorative carvings).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Michigan Independent Fish Decoy Carvers, ‘You Know One When You See One’.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 20, No. 2, (March-April, 2020), pp. 6-13. (Biographical sketchs and discussions of fish decoy carvers Judd Duryee, Elman “Bud” Stewart, Sherman Dewey, John Fairfield and Vernon Baggs).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Carl R. Christiansen, Sr., Fish Decoy Carver – Folk Artist – Living Legend – Newberry, Michigan.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 20, No. 3, (May-August, 2020), pp. 18-25. (Biographical sketchs and discussions of fish decoy carvers Carl Christiansen, Butch Schramm and Hank Walters).
Ondrick, Chuck and Margaret. “Terry Lee Doubleday – Independent Fish Decoy Carver, Ceresco, Michigan.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 20, No. 4, (September-December, 2020), pp. 18-20. (Biographical sketch and discussion of fish decoy carver Terry Doubleday of Ceresco, Michigan. Numerous illustrations).
Ondrick, Chuck & Margaret and Steve Robbins. “John Tax, Sr.: Another Side of Minnesota’s Master Folk Artist.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 13, No. 3, (May-June, 2013), pp. 6-11. (Biographical sketch of Osakis, Minnesota’s John Tax with an emphasis on the diversity of his artistic expression. Numerous illustrations of fish & duck decoys, plaques, dioramas, taxidermy, flatwork, bird houses and other decorative carvings).
Ondrick, Chuck & Margaret and Steve Robbins. “John Tax, Sr.: Another Side of Minnesota’s Master Folk Artist – Part 2.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 19, No. 1, (January-February, 2019), pp. 36-41. (Biographical sketch of Osakis, Minnesota’s John Tax with an emphasis on the diversity of his artistic expression. Numerous illustrations of fish & duck decoys, plaques, dioramas, taxidermy, flatwork, bird houses and other decorative carvings).
Ondrick, Chuck and Steve Robbins. “Fred Lexow Fish Decoys: Identification and Dating.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 3, (May/June, 2009), pp. 30-34. (Analysis of the general characteristics and the four periods of Lexow’s work).
Ondrick, Chuck and Steve Robbins. “La Crosse, Wisconsin Fish Decoys: Identification of Carvers and Their Profiles.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 10, No. 3, (May-June, 2010), pp. 8-18. (Discusses the La Crosse school of fish decoy carvers and profiles carvers Tony Bergaus, Art Eeg, Ed Gautsch, Joe Gohres, Walter Lowery, Fred Miller, Charles Sokolik, Frank Sokolik, Lloyd Thorsen, Clarence Tischer, Jim Valiquette and Clarence Zielke).
O’Neill, Patrick D.. “Leo H. McIntosh, Jr.: American Master.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 10, No. 6, (November-December, 2010), pp. 26-33. (Biographical sketch and discussion of McIntosh’s contemporary carvings including his Stony Creek Decoy Co. fish decoys).
O’Neill, Patrick D.. “Leo H. McIntosh, Jr.: American Master, Part 2.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 1, (January-February, 2011), pp. 6-13 and Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 3, (May-June, 2011), pp. 48 &49. (Biographical sketch and discussion of McIntosh’s contemporary carvings including his Stony Creek Decoy Co. fish decoys. Cover photo of Stony Creek Decoy Co. fish decoys).
Osvold, Rod. “World’s Largest Fish Decoy Show, 20th Anniversary of “The Gathering”.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 17, No. 2, (March-April, 2017), pp. 74-76. (Brief history of “The Gathering” fish decoy show held annually in Perham, Minnesota).
Oxley, Rich. “Hunting, Fishing, Trapping: A Midwest Photo History – Looking Back 100 Years, Part I of a Series.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 5, No. 5, (September-October, 2005), pp. 38-44. (Photo essay of the Oxley family photographers of Fergus Falls, Minnesota. This family produced a significant archive of early outdoor photos including ice spearing scenes).
Oxley, Rich. “Ice Fishing With Camaras: W. T. Oxley and his sons – Elmer & Lloyd Oxley, Fergus Falls, Minnesota – 1900-1940.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 6, No. 1, (January-February, 2006), pp. 52-56. (Great photo essay of the Oxley family spearing and using fish decoys made by Elmer Oxley).
Parker, Jackson. “New Release Honors Michigan’s Outstanding Maker of Fish Decoys.” Decoy Magazine, Vol. 12, No.1, (January/February 1988), pp.31-32. (Book review of Michigan’s Master Carver, Oscar W. Peterson by Ronald J. Fritz.)
Parker, Jackson. “Eclectic American folk art makes new splash in print.” Decoy Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 2, (March/April 1987), pp.28-29. (Book review of The Fish Decoy by Art, Brad and Scott Kimball).
Parker, Jackson. “Doyle Mixes Fish With Fowl At Annual December Auction.” Decoy Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 2, (March/April 1987).
Pennington, William. “Fish Decoys – You Must Be Kidding.” North American Decoys, (Fall, 1973).
Pennington, William. “Fish Story.” North American Decoys, (Fall, 1973), pp. 30-33. (Good article. Describes taking of 45 lb. muskie in 1944 by John Flieman (with Photo) . Other photos depict Phyllis Ellison’s collection, Eskimo spearing and artifacts at the Milwaukee Public Museum, decoys by Yock Meldrum, David Hoag and his grandfather (Lake Champlain), and Chucker Loesch (New York).
Pennington, Willis G. “J. W. Reynolds Decoy Factory.” Decoy Collector’s Guide, Vol. 6, 1977, pp. 125-130.
Petersen, Donald J. “The Mora Ice Stick.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 6 (September-October, 2002), pp. 66-67. (Brief biographical sketch of Minnesotan Harlan Altman and his Mora ice fishing stick).
Petersen, Donald J. “Charles E. Fairbanks, Sr., Master Fish Decoy Carver of Minnesota.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 3 (May-June, 2003), pp. 22 & 23. (Brief biographical sketch and discussion of this maker’s fish decoys).
Petersen, Donald J. “Coelestin “Cel” Athman: Spear Maker Extraordinaire.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 3 (May/June, 2003), pg. 35. (Brief biographical sketch of Pierz, Minnesota spearmaker Cel Athman).
Petersen, Donald J. “Minnesota fish decoy makers Carl Satre, Lawrence Lunka and Frank Minsch.” Decoy Magazine, (May/June, 2003), pp. 16 & 17. (Very brief sketchs and descriptions of these makers with 8 illustrations).
Petersen, Donald J. “In Defense of Purchasing Fish Decoys by “Unknown” Makers.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 5, No. 1 (January-February, 2005), pp. 48-50. (Discusses a collecting strategy).
Petersen, Donald J. “Some Contemporary Fish Decoy Makers of Michigan.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 5, No. 6 (November-December, 2005), pp. 20-23. (Brief sketches of Michigan carvers Tom Bachler, Larry Hill, Dick Kahle, Harley Ragan and Bill Roberts).
Petersen, Donald J. “Some Contemporary Fish Decoy Makers from Wisconsin.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 6, No. 1 (January-February, 2006), pp. 35-39. (Brief sketches of Wisconsin carvers Doug Davis, Kevin DeCota, Sunny Moon, Thomas Peeters, Tom Winter and Charles W. Zielke).
Petersen, Donald J. “Tom Connell: Minnesota Fish & Decoy Carver.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 7, No. 1 (January-February, 2007), pp. 51-53. (Biographical sketch of this Fergus Falls, Minnesota carver and a description of his decoys).
Petersen, Donald J. “Four Old-Time Fish Decoy Makers.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 8, No. 5 (September-October, 2008), pp. 28 & 29. (Brief sketches of Minnesota carvers Ludwig N. Vennewitz and Clifford Soucie).
Petersen, Donald. “Three Minnesota Fish Decoy Makers.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 8, No. 6 (November-December, 2008), pp. 46 & 47. (Brief sketches of Minnesota fish decoy carvers Frank McCabe, Kenneth Mayberry and Gary Mann).
Petersen, Donald. “Vintage Spear Fishing Decoy.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 10, No. 2 (March-April, 2010), pg. 53. (Story of Don’s acquisition of a Ray Stotz sunfish decoy).
Petersen, Donald J. “Faue Fishing Sticks.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 15, No. 3 (May-June, 2015), pg. 54-56. (Brief analysis of what is presently known of Hanover, Minnesota’s Faue brothers, Otto & William, and their production of ice fishing sticks).
Petersen, Donald J. “Spear Fishing Decoys: “Critters” Made From Household Materials.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 16, No. 1 (January-February, 2016), pg. 42-45. (Presents a broad array of “critters” made from make-do materials mostly by unknown hands, including muskrat, mice, salamander, tadpole, leech, caterpillar, diddle bug, dragonflies, crawdad and frogs).
Petersen, Donald. “Nels Sunberg, Minnesota Fish Decoy Maker Discovered.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 17, No. 5 (September-Otober, 2017), pp. 56-57. (Biographical sketch of this heretofore unidentified Fergus Falls, Minnesota carver with analysis of his decoy’s characteristics. Seven fish decoy photos).
Petersen, Donald. “LeDean N. Knudson.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 17, No. 6 (November-December, 2017), pg. 65. (Short biographical sketch of this heretofore unidentified Mankato, Minnesota copper fish decoy maker. Photo of maker and one fish decoy photo).
Petersen, Donald J. “Claude B. ‘Cloudy’ Hoeschen, Another Minnesota Fish Decoy Maker Revealed.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 18, No. 4 (July-August, 2018), pg. 33. (Short biographical sketch of this heretofore unidentified Freeport, Minnesota fish decoy maker. Photo of maker and two fish decoy photos illustrating three examples).
Petersen, Donald J. “Frank A. Brodt – A New Discovery of An Old-Time Fish Decoy Maker.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 18, No. 5 (September-October, 2018), pg. 31. (Short biographical sketch of this heretofore unidentified Pine River, Minnesota fish decoy maker. One example illustrated).
Petersen, Donald J. “James Henry Graetz: Western Minnesota Fish Dcoy Maker.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 18, No. 5 (September-October, 2018), pg. 45. (Short biographical sketch of this heretofore unidentified Montevideo, Minnesota fish decoy maker. Three examples illustrated).
Petersen, Donald J. “Ed Mettner – Another Old-time Fish Decoy Carver Revealed.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 19, No. 1 (January-February, 2019), pg. 70. (Short biographical sketch of this heretofore unidentified Cloquet, Minnesota fish decoy maker. Two examples illustrated).
Petersen, Donald J. “The Grandaddy Bait Company & the Eppel Family Legacy.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 19, No. 2 (March-April, 2019), pp. 44-48. (Biographical profiles of Leo & Jerry Eppel and overviews of Bloomington, Minnesota’s Grandaddy Bait Co. and GEE Daddy Lures. Twenty-one illustrations).
Petersen, Donald J. “August J. Saari: Spear Fishing Partner of Frank Mizera & Accomplished Fish Decoy Maker in his Own Right.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 20, No. 4 (September-December, 2020), pp. 31-33. (Biographical sketch of August “Gyp” Saari of Ely, Minnesota with analysis of his known fish decoy carvings. Numerous illustrations).
Petersen, Donald J. “Lamont R. Mounsdon: Prolific Minnesota Fish Decoy Carver.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 20, No. 4 (September-December, 2020), pp. 60-61. (Biographical sketch of Lamont Mounsdon of Alexandria, Minnesota with identifying features of his fish decoy carvings. Six illustrations).
Petersen, Donald J. & Jim Kane. “Eugene Spears Manufacturing Company of Willmar, Minnesota.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 3 (May-June, 2004), pp. 67-69. (Excellent account of a previously unidentified spear maker taken directly from one of the company founders).
Petersen, Donald J. & John McCormick. “Mystery Fishing Stick Maker Identified: Burnett Quentin Jacobs.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 16, No. 3 (May-June, 2016), pp. 52-55. (Biographical sketch of this previously unidentified Minnesota fish decoy and folk art fishing stick maker. Several examples of Jacobs’ sticks are illustrated but to date none of his fish decoys have been identified).
Petersen, Donald J. & John McCormick. “Clifford Jason Stubbs, Master Fish Decoy Carver from Lake Minnetonka.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 16, No. 5 (September-October, 2016), pp. 58-59. (Biographical sketch of this vintage Minnesota fish decoy carver with several good illustrations of representative examples of his work).
Peterson, Kenneth L. “Bud Stewart: Michigan’s Legendary Baitmaker.” Michigan Sportsman, Vol. 10, No. 3, (April, 1985), pp.46-48. (Basic Bud Stewart article).
Peterson, Theodore (Everett Peterson’s son) has written a two part article on his father and the history of the Bar Lake Fishing Tackle Co., NFLCC Gazette, (June and Sept. 2009).
Petrucco, Louis. “Herbert William Johnson: Fish Decoy Carver and Master of Color.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 43, (Dec.,, 2000). (Biographical sketch and discussion of the fish decoys of old time Hillman, Michigan carver Johnny Johnston A/K/A “Johny Johnson”).
Petrucco, Louis. “Herbert William Johnston: Fish Decoy Carver and Master of Color.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 3, (March-April, 2002), pp. 53-56. (Biographical sketch and discussion of the fish decoys of old time Hillman, Michigan carver Johnny Johnston A/K/A “Johny Johnson”).
Petrucco, Louis. “Hans Janner, Sr., Ice Fishing Decoy Maker From Michigan’s Lake St. Clair.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 4, (May-June, 2002), pp. 52-54. (Short bio with many color photos depicting Han’s fish decoys, spears and muskie plugs including a photo of the “Coffin Spear”, the last spear made by Janner).
Petrucco, Louis. “Ice Fishing Decoys of Hans Janner, Jr.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 5, (July/August, 2002), pg. 35. (Short photo essay with biographic sketch. 5 Photos).
Petrucco, Louis. “The Spear Fishing Decoys Of Auggie Janner.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 6, (September-October, 2002), pp. 42-43. (Short photo essay with biographic sketch. 8 Photos).
Petrucco, Louis. “The Decoys of John Kalash…and More.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 4, (July-August, 2003), pp. 39-41. (Photo essay of Gibraltar, Michigan fish and duck decoy carver John Kalash).
Petrucco, Louis. “Floyd Bruce: Michigan Fish Decoy Carver.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 5, (September-October 2003), pp. 44-45. (Photo essay of Gaylord, Michigan fish decoy carver, Floyd Bruce).
Petrucco, Louis. “Ken Bruning (1919-1974): Premier Fish Decoy Creator From Michigan.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 3, (May-June, 2004), pp. 48-51. (Excellent in-depth article on this important Rogers City, Michigan carver and his family. 17 illustrations show the many variations from the finely rendered quasi-photographic finishes to the slightly crude early examples).
Petrucco, Louis, Tom Shumaker and Dick Walters. “Michigan Carvers Who Created Both Duck and Fish Decoys.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 4, (May-June, 2002), pp. 47-49. (First in a series of articles promising to reveal carvers who carved both duck and fish decoys. This article deals with carvers from north of Detroit, other areas to follow. Very sketchy information, much of it new, presented as captions to the color photos which illustrate examples of each carvers duck and fish decoys. Carvers illustrated: Edward “One Arm” Kellie, Bernard “Bun” King, John Kalash, Garnet De Cou, Hank Walters, Irvin “Butch” Schramm, John Dietch, Mike & Lou Reno, Jim Kelson, Isaac Goulette, Frank Cummings, John Auckland, Gordon Pecor Fox and Musky Manor).
Pinckney, Roger. “John Jensen’s Little Fish”, Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 3, (March-April, 2001), pp. 22-25. (Biographical sketch and discussion of Minnesotan John Jensen’s fish decoys. Includes a bit on Jensen’s apprentice, Cathy Svare).
Poel, Bob. “The “K” Fish Mystery”, Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 15, No. 5, (September-October, 2015), pp. 28-33. (Investigative report on the search for the long sought after maker (George King?) of the so called “K Fish” fish spearing decoys of northern Michigan).
Poel, Bob. “Ken Peterson: Decoy Collector During the Great Depression”, Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 15, No. 4, (July-August, 2015), pp. 32-39. (Biographical sketch of Ludington, Michigan’s colorful decoy accumulator, Kenneth M. Peterson. Although not mentioned in the article Peterson also made fish spearing decoys).
Poel, Bob. “Chalky” Jensen Decoys: Simple, Economical and Very Effective!, Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 16, No. 3, (May-June, 2016), pp. 20-25. (Biographical sketch of Charles “Chalky” Jensen of Ludington, Michigan and his manufactured duck decoys. Although not mentioned in the article Jensen is nearly certain to have also made fish spearing decoys).
Poel, Bob. “Branded Sibley Decoy – Whitehall, Michigan”, Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 18, No. 6, (November-December, 2018), pp. 6-12. (Although this article is not about fish carvings nor fish spearing decoys per se, pg. 10 has a photo of and short discussion of fish decoy and fish plaque carver Wayne Oudsema of Muskegon, Michigan).
Proeller, Mary Luise. “Rediscovering Fish Decoys.” Antiques & Collecting Magazine, Vol. 98, No. 11, (January, 1994), pp. 28, 29 & 56. (3 rather poor quality photos of Trombley, Peterson, Defer and Howell decoys. A few minor factual errors but basically a fair and balanced article. Quotes Arne Anton, Gene Kangas and Arlan Ettinger and discusses how to avoid fakes).
Raynor, George R. “Fish and Fishing in Chautauqua Lake.” Paper Prepared for the Chautauqua County Historical Association, Read at the Annual Meeting, October, 1943, 21 pages. (Excellent overview of muskie fishing and propagation in Chautauqua Lake with biographical sketches of Edward W. Irwin and Frank W. Cheney two of the lakes known fish decoy carvers).
Reichman, Charles. “More On Spear Fishing.” The Chronicle, Early American Industries, Vol. 43, No. 3, Sept. 1990, p. 76. (Discusses the history of spear collecting and cites some interesting references. Poses the question of which came first, the barbed spear or the barbed fishhook?).
Richey, George. “Paul Bowers Spearing Decoys.” The NFLCC Gazette, Vol. 11, No. 34, (June, 1987), pp. 8. (A brief sketch of this maker and his decoys).
Richey, George. “New Stump Dodgers Are Found.” NFLCC Gazette, (Sept, 1992), pg.17. (A short account of finding some Bert Winnie experimental or prototype lures including top water, flat top and unusual jointed Stump Dodgers).
Richey, George. “Good to the Last Fish.” NFLCC Gazette, (Mar., 1994), pp.11 & 12. (A short account of the Jay-Dee Bait Co. operated by Jay D. Kitchen of Muskegon & Twin Lakes, Mich.).
Richey, George. “The Bar Lake Ice Spearing Decoy.” The NFLCC Gazette, (June, 1995)
Richey, George. “Edson’s Fish Fooler.” The NFLCC Gazette, (December, 1995), pg. 22. (Sketches the development of the Fish Fooler Lure/Decoy).
Richey, George. “Homer Le Blanc, His Life & Lures.” The NFLCC Gazette, (September, 1996), pp. 16 & 17. (A tribute to Homer).
Richey, George. “The Isadore Clark Spring Lure.” The NFLCC Gazette, (December, 1997), pg. 16. (A brief sketch of this maker and his lures. Also made fish decoys. See also Mar., 2000 article by Dan Wilson & George Richey).
Richey, George. “Stump Dodgers and Double Bubbles.” The NFLCC Gazette, (March, 1998), pp. 19-21. (Another look at Bert Winnie’s life and lures).
Richey, George. “A Visit With A Lure Legend!” The NFLCC Gazette, (June, 2000), pp. 14 & 15. (An interview with Trygve Lund and his involvement with Heddon, Makinen and others).
Rickabus, Dan and Wanda. “Maxson’s Carvings: A Lifelong Passion.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 15, No. 2, (March-April, 2015), pp. 20-21. (Biographical sketch of Newberry, Michigan fish decoy carver Michael Maxson. Many examples illustrated).
Robbins, Steve and Chuck Ondrick. “Fred Lexow Fish Decoys: Identification and Dating.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 3, (May/June, 2009), pp. 30-34. (Analysis of the general characteristics and the four periods of Lexow’s work).
Roorbach, J. O. “Fish-Spearing Through The Ice.” St. Nicholas: An Illustrated Magazine For Young Folks, (February, 1886), pp. 247-250. (Excellent and very interesting account of having learned spearing through the ice from the indians during the 1850s near present day Green Bay, Wisconsin and having adapted the technique for later use in New Jersey. Includes engravings with description of indians spearing through the ice and detailed instructions of how to construct a spearing house, spears and decoys. Good example of how this technology was transferred from Native Americans and adapted for use by Europeans).
Rosenbaum, Seth. “American Fishing Lures and Fish Decoys.” Country Living, Vol. 8, No. 7, (July, 1985), pp. 26, 137. (The decoys identified as being made by Paul Henderson of Michigan in this article are actually by George Flanagan of Kennewick, Washington. Also illustrated is a 1930s Hans Janner, Mt. Clemens, Michigan bass decoy that the author attributes to an unknown 1840s Wisconsin carver).
Rosenbaum, Seth. “Lures” Column. Sporting Classics, Vol. IV, Issue 1, (Mar./April 1985), pg. 84. (The lure illustrated here on top of a patent drawing is not an Oscar Peterson product).
Rosenbaum, Seth. “Lures” Column. Sporting Classics, Vol. IV, Issue 2, (May/June 1985), pp. 82-83. (Contains an excellent detailed history of Herter’s, Inc.).
Rothwell, William F. “More……Fairfield Fish Decoys”, Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 4, (July-August, 2003), pp. 46-48. (Follow-up to the Troy Carter article on Marenisco, Michigan fish decoy carver, John Fairfield. Lots of pictures).
Rover. “Editor Forest and Stream” titled “Winter Fishing in Lake Michigan”. Forest and Stream, Bay City, Mich., March 16, 1877. (First hand description of the fishing village on the ice of Saginaw Bay referred to as the “Ice City” and how 2000 men are engaged in fishing there. At the end of the article is “{A year or more ago our Correspondent “Ichthys” in describing the ichthyic fauna of the Great Lakes gave our readers a clever description of the ice village and the methods of fishing through the ice. The above article is none the less acceptable. Ed. F. AND S.}”)
Rover. “Winter Fishing in Lake Michigan.” Forest and Stream, April 12, 1877. (Another contemporaneous description of the “Ice City” on Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron (not Lake Michigan as the title states). Tells of 300 men being stranded on an ice floe).
Salive, Marcel L. “Determining the Age of Ice-Fishing Decoys.” Maine Antique Digest, (February, 1994), pp. 36-B – 38-B. (Detailed treatise that’s sure to give fish decoy collectors much to ponder. Covers form, paint, black light examination, fins, body material, grain relief, line-ties, carving style, weight, odor, regional characteristics, floating/swimming characteristics, carving method and eye types. Worthwhile).
Sandys, Edwyn. “A Matter of Mascalonge.” Outing, Vol. XL, No. 5, (August, 1902), pp. 576-582. (Interesting early account of spearing muskie through the ice. Good writing. Also has illustration of spearing muskie from a boat with a short throwing spear).
Satterthwaite, Franklin. “Smelt Fishing.” Harper’s Weekly, Vol. XXX., No. 1520, (February 6, 1886), pp.93-94. (Contains a wonderful illustration of smelt fishing through the ice and a detailed description of it as well as an in depth discussion of this activity throughout New England).
Sawers, John. “Fishing Spears – A Brief Background, Part 1.” The Chronicle, Early American Industries, Vol. 43, No. 2, June 1990, pp. 35-37. (Introductory level article with most of the references being Canadian).
Sawers, John. “Fishing Spears – Part 2, Related Implements.” The Chronicle, Early American Industries, Vol. 43, No. 3, Sept. 1990, p. 68. (Very short and elementary article limited to pictures of ganghook, gaffs, spring gaffs and jacklights).
Schnitker, Kirk A. “Tom Leagjeld: Mystery Crafter of the Fred Gibbon Fish Decoys.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 4, (July-August, 2004), pp. 52-56. (Story of the true maker of the so-called “Gibbon” fish decoys).
Schnitker, Kirk. “The Fergus Falls Connection for Four Carvers: David Beighley, Jerry Kelm, Vern Gent, Tom Connell.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 7, No. 5, (September-October, 2007), pp. 58-61. (Short sketches of contemporary Minnesota fish decoy carvers, David Beighley, Jerry Kelm, Vern Gent and Tom Connell).
Schnitker, Kirk. “Art Seguin: Maker of Duck & Fish Decoys…and Much More.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 1, (January-February, 2009), pp. 48-50. (Biographical sketch of Minnesota fish decoy carver, Art Seguin).
Schnitker, Kirk. “Jig Sticks: Art Form on the Ice.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 2, (March/April 2011), pp. 56-59. (Overview of jig stick collecting with a Minnesota emphasis).
Schottenham, Jim. “Henry A. Driscole – Angler and Artist.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 12, No. 6, (November-December, 2012), pp. 46-48. (Profile of New York’s famous painter of fish portraits).
Schottenham, Jim. “Fish Grabbers: A look at pre-1900 Mechanical Fish Gaffs.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 14, No. 1, (January-February, 2014), pp. 12-14. (Overview of spring gaffs from the Tim Mierzwa collection sold at Lang’s Auction November 9 & 10, 2013).
Sibley, Hi. “Light Harpoon Gun Spears Fish and Frogs.” Science and Mechanics Magazine, June, 1952, pp. 119-20. (Detailed instructions on how to build a harpoon gun for spearing fish and frogs).
Siggelko, Pete. “Cal Deming…Boyne City, Michigan Fish Carver.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 10, No. 5, (September-October, 2010), pp. 30-33. (Biographical sketch of Michigan fish decoy carver and spear maker, Cal Deming with 15 illustrations).
Sims, Cheri. “Daffy Over Decoys”. Chevy Outdoors. Vol. 4, No. 3, (Fall 1989), pp. 28-31. (Overview of the various types of decoys: duck, shorebird, fish and owl. Caution: most of the fish decoys illustrated are mis-identified.)
Slusar, Chris. “David Huard and Charles M. Dunbar: The Improved Trolling Hook.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 14, No. 1, (January-February, 2014), pp. 46-49. (In-depth analysis of the famous Huard / Dunbar patent # 151,394 of May 26, 1874 which as far as can be determined is the earliest known patent for a spring loaded fish decoy as well as the earliest known patent for a wooden fish lure. Since this was published new research has come to light and no doubt an update will be forthcoming shortly).
Slusar, Chris. “David Huard and Charles M. Dunbar: The Improved Trolling Hook.” NFLCC Magazine, Vol. 56, No. 2, (Winter, 2018), pp. 4-8. (Update to the previous article detailing the latest research on the famous Huard / Dunbar patent # 151,394 of May 26, 1874 which as far as can be determined is the earliest known patent for a spring loaded fish decoy as well as the earliest known patent for a wooden fish lure).
Smith, Gary. “Too Pretty to Fish: The Contemporary Fishing Lures of Jan Cummings.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 10, No. 2, (March-April, 2010), pp. 18-21. (Promotional piece with biographical sketch of Cummings and 8 photos. Although Cummings is primarily a fishing lure fabricator he does make an occasional fish decoy. One frog decoy is illustrated on pg. 19).
Smith, John L. “Charles Kellman: Fishing’s Master Folk Artist ? You be the judge.” Tackle Trader, Vol. 3, Issue 3, (Fall 1988), pp. 1, 6 & 17. (15 photos of Kellman lures and brief article).
Smith, Larry M. “A Lure Without Hooks – The Fish Decoy.” NFLCC Gazette, (January, 1985). (General article discussing factory decoys as well as hand mades. Erroneously states that spearing is legal only in Wisconsin and Michigan. Catalog illustrations of Heddon and Paw Paw decoys).
Smith, Larry M. “Getting Hooked on Fish Decoys.” Antique Angler, (May/June, 1985), pp. 1 & 5. (General discussion of fish decoys with five photos. One photo mis-identified as R. Holt, should be Frank Hostman).
Smith, Larry M. “Inside and Outside Of A Duck-Fish.” The NFLCC Gazette, Vol. 11, No. 35 (September,1987), pp. 12-13.
Smith, Tony & Lensky, Richard. “The Turner Casting Lures of Coldwater, Michigan.” The NFLCC Gazette, (December, 1994), pp. 17 & 18. (Sketch of the Turners and their baits with a photo of 3 frog decoys from the Turner’s ice fishing box).
Sonnett, Bill. “The Confusing Heddon 400s” NFLCC Gazette, (June, 1994), pp. 13 & 14. (Short history of Heddon’s use of the 400 model number).
Sonnett, Bill. “William Shakespeare, Jr. Wooden Minnows” NFLCC Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 2, (December, 1999), pp. 28-35. (Contains in depth look at the relationship between Jay B. and Fred Rhodes and their involvement in Michigan’s early fishing tackle industry).
Sonnett, Bill. “The Rhodes of Kalamazoo” NFLCC Gazette, Vol. 39, No. 150, (March, 2017), pp. 12-15 & 27-28. (In-depth look at the relationship between Jay B., Bert O. and Fred Rhodes and Wm. Shakespeare and their involvement in Michigan’s early fishing tackle industry. Although the author makes no mention of Jay B. Rhodes’ patented ice decoy, it’s nonetheless a valuable background resource with some great early photos of the Rhodes family).
Sorenson, Hal, and Edward T. de Navarre. “Seaworthy Divers With That ‘Extra Touch’.” Decoy Collector’s Guide, 1968, pp. 56-58.
Spreck, Tim. “Harley Ragan: Master Fish Spearing Decoy Maker.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 1, (Nov-Dec, 2001), pp. 52-55. (Biographical sketch and discussion of this contemporary carver from Amasa, Michigan).
Spreck, Tim. “Aage Bjerring: Bringing The World Of Art To Contemporary Fishing Collectibles.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 3, (March-April, 2002), pp. 27-29. (Biographical sketch and discussion of this contemporary New York carver’s fish decoys and lures).
Spreck, Tim. “Perham Nationals: “The Gathering” – 2002.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 4, (May-June, 2002), pp. 37-39. (Recap of the fish decoy carving competition held annually in Perham, Minnesota).
Spreck, Tim. “Cadillac, Michigan School of Fish Carvers: Jim Pullen.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 5, (July-August, 2002), pp. 54-56. (Biographical sketch and discussion of this Cadillac, Michigan carver’s fish decoys. 6 photos).
Spreck, Tim. “World Championships For Fish Decoy Carving.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 1, (January-February, 2003), pp. 36-38. (Recap of the fish decoy carving competition held annually in Livonia, Michigan).
Spreck, Tim. “Folk Art Fish Carver: Manford Erickson.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 5, (September-October, 2003), pp. 49-50. (Profile of the life and work of Kelliher, Minnesota and Wheeling, West Virginia fish decoy carver, Manford Erickson and his folk painter, Catherine Rosewood).
Spreck, Tim. “Marcel Meloche: Fish Carver Extraordinaire.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 6, (November-December, 2004), pp. 41-43. (Profile of the life and work of this Cochrane, Ontario fish decoy carver).
Spreck, Tim. “Folk Art Fish Decoys – The Purest of Utilitarian Folk Art Collectibles.” Southeastern Antiquing and Collecting Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 1, (January, 2006).
Spreck, Tim. “Leroy Howell: Master Carver of Fish Decoys, The Myth Becomes a Man.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 6, No. 3, (May-June, 2006), pp. 24-29. (Excellent well researched biographical sketch of this noted carver with a lot of previously unpublished material and 11 illustrations).
Spreck, Tim. “In Memoriam…Lawrence Bethel (1930-2006).” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 6, No. 5 (September-October, 2006), pg. 64. (Brief obit).
Spreck, Tim. “My “Favorite Five” Fish Decoys.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 1, (January-February, 2009), pp. 51-53. (Descriptions of specific fish decoys by: Leroy Howell, Harley Ragan, Art Boelter, Pearl Bethel and an unidentified maker).
Spreck, Tim. “William Faue Trout, circa 1930s.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 10, No. 1, (January-February, 2010), pg. 17. (Story of the acquisition of a particularly fine Faue decoy. One picture).
Spreck, Tim. “The St. Paul Fish Decoys: Everybody loves a good mystery.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 10, No. 4, (July-August, 2010), pp. 29-31. (Analysis and recap of what’s currently known about these apparent commercially made decoys).
Spreck, Tim & Kirk Schnitker. “”Whitefish Open”, New Spearfishing Competition In Minnesota.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 2, (January-February, 2002), pp. 53-55.
Spreck, Tim & Kirk Schnitker. “”Whitefish Open – II” Where fish decoys aren’t just pretty.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 2, (March-April, 2003), pp. 52-55. (Recap of this annual competition for working contemporary fish decoys).
Spreck, Tim & Kirk Schnitker. “Whitefish Open – 2004.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 3, (May-June, 2004), pp. 52-55. (Recap of this annual competition for working contemporary fish decoys).
Spreck, Tim & Kirk Schnitker. “Whitefish Open 2005: Some Tough Competition.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 5, No. 4, (July-August, 2005), pp. 42-45. (Recap of this annual competition for working contemporary fish decoys).
Stenberg, Carter. “Oscar Quam, The Professor of Duckology.” Decoy Magazine, (March/April 1998).
Stevenson, Julie Bonner. “Tony Smith And The Macatawa Bait Co.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 2, (March-April, 2003), pp.18-20. (Informative profile of this Holland, Michigan contempoary fish decoy and lure maker).
Stewart, Jim. “Fish Carvings, Models & Effigies At The 2004 Canadian Decoy And Outdoor Collectibles Show.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 5, No. 1, (January-February, 2005), pp. 26-31. (Overview of the topic with pieces by Griggs, Tully, Brayshaw, Longpre, Louis, Dube, Alary and several unknowns illustrated).
Stinson, Sam S. “Whence The Plug?” The American Angler, Vol. 3, No. 1, (May, 1918), pp. 6-12. (Contains an illustration of what might possibly be the earliest known documented fish decoy still extant. This decoy was made by Richard Heddon, Jim Heddon’s father and was used by them for both trolling for pike and ice spearing on Magian Lake, twelve miles from Dowagiac, Mich. in the 1850s. The article quotes Chas. Heddon and a host of other important sources on the origens of the wooden plug).
Stoetzel, William. “Minnesota Style: The Decoys of Dave Lahti” NFLCC Gazette, Vol 12, No. 39, (Dec., 1988), pg. 10. (A one page biographical sketch of this very interesting disabled fish decoy carver).
Stoetzel, William. “Toivo Lahti – Carver.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 46, (Sept., 2001). (Not examined).
Sunderlin, Sylvia. “Where to Find It.” House Beautiful, (August, 1986), pp. 139.
Swanson, Ronald. “The Art of the Carved Fish Trophy.” Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 3, (Winter, 1993), pp. 11 & 12. (Excellent summary of the history and practitioners of the art of the carved fish trophy, model or plaque by the country’s foremost collector. 12 models illustrated by Tully, Robbinson, Garthus, Malloch, Hardy Bros. and Gerrard).
Swanson, Ronald S. “Fish Models, Plaques and Effigies.” Decoy Magazine, (July/August 1996).
Swanson, Ronald S. “Yuck Meldrum, Blending Perfection and Artistic Creativity in a Fish Decoy.” Decoy Magazine, Vol. 34, No. 1, (January/February 2010), pp. 32-37. (Excellent biographical sketch and overview of Alexander Meldrum’s fish decoys largely based on interviews with family and acquaintanences. 4 duck decoys and 18 different Meldrum fish decoys are illustrated).
Taylor, Rod. “Ellen McCaleb: Fish Carver in the Classic Tradition.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 6, No. 1 (January-February, 2006), pp. 8-16. (In-depth profile & discussion of the fish plaques / models of this Barrington, New Hampshire artist).
Taylor, Rod. “Fresh from the Bench….” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 6, No. 2 (March-April, 2006), pg. 59. (3 views of a “Totem” fish decoy by Jay McEvers of Vergas, Minnesota and a Salmon Fish Plaque by Roger Brookes of Herefordshire, United Kingdom).
Taylor, Rod. “Fred Kinne – Wall Mounted Brook Trout Plaque” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 6, No. 4 (July-August, 2006), pg. 38. (Brief profile of this Midland, Michigan fish decoy & plaque carver).
Taylor, Rod. “Roger Brookes – Northern Pike” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 6, No. 5 (September-October, 2006), pp. 17 & 18. (Profile of this Herefordshire, United Kingdom fish model carver).
Taylor, Rod. “Dean Crouser – Sockeye Salmon Fish Decoy” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 6, No. 5 (September-October, 2006), pg. 19. (Brief profile of this Oregon fish plaque and decoy maker who also carves under the name of “Old Oregon Lures”).
Taylor, Rod. “Wendell Bradford – Landlocked Salmon Carving.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 6, No. 6 (November-December, 2006), pg. 26. (Maine fish plaque carver).
Taylor, Rod. “Wendell Bradford – Trout Plaques.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 7, No. 2 (March-April, 2007), pp. 44 & 45. (Maine fish plaque carver).
Taylor, Rod. “Roger Brookes: Modern Day Classic Fish Carver.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 7, No. 3 (May-June, 2007), pp. 16-22. (Profile & discussion of the work of this Herefordshire, United Kingdom fish model maker).
Taylor, Rod. “Jay McEvers Miniature Fish Spear.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 7, No. 4 (July-August, 2007), pg. 42. (Underwood, Minnesota fish decoy carver).
Taylor, Rod. “Paul Mailman – Alaskan Rainbow Trout and German Brown Trout Trophy Plaques.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 7, No. 5, (September/October, 2007), pg. 28. (One page biographical sketch of fish plaque carver, Paul Mailman).
Taylor, Rod. “Tim Spreck: Contemporary Folk Art Fish Decoy Carver.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 8, No. 2, (March/April, 2008), pp. 34-7. (In-depth biographical sketch of this fish decoy carver with many illustrations).
Taylor, Rod. “Ellen McCaleb – Lake Trout Plaque.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 8, No. 3, (May/June, 2008), pg. 21. (Short sketch).
Taylor, Rod. “Don Preston – Folk Art Fish Decoys.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 8, No. 4, (July/August, 2008), pg. 48. (Short biographical sketch).
Taylor, Rod. “Paul Mailman – Adirondack Rustic Brook Trout Plaque.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 8, No. 6, (November-December, 2008), pg. 28. (Maine’s fish plaque carver, Paul Mailman).
Taylor, Rod. “Paul Mailman: Slightly Ahead of his Time.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 3, (May/June, 2009), pp. 22-26. (Good in-depth biographical sketch of Maine’s fish plaque carver, Paul Mailman).
Taylor, Rod. “Lawrence Irvine: A Folk Art Legend.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 3, (May/June, 2009), pp. 26-27. (Brief sketch of Maine fish plaque carver, Lawrence Irvine and his work).
Taylor, Rod. “Dean Steffen – Alaskan Rainbow Trout Plaque.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 3, (May/June, 2009), pg. 46. (Short sketch of this award winning artist).
Taylor, Rod. “Ellen McCaleb – Tarpon Fish Plaque.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 4, (July/August, 2009), pg. 29. (Short sketch of this artist).
Taylor, Rod. “Don Preston’s Dark House Spear Fishing Decoys.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 4, (July/August, 2009), pp. 40-45. (In-depth biographical sketch).
Taylor, Rod. “Roger Brooks – Lake Trout Fish Plaque.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 6, (November-December, 2009), pp. 46 & 47. (Short sketch of the work of this contemporary English plaque carver).
Taylor, Rod. “Dean Steffen: The Ultimate Multi-Crafter.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 10, No. 2, (March-April, 2010), pp. 56-59. (Survey of the flatwork, fishing lures, fish plaques and fish decoys of this Missouri artist).
Taylor, Rod. “John Oman – Colorado Cutthroat Trout Plaque.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 10, No. 3, (May-June, 2010), pg. 48. (Short biographical sketch of this Minnesota fish decoy / fish plaque carver).
Taylor, Rod. “Paul Mailman – Sockeye Salmon Plaque.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 10, No. 6, (November-December, 2010), pg. 46. (Discussion of Maine fish plaque carver, Paul Mailman).
Taylor, Rod. “Tony Van Ditto – Northern Pike Fish Plaque.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 2, (March-April, 2011), pg. 55. (Short biographical sketch of this contemporary New York carver whose repertoire includes fish decoys and fish plaques. See also January-February, 2009 issue).
Taylor, Rod. “John Ramella – Brook Trout Fish Plaque.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 3, (May-June, 2011), pg. 46. (Short biographical sketch of this contemporary New Jersey carver who only carves trout plaques).
Taylor, Rod. “Hayden Greenwade – Hybrid Bass Plaque.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 4, (July/August, 2011), pg. 37. (Short biographical sketch of this contemporary Texas fish plaque carver who hides the fly used to catch the fish in a hidden pocket inside the carving).
Taylor, Rod. “Dr. Tim Karash – Rustic Fish Plaque.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 5, (September-October, 2011), pg. 37. (Profile and discussion of this Olmstead Falls, Ohio fish painter).
Taylor, Rod. “Keeping Up With…Marty Collins.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 5, (September-October, 2011), pg. 54. (Update on Bridgewater, Massachusetts fish and duck carver).
Taylor, Rod. “Roger Mitchell: Multi-talented Folk Artist & Carver.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 6, (November-December, 2011), pp. 6-11. (Profile of this Kingston, Massachuettes artist-carver whose work includes among other things some very nice fish plaques).
Taylor, Rod. “Paul Mailman – Northern Pike Fish Plaque.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 6, (November-December, 2011), pp. 44-45. (Discussion of Maine fish plaque carver, Paul Mailman).
Taylor, Rod. “Dr. Tim Karash – Rustic Painted Woodbox.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 12, No. 2, (March-April, 2012), pg. 59. (Profile and discussion of this Olmstead Falls, Ohio artist who specializes in painting fish on vintage objects).
Taylor, Rod. “B. J. Pawlaczyk: “King” of Vintage Outboard Motors.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 13, No. 3, (May-June, 2013), pp. 44-48. (Profiles Donald Andrew Pawlaczyk, the Pawlaczyk family and their vintage outboard motor restoration and marketing business. Although the article focuses entirely on outboard motors collectors of fish decoys know Pawlaczyk also as a fish decoy carver).
Taylor, Rod. “Jim Brockmam – Mallard, Atlantic Salmon & Swan.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 13, No. 4, (July-August, 2013), pg. 50. (Short biographical sketch of Pungo, Virginia carver Jim Brockman).
Taylor, Rod. “Phil Babe – Green-winged Teal Drake Decoy.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 13, No. 4, (July-August, 2013), pg. 50. (Short biographical sketch of Michigan fish & duck decoy carver Phil Babe).
Thaler, Frederic I. “Discover Fish Decoys: Folky, Fun and Unique.” Antique Monthly, (October, 1984), pp. 16A. (Very general discussion of fish decoys as a collectible. Three fish are illustrated. One of which is mis-identified as an Oscar Peterson Yellow Perch circa 1904-1940. Should say, “Brook Trout by Jim Nelson, Cadillac, Michigan. Circa 1960.”).
“These Fish Are Keepers”. Time Magazine, Vol. 135, No. 9 (February 26, 1990), pg. 55. (Two paragraph promo for “Beneath The Ice” exhibit at the Museum of American Folk Art. One photo).
Thomas, Paul. “A Fish Out of Water.” Traverse, The Magazine, Vol. 8, No. 8, (January, 1989), pp. 21-25. (Discussion of the current fish decoy collecting rage. Quotes Gary L. Miller heavily. Good photos. Contains sidebar article on contemporary carver Dave Kober).
Thompson, Mary. “Fish Decoys.” Cabin Life, (February-March, 2002), pp 20-28. (Takes a look at several contemporary fish decoy carvers. Illustrations of examples by Bob Johnson, Marvin Johnston, Blaine Kimmel, Craig Kimmel, Dave Kober and Jim Stangland).
Tonelli, Donna. “Sportsman’s Collectibles.” Midwest Outdoors, (May, 1980). (General introductory article on fish decoys. One photo showing 12 typical decoys. Donna’s description of the spearing experience is nearly identical to Will Pennington’s description seven years earlier in North American Decoy Magazine).
Tonelli, Donna. “Sportsman’s Collectibles: Fish Decoys.” Midwest Outdoors, (October, 1981), pp. 30-31. (General article with a half dozen illustrations, one of which appears to be a Peterson sucker. She is, of course, incorrect when she states that no real fish decoys have hooks).
Tonelli, Donna. “Fred Lexow, Minnesota Folk Artist.” Decoy Magazine, (July/August 1989).
Tonelli, Donna. “Leroy Howell.” Decoy Magazine, (November/December, 1990).
Tonelli, Donna. “Ernest Newman – Minnesota Master Tackle Maker.” Decoy Magazine, (March/April, 1991).
Tonelli, Donna. “John Albert Ryden – Fish Maker from Aitkin County.” Decoy Magazine, (May/June 1991).
Tonelli, Donna. “Frank Mizera – Minnesota Fish Decoy Maker.” Decoy Magazine, (July/August, 1991).
Tonelli, Donna. “William ‘Slow’ Batters: Minnesota’s Real ‘Harry Blanchard’.” Decoy Magazine, (September/October, 1991).
Tonelli, Donna. “Bethel Decoys: Continuing a Family Tradition.” Decoy Magazine, (January/February, 1992).
Tonelli, Donna. “John Tax: A Minnesota Whittler.” Decoy Magazine, (March/April, 1992).
Tonelli, Donna. “Interest in Fish Decoys Grows by Leaps and Bounds.” Decoy Magazine, (May/June, 1992).
Tonelli, Donna. “Chester ‘Chet’ Sawyer, True Folk Artist of the North Woods.” Decoy Magazine, (July/August, 1992).
Tonelli, Donna. “Ray Thompson, Maker of Superb Fishing Tackle and Fish Decoys.” Decoy Magazine, (September/October, 1992), pp. 32-35.
Tonelli, Donna. “Chuck Hall, Carving Out the Good Life.” Decoy Magazine, (January/February, 1993).
Tonelli, Donna. “Copper Fish Decoys, Casting Variety and Form.” Decoy Magazine, (Nov/Dec, 1993), pp. 32-35. (Overview of Minnesota’s metal fish decoys).
Tonelli, Donna. “Heddon and Sons Inc., Breaking the Ice With Spearing Decoys.” Decoy Magazine, (January/February, 1994).
Tonelli, Donna. “Tackle Companies Market to Hearty Spear Fishermen.” Decoy Magazine, (May/June, 1994).
Tonelli, Donna. “La Crosse River Spear Fishing Decoys.” Decoy Magazine, (March/April, 1995).
Tonelli, Donna. “The Lure of Frogs.” Decoy Magazine, (July/August, 1995).
Tonelli, Donna. “Wilbur ‘Willie’ Peterson, Carving Out A Cottage Industry.” Decoy Magazine, (March/April, 1997).
Tonelli, Donna. “The Faue Brothers, Making ‘Lucky Sticks’ and Lures For Minnesota Spear Fishermen.” Decoy Magazine, (May/June, 1998).
Tonelli, Donna. “George Herter, The P.T. Barnum of Decoys.” Decoy Magazine, (May/June, 1999).
Tonelli, Donna. “Tom Schroeder, Michigan’s Master Decoy Maker.” Decoy Magazine, Volume 26, No. 3, (May/June, 2002), pp. 8-13. (Very good biographical sketch of Tom with many good color and black & white photos of Tom and his duck decoys. The only disappointment is that Donna failed to illustrate or even mention Schroeder’s much appreciated fish decoys).
Torella, Dominic III. “Sturgeon Spearing.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 1, (July, 1990), pp. 7 & 8.
Torella, Dominic III. “A. J. Downey.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 2, (September, 1990), pg. 2.
Torella, Dominic III. “George Geno, ‘Mr. Pickeralville’.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 2, (September, 1990), pg. 8.
Torella, Dominic III. “John Henry Was A Fish Catchin’ Man.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 4, (March, 1991), pp. 5-7. (A top notch article written from a personal interview with the master himself, John Henry Fairfield of Marenisco, Michigan).
Treml, Rich. “John Eddy and Marvin Mason – Michigan Premier Fish Carvers.” The NFLCC Gazette, Vol. 11, No. 36 (December,1987), p.5.
Treml, Rich. “Marvin “Mase” Mason – Tower, MI.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 39, Dec., 1999.
Trimble, Jim. “Ray Whetzel: Fine Artisan and Prolific Carver.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 7, No. 5, (September-October, 2007), pp. 14-18. (Biographical sketch and profile of this contemporary Washington D. C. duck and fish carver).
Turner, Mike. “Marty Collins: Massachusetts Carver.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 3, (May-June, 2009), pp. 48-51. (Short biographical sketch and profile of this contemporary duck decoy, fish plaque and lure carver).
Twining, Jim. “More About Hoeschen Fish Decoys.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 18, No. 5 (September-October, 2018), pg. 55. (Followup to Don Petersen’s article on Hoeschen in the July-August, 2018 issue of this same magazine).
Van Etten, Stan. “More Enoch Reindahl.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 1, (January-February, 2003), pg. 31. (Expands on an earlier article by David Spengler but what’s significant here is the inclusion of a photo of a fish decoy by this Wisconson duck carver).
Van Etten, Stan. “Friend of Elmer Crowell: Joseph C. Lincoln, More Famous By Far…….then.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 3, No. 2, (March-April, 2003), pp. 56-57. (What is of interest here to fish carving collectors is a charming account by Joe Lincoln of Elmer Crowell’s first fish plaque carving).
Van Etten, Stan. “34 Spearfishing Decoy Articles Published in H&FC Magazine.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 15, No. 4, (July-August, 2015), pp. 58-59. (Overview of the long running series of fish decoy articles by Chuck & Margaret Ondrick).
- C. (a/k/a George Edward MacKenzie Skues) “The History of a Decoy Fish.” Forest and Stream, (March 24, 1892). (A very interesting account of fishing with a decoy in Wisconsin in 1856 which discusses realism vs. abstraction in fish decoy design). Presented here in its entiriey:
THE HISTORY OF A DECOY FISH
Did you ever fish through the ice with a decoy Fish? I do not mean as the Indians do, down on your knees on the edge of a hole in the ice with your nose within a few inches of the water and three or four thicknesses of an old mackinaw blanket over you to shut out the light, and then in that position play the fish with one hand and hold the gaff in the other until you get so stiff and cold that when you want to gaff a fish you can hardly use a muscle; but rather with a well constructed fish box and a spring spear such as were often used thirty or forty years ago before their use was generally prohibited? If not, you have missed an experience not only charming in itself, but intensely instructive as to the habits of fish. Let me give you a little experience of my own in the days “long gone by.”
During the fall of 1856 and early winter following, I happened to be in Fon-du-Lac, Wis., and at that time there were many Indians still living in the neighborhood. The lakes and ponds abounded in pike and perch, and during every winter the Indians were constantly fishing through the ice with their decoy fishes and gaffs in the manner described above. These decoys were whittled out of a pine stick, so as to resemble in shape a fish about six or seven inches in length; the wood was then stained a dark color, a few places were then scraped or chipped so as to give the fish a mottled appearance, a couple of pieces of tin stuck in each side answered for fins, and a grove was made in the fore part of the belly and filled with lead, which was kept bright. With a string in the head the fish could be jerked to the surface of the water and the lead would carry it down head first when the string was slackened, and so a very natural motion could be given to it. What was most remarkable was the fact that the less the decoy fish resembled a real one within reasonable bounds of course, the more successful it seemed to be.
Some two or three years previously an old Indian had whittled out a fish which soon had the reputation of being the
most killing and successful decoy ever made in that vicinity, so successful, in fact, that for a long time he refused to sell it on any terms, but at last a friend of mine through the offer of a considerable sum, tempted its owner to part with it and became its possessor. When the Legislature of Wisconsin soon after prohibited the use of such fish, it was sent to me as a souvenir of my trip. The record of one day’s sport will show the killing qualities of this fish. On one morning in December 1856, I visited with a companion, Lake Horicon, a lake some fifteen miles long situated a few miles distant, for a day’s sport at catching pike. We cut a hole in the ice nearly four feet in diameter, and over it placed our fishing box with the open side down. This box was 4 ft. square, lined with heavy paper to exclude the light; we entered through a door in the side which was fastened with an inside button and sat opposite each other, each resting his feet on the ends of the narrow board occupied by the other; our spring spear had a handle some 15 ft, in length which passed through a hole in the center of the top of the box. The decoy fish was played with the left hand and the spear held in the right. The water was about 10 ft. deep, and the light shone so clearly through the ice that everything in the water, even to the smallest fish, could be seen with perfect distinctness.
In four hours we took twenty-one pike, which weighed a little over 70 lbs., and we took every pike that came within sight except one small one. As I sat looking under the ice I saw a large pike chasing a small one, which darted across the hole, but as soon as his pursuer saw the decoy fish it ceased the chase and turned around and seized it with such force that he came partly out of the water right between our feet, and I speared him in the head above the water with the decoy fish in his mouth. His weight was over 5 lbs.
During all this time two Indians were fishing for pike only a few feet distant and on equally good grounds, and together they took just two fish, their decoys failing to attract the fish.
The box, which to the fish appeared like a dark spot on the ice, afforded an elegant opportunity to observe the habits of the pike in taking its food. Once on this day a large pike missed the decoy and he came with such force that he went perhaps 20 ft. beyond us, but he turned and came back slowly near the bottom and stopped right under the decoy fish and then began to rise very slowly toward it, but he was speared in deep water before he had a chance to make a second rush. Usually, however, the fish would approach cautiously until near the decoy and then make a sudden dash for it.
On Lake Winnebago, where we usually had good success, my companion and I both took yellow perch quite freely and they manifested none of the caution of the pike, but the black bass which abounded in that lake never came near enough to be taken; curiosity sometimes led very large ones to approach within sight, but they always kept close to the bottom and soon slowly swam away.
I have never been able to reconcile the results of my fishing with this decoy fish with the theory of may anglers for trout, that the more closely we can imitate the flies which then abound upon a stream or lake, the more sure we will be of sport, as in my experience the reverse is very often the case.
I have often observed that when I have been using a certain fly with success, the same fly has suddenly made its appearance in large numbers on the water, and that immediately my sport almost wholly ceased for the simple reason that my fly then constituted but one of say 10,000 of the same kind; and I, therefore, had but one chance in 10,000 that mine would be taken, which was, of course, relatively diminished by the artificial character of the fly. May it not be so with a decoy fish or artificial minnow? The closer the imitation the more we put it in competition with the natural fish, which if we use one which will attract although it is different from the fish inhabiting the same waters, may it not prove to be very successful?
With this article I send to you for your inspection this old relic of past sport, although I fear it will sorely test your faith in the veracity of your correspondent.
- C. – Poughkeepsie, N. Y., March 9, 1892.
From Forest & Stream, March 24, 1892.
Weaver, John. “Fish Decoy Collectors Are in Uncharted Waters.” Antique Week, Vol. 24, No. 40 (Jan. 6, 1992), pp. 1 & 40. (Interview with Art Kimball. Eight illustrations, including examples by Ross Allen Sr., John Snow, Pete Scavarda, John Fairfield, Ervin Veihl and numerous unidentified mostly Minnesota decoys).
Wentz, Bob. “Marble’s Fish Knives and Accessories.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 5, No. 2, (March-April, 2005), pp. 42-45. (Overview of the fishing related products of the Marble Arms Company of Gladstone, Michigan).
White, Bradford. “Lake Champlain Ice Spearing Decoys and Carvers.” American Fish Decoy Association Forum, No. 48, (Mar., 2002). (Not examined).
White, Bradford. “Henry Max: ‘Marathon’ Fish Decoy Carver.” Hunting & Fishing Collectibles Magazine, Vol. 2, No. 4, (May-June, 2002), pp.33-36. (Biographical sketch of Henry and analysis of his decoys with several photos of him and his decoys).
Wiesenberger, Dave. “Collecting Fish Decoys.” Lure Collector, Book No. 4, (Summer 1986), p.14. (General overview of the field).
Wiesenberger, Dave. “Ken and Mark Bruning of Rogers City, Michigan.” Lure Collector, Book No. 5, (Fall 1986), p.13. (Brief discussion of these important makers; some inaccuracies).
Wilson, Dan & Richey, George. “More On Isadore Clark.” The NFLCC Gazette, (Mar., 2000), pp. 17, 20 & 21. (A sketch of this maker and his lures. Also made fish decoys. See also Dec., 1997 article by George Richey).
Zabar, Lori Segal. “A Collector’s Guide to Fish Decoys.” The Clarion, Vol. 11, No. 4, (Fall 1986), pp. 25-29. (Fairly good analysis of the fish decoy field but Ms. Zabar is incorrect in stating that a decoy should not contain any hooks. Thirteen decoys illustrated. The decoy on pg. 29 is mis-attributed; should read “Brook Trout decoy by Jim Nelson; circa 1960).
NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
Anonymous. “Decoying Fish. Skillful Indians of the North Have Queer Methods.” Princeton Union (Princeton, Minn.), (November 30, 1893), pg. 8. (A good detailed description of indian spearing on Lake Huron’s Georgian Bay, Canada. Describes the decoy’s use in conjunction with a baited hook as well as the spear. Also an account of how a muskrat can travel long distances under the ice by rebreathing his own air under the ice).
Anonymous. “Fishing On The Ice In Canada.” New York Sun, (Dec. 8, 1901). (Reports on the indian “method of spearing through the ice” in the Great Lakes Region. “…the cruel Indian weapon descends and fastens itself in the flesh of the writhing dore (walleye)” As early as 1901 we see the city denizen’s use of inflamatory language to cast this form of fishing in a negative light, an aversion that would eventually lead to the outlawing of spearing fish through the ice in most of the East).
Anonymous. “Rare Sport of Ice Fishing Now Summons Its Devotees.” New York Times, (Jan. 13, 1929). (Discussion of fishing through the ice of Lake Champlain for “ice fish” (smelt). “Ice fishing …is a pastime among the farmers and merchants who have nothing else to do in the Winter”).
Anonymous. “Ice Leaving Bay And Ciscoe City’s A Thing Of Past.” Traverse City Record Eagle, (April 6, 1933), pg.1. (A brief article about Ciscoe City and its importance to subsistence during hard times).
Anonymous. “Ice Fishing Is In Full Swing.” Escanaba Daily Press, (January 23, 1938), pg. 13. (Description of a whitefish spear. Good description of spearing methods and the decoy used).
Barry, Ann. “Fish Decoys Aren’t Fooling Collectors.” The New York Times, (Sunday, August 13, 1989), pg. 34 H. (Quotes heavily Ben Apfelbaum and Aarne Anton).
Blubaugh, Jim. “Whittling Fish Lures a Delicate Procedure.” Duluth News Tribune, (Sunday, Feb. 4, 1973), pg. 32. (Human interest story regarding Ernie Newman and his fish decoys).
Bryant, Nelson. “Hookless Lures Still Catch Notice.” The New York Times, (Sunday, February 18, 1990), pg. 6 S. (“Beneath the Ice” exhibit promo. Good summary article).
Campbell, Al. “Record Pike Caught in Lake Leelanau.” The Leelanau Enterprise and Tribune, (January 27, 1983), pp. 1, 6.
Charles, Gordon. “Outdoors With Gordie” (a regular weekly sindicated column), appearing in The Traverse City Record-Eagle, (January 27, 1956), pp. 16. (Contains a reference to an early eye witness account of indians spearing through the ice in Canada by George Bond in 1815).
Charles, Gordon. “Pike are prized as winter fishing trophies.” The Traverse City Record-Eagle, (Friday, January 2, 1987), pp. 18.
Charles, Gordon. “Winter is ‘frosting on angler’s dessert’.” The Traverse City Record-Eagle, (January 9, 1987), pp. 21.
Daniels, Mary. “A sampler of our country treasures.” Chicago Tribune, Section 15, (June 29, 1986), pp. 1, 4, and 5.
Donahue, Jimmy. “Fishing Through the Ice Popular With Detroiters.” Ironwood Daily Globe, (Feb. 11, 1938), pg. 12. (Depression era description of the ice fishing scene on Lake St. Clair. Pictures Detroiters Don Beebe and Harold Volkenant).
East, Ben. “Says Ice Fishing Not Hard on Lakes.” Antrim County News, (February 19, 1938).
“Fish decoys secure a place in history.” The News American, Section 15C, (Sunday, February 16,1986).
“Fish Effigies of Guerro.” The Miami Herald: Tropic, (February 12, 1984). (These Mexican fish effigies could be very easily turned into fish decoys. Look out).
Hacker, David. “Beautiful Deceivers.” Detroit Free Press, (May 30, 1990), pg. 10F. (Biographical sketch and discussion of fish decoys made by Dave Kober of Bear Lake, Michigan.)
Jenkins, Chris. “Carving collectible catfish, crappies.” Gaylord Herald Times, (October 3, 1991), pp. 1 & A-3. (Biographical sketch and discussion of fish decoy carver Floyd Bruce of Gaylord, Michigan).
Jenkins, Guy H. “Ice Fishers Irk ‘Summer’ Anglers.” Antrim County News, (February 12, 1938). (Good discussion of the basic conflict between winter and summer fisherman).
Jensen, Dean. “Artful Coaxers Lure Sturgeon.” Milwaukee Sentinel Newspaper, (Feb. 7, 1984). (Not examined).
McEwen, Craig. “Park Rapids guide reels in fisherman.” Sunday Forum-Fargo Moorhead, Section C, (January 20, 1980), pp. c-1.
Michigan Department of Conservation. “Smelt A ‘Victory Food’.” The Leader and Kalkaskian, (February 11, 1943). (Photo with caption, “With the army taking all the large filleted smelt it can get and the civilian market good, as housewives find other meat supplies short, the business of producing this “victory food” is booming at Escanaba. Fishermen here are dipping smelt from a pound net lifted through a hole in the ice. Last winter commercial fishermen operating 78 pound nets and 35 miles of small mesh gill nets in Michigan waters of Green Bay marketed more than two million pounds of smelt in the three month ice fishing season.”).
“Old fish decoys now hooking collectors.” Chicago Tribune, Section 15, (April 20, 1986), pp. 20.
Otto, Simon. “First ‘fish story’ was the painful truth.” The Record Eagle, (Monday, January 31, 1983), pp. 27.
Reif, Rita. “Artful Lures to Catch Cold Fish.” The New York Times, (Sunday, February 11, 1990). (Lead up to opening of the major fish decoy exhibit, “Beneath the Ice: The Art of the Fish Decoy”, at the Museum of American Folk Art in New York City on Feb. 15, 1990. Mostly quotes exhibit preparator, Ben Apfelbaum).
“Rising tide of interest in fish decoys.” Chicago Tribune, Section 15, (January 19, 1986), pp. 18.
Solis-Cohen, Lita. “Making the Market for Fish Decoys: A Picture Book, A Show, and An Auction”. Maine Antique Digest, (April, 1990), pp. 42-44B. (Good, well rounded and astute article on the building of a market that also promotes the fish decoy exhibit, “Beneath the Ice: The Art of the Fish Decoy”, at the Museum of American Folk Art in New York City. Many photos taken directly from the book / exhibition catalog of the same name. Side bar article that discusses the problem of fake fish decoys and how the Mikkos coming out of Minnesota are threatening to undermine collector confidence).
Stevens, Gary. “Local man gains fame through bait-making.” The Alpena News, (July 19,1985), pp. 3-D & 6-D. (Good article on Bud Stewart).
Stoll, Albert, Jr.. “Spearing Season Extended.” Ironwood Daily Globe, (Mar. 7, 1933), pg. 3. (Picked up from the Detroit News. Depression era account of State conservation director George R. Hogarth’s decision to stop enforcing the March 1st closing of the spearing season on Lake St. Clair on humanitarian grounds).
“Tradition on the tips of a spear.” In Focus, Chicago Tribune, Section 4, (June 25, 1986), pp. 8.
Watts, Tom. “Foolin’ the fish, The Golden Age Of Ice Fishing.” The Macomb Daily, (Feb. 22, 2004), pp. 1A & 14A. (Puff piece promoting Steve Michaan’s book, American Fish Decoys).
AUCTION CATALOGUES:
Richard A. Bourne Co., Inc. The Roy Bull Decoy Collection. Sessions I and II, March 8 & 9,1983.
Richard A. Bourne Co., Inc. Fishing and Sporting Auction. June 20, 1986.
Century Asset Management, Inc. Sporting Collectibles Auction Featuring the Collection of the late John L. Warner of Newark, Ohio. October 3, 2010. w/prices realized list. (Landmark sale of the largest collection of Oscar Peterson items (77) ever offered at auction at one time. Included plaques, fish and duck decoys, lures and decorative carvings).
Garth’s Arts & Antiques. Auction # 1, Early American Antiques and Decorative Arts. January 6, 7, 8, 2005. (Lots 1090-1094: Oscar Peterson items, 1127 & 1128: Oscar Peterson figures, 1161-1172: 15 fish decoys. From the Bill & Betty Turnley collection).
Guyette and Schmidt Inc. North American Decoys At Auction. April 26 & 27, 2001. w/prices realized list. (Included a large selection of Fish Decoys by Leroy Howell, one of which sold at $9,000).
Guyette and Schmidt Inc. North American Decoys At Auction. July 26 & 27, 2001. 180 pgs. w/prices realized list. (45 illustrated Fish Decoys including Oscar Peterson, Howell, Janner, Bruning, Kovecki, Wendt, South Bend and Faue).
Guyette and Schmidt Inc. North American Decoys At Auction. November 7 & 8, 2001. w/prices realized list. (6 lots of fish decoys including 4 Petersons. Interestingly, although reported as sold, some of these same decoys show up again in the following sale and sell again, this time at much lower prices).
Guyette and Schmidt Inc. North American Decoys At Auction. April 25 & 26, 2002. 980 lots w/prices realized list. (55 illustrated fish decoy lots including pieces by Howell, Peterson, Janner, Goulette, Washall, Chosa, Faue, Seymour, Jokala, Genslo, Trombley, Stores, Kober, plus 8 lots of fish plaques and models including two plaques by Oscar Peterson).
Guyette and Schmidt Inc. North American Decoys At Auction. July 25 & 26, 2002. 156 pgs. w/prices realized list. (35 illustrated lots of fish decoys, mostly by Leroy Howell and another 8 lots of fish plaques, Peterson peacock plaque and 1 drawing of a trout by Shang Wheeler. In addition to Howell, includes fish decoys by Batters, Bethel, Max, Sawyer, Walker, Borsch, Peterson, McNair and many unknowns).
Guyette and Schmidt Inc. North American Decoys At Auction. November 6 & 7, 2002. w/prices realized list. (17 lots of fish decoys including 3 Petersons, Vandenbossche, Hans Janner, McNair, Howell, Hamlin, Sears, Morgan, Bear Creek, Nelson and one 42” Peterson Rainbow Trout Plaque).
Guyette and Schmidt Inc. North American Decoys At Auction. April 25 & 25, 2003. w/prices realized list. (Included small Peterson Pike Plaque, decoys by Howell, Janner, Dehate and New York state decoys, among others).
Guyette and Schmidt Inc. North American Decoys At Auction. July 24 & 25, 2003. w/prices realized list. (31 lots of fish decoys including Peterson, Howell, Heddon, Janner, Luce, Vandenbossche, McNair, Wregglesworth, Nelson and Musky Manor).
Guyette and Schmidt Inc. North American Decoys At Auction. November 12 & 13, 2003. w/prices realized list. (Fish decoys by Howell and New York state).
Guyette and Schmidt Inc. North American Decoys At Auction. April 22 & 23, 2004. w/prices realized list. (47 lots of fish decoys including Peterson, Howell, Newman, Goulette, Gohres, La Crosse School, Seymour, Faue, Merrill and 12 lots of O. Peterson decorative carvings).
Guyette and Schmidt Inc. North American Decoys At Auction. July 29-30, 2004. w/prices realized list. (20 lots of fish decoys including O. Peterson, Schramm, Trombley and Dehate, 14 more of Howells and one large (33.5”) Peterson Pike Plaque).
Guyette and Schmidt Inc. North American Decoys At Auction. November 10 & 11, 2004. w/prices realized list. (10 lots of fish decoys including O. Peterson, A. Trombley and A. Dehate).
Guyette and Schmidt Inc. North American Decoys At Auction. April 28 & 29, 2005. w/prices realized list. (14 lots of Oscar Petersons carvings and 14 more lots of New York fish decoys).
Guyette and Schmidt Inc. North American Decoys At Auction. July 30 & 31, 2005. w/prices realized list. (30 lots of fish decoys including Petersons and Howells).
Guyette and Schmidt Inc. North American Decoys At Auction. November 9 & 10, 2005. w/prices realized list. (5 lots of fish decoys including 3 Petersons and 2 Howells).
Guyette and Schmidt Inc. North American Decoys At Auction. April 27 & 28, 2006. w/prices realized list. (29 lots of fish decoys including Peterson, Lake Chautauqua, Heddon and Howell).
Guyette and Schmidt Inc. North American Decoys At Auction. July 29 & 30, 2006. w/prices realized list. (No fish decoys but Lot 57 is the largest known Oscar Peterson Bluegill Plaque at 16” x 34”).
Guyette and Schmidt Inc. North American Decoys At Auction. April 28 & 29, 2011. w/prices realized list. (A number of fish decoys were offered, including a few Oscar Petersons, but most significant was a 12” bass “Ghost Fish” by Hans Janner, Sr. that brought $ 36,000 + premium, a new world auction record for a fish decoy).
Lang’s Sporting Collectibles, Inc. Fall Two Session Auction. November 4 & 5, 2005. w/prices realized list. (78 lots of fish decoys including O. Peterson and others).
Richard W. Oliver Auction Gallery. Antique and Classic Fishing Tackle. Kennebunk, Maine, July 3, 1985.
Richard W. Oliver Auction Gallery. Antique and Classic Fishing Tackle. Kennebunk, Maine, July 3 & 4, 1986.
Richard W. Oliver Auction Gallery. Classic-Antique Sporting Collectibles. Charleston, South Carolina, February 13, 1987.
Richard W. Oliver Auction Gallery. Antique and Classic Fishing Tackle. Kennebunk, Maine, July 2 & 3, 1987.
Sotheby’s Auction Galleries. American Folk Art Sale. New York, NY, Jan. 27, 1990. (Contained 3 lots of fish decoys consigned by Steve Michaan. All set new world record prices for fish decoys; Oscar Peterson 9” Brown Trout with glass eyes – $18,700, Harry Seymour Steelhead – $14,300 and a Pecor Fox Perch – $7,250).
Sotheby’s Auction Galleries. Collection of Stanley Sax. New York, NY, Jan. 17, 1998. (Lots 549-561 contained 82 fish decoys by Oscar Peterson, Bud Stewart, Dave Kober, Carl Christiansen, Mike Maxson, Pecore Fox, Hans Janner, Jim Foote, John Kalash and various unidentified makers. The top lot was the Hans Janner Bass at $4,887).
Sotheby’s Auction Galleries. The Distinguished Collection of American Waterfowl Decoys of Dr. James M. McCleery. New York, NY, Jan. 22 & 23, 2000. (Lots 188-197 contained fish decoys by William Faue, Harry Seymour and unidentified Lake Chautauqua, New York makers. Prices were generally high and a new world record was set for a fish decoy. An anonymous Lake Chautauqua sucker realized $32,200. Lots 25-28 contained 5 quite ordinary midwestern fish spears, all mis-cataloged as eel spears and the descriptions did not match up with the pictures. Nevertheless, all realized unrealistically high prices.)
South Bay Auctions. Sporting Collectibles. East Moriches, New York, October 17, 1987.
Toolshop Auctions Catalogue. Wrought Iron Eel Spears by Marcel Salive, 1997.
William Doyle Galleries. Waterfowl and Shorebird Decoys. New York, NY, Dec. 3,1986. (Contains descriptions, illustrations and prices realized for 83 fish decoys in 23 lots).
EXHIBITION CATALOGUES:
Beck, Jane C., editor. Always in Season: Folk Art and Traditional Culture in Vermont. Montpelier, Vermont: Vermont Council on the Arts, 1982. (Pp. 74 & 75 illustrate fish decoys, lures and jig sticks used predominantly on Lake Champlain. Interestingly, an illustration of the same lure that was later mis-attributed to Oscar Peterson by Seth Rosenbaum is included. It is described here as “c. 1920-1930, Artist unknown, Vermont. Wood, painted. 4 ½” L x 1” Diam. Loaned by Seth Rosenbaum”).
Cranbrook Academy of Art Museum. The Decoy as Folk Sculpture. January 27 – February 22, 1987. (Illustrations of Michigan fish decoys from the Ronald Swanson Collection including examples by Joseph Francis, Hans Janner, Andy Trombley, Abraham Dehate, Ike Goulette, Ervie Stewart and Otto Moore).
Exhibits USA. Hook, Line and Shelter: Ice Fishing Houses from the Great North. A rentable exhibit available September, 1992 through August 1994. “Comprised of several different art expressions of ice fishing houses, including drawings and models from recent competition sponsored by the Minnesota Society of the American Institute of Architects. It also contains large-scale silkscreen prints by Larry Stark, oil paintings and monotypes by Dale Johnson and a full scale ice fishing house installation by Linda Christiansen. Extensive didactic text panels and photographs of actual ice fishing houses in use will also be included.”
The Michael and Julie Hall Collection of American Folk Art. Common Ground / Uncommon Vision. Catalog of an exhibition that was seen at the Milwaukee Art Museum, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, the Delaware Art Museum and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Center, 1993-1995. (Includes introduction by Russell Bowman, interviews with Michael D. Hall and Julie Hall, essays by Lucy R. Lippard, Jeffrey R. Hayes, and Kenneth Ames. Among the 233 objects depicted were waterfowl, shorebird, and fish decoys).
Kangas, Gene and Dick Walters. Hooked On Wood, The Allure of the Fish Decoy at The Center For Art In Wood, Philadelphia, PA from May 18 to July 21, 2012. Published in a limited edition of 1000 copies by Creekside Art Gallery LLC, Concord, O. (A general overview of the current fish decoy world. Numerous illustrations including color photos of over 100 fish decoys from some of the country’s best collections).
(Here’s what The Center For Art In Wood’s website had to say about the exhibit: “Hooked on Wood: The Allure of the Fish Decoy, The Center for Art in Wood, May 18 – July 21, 2012, Curator: Dick Walters, Adviser Gene Kangas
Hooked on Wood, showcases modern wood fish decoys and highlights historical works as early as 3000 years ago. Today fish decoys are appreciated for their beauty as polychrome sculptures and are evaluated on their ability to move in the water to attract real fish. Families and people of all ages will be astonished and delighted at the utter creativity and craftsmanship in this exhibit. Over 100 fish decoys are on display: Ice spearing decoys – a handmade utilitarian tool, trophy fish – decorative piscatorial portraits, and folk sculpture.
Exhibited Artists: George Aho; “Sonny” Bashore; Tony Bergias; Dennis Bertram; Garnet DeCou; A.J. Downey III; A.J. Downey IV; Reginald Edwards; Jessie Garrett; Ed Glinke; Marty Hanson; Lem Harsen; Troy Helget; Gail Hines; Leroy Howell; Leroy Howell; Leroy Howell; Burt Hyatt; Hans Janner, Sr.; John Jensen; Thayne Johnson; Edward Kellie; Jerry LaBarge; Brad Lange; Larry Lange; Walter Lowery; Marcel Maloche; Ernest Maloche ; R. Maloche; Charles Maloche; Marloche Family Elder; Ken Mayberry; Jay McEvers; Gerald Meshigaud; Scott Morrison; Ed Muringer; Jim Nelson; Tom Richards and Jim Nelson; Rod Osvold; John Peeters; Peltier Family; William Poupart; Harley Ragan; William J. “Jesse” Ramey; Al Reeg; Shaun Reeg; William Renaud; Mr. Renner; Harold Rickert; Andy Ripley; John Russell; Kirk Schnitker; Harry Seymour; Tom Singleton; Curt Soine; Tim Spreck; Bud Stewart; Maurice Stiff; Jack Welch; Rick Whittier; Marie Wingrove; Clarence Zielke; and Fred J. Westendorf ”.)
Krolikowski, Tony, Charlie Hart and Chubby Buchman. The Art Center: Decoys/Folk Art of the Saint Clair Flats. September 9 – October 7, 1979.
MacDowell, Marsha, and C. Kurt Dewhurst. Michigan Folk Art, Its Beginnings To 1941. Michigan State University, East Lansing, August 29- October 10, 1976. (This was a landmark exhibition for Michigan fish decoys. 22 examples are illustrated here including works by Jos. Francis, Hans Janner Sr., Erv Stewart, Marvin Mason Jr., Abe Dehate, Walter Wagner, Andy Trombley, Gordon Sears, Otto Moore and Alex Meldrum).
MacDowell, Marsha, and C. Kurt Dewhurst. Rainbows in the Sky. Michigan State University, East Lansing, October 29 – December 17, 1978. (Brief discussion with illustrations of examples of fish decoys by Miles Smith and Marvin Mason).
National Museum of Man, and National Museums of Canada. Les Athabascans, Ces Étrangers Du Nord. Ottawa, Canada, 1974, (See pp. 9, Color plate 7 for a terrific Athabascan bone or ivory fish decoy).
Swanson, Ronald S. Fish Models: An Exhibition. The American Museum of Fly Fishing, Manchester, Vermont, 1992-1993. (Plate XXV, pg. 13 illustrates Oscar Peterson Plaque of leaping Brook Trout taking a fly (photo credit to Gary L. Miller). Some discussion on pg.12 regarding a model of a tiger muskie made by Alton “Chub” Buchman in 1979).
Swanson, Ronald S. Fish Models: An Exhibition. The Ward Museum, Salisbury, Maryland, 1997. Limited Edition of 1000 copies. (Plate XXV, pg. 13 illustrates Oscar Peterson Plaque of leaping Brook Trout taking a fly (photo credit to Gary L. Miller). Some discussion on pg.12 regarding a model of a tiger muskie made by Alton “Chub” Buchman in 1979).
TRADE CATALOGUES:
“A-B-C” Bait & Mfg. Co. “A-B-C” Summer and Winter Fishing Tackle, Detroit, Michigan, pre-1935. (Illustrates the A-B-C Ice Decoy Minnow, Spear, Spud, Skimmer and Tip-ups).
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. General Sporting Goods Catalogue, New York, NY, 1917. (Contains good illustrations of tip-ups, stringers, Marbles knives, nets, bobbers, creels, spears, gaffs, Kewell-Stewart spoon and Winnie’s Stump Dodger).
Abraham Fur Co. Official Trapper’s Guide and Book of Trapper’s Supplies, Saint Louis, Mo., Season of 1926-27. (Page 10 contains illustrations of metal fish decoys used to bait traps.)
Barbara A. Johnson Antiques. Contemporary American Folk Art, Rockford, Illinois, 1985. Contains a short paragraph on Lou Schifferl and examples of his work.)
Buhl Sons Company. Wholesale Hardware Catalog-1924, Detroit, Michigan, 1924.
- & W. McClean Mercantile Co. Wholesale Sporting Goods Catalog No. 808, St. Louis, Missouri, 1928. (Contains excellent illustrations of bobbers, floats, nets, spears, spring gaffs and fish tongs).
Edw. K. Tryon Company. Sporting Goods Catalog No. 102, Philadelphia, Penn., 1939. (Illustrations of bobbers, spears, tip-ups, fish tongs, spring gaffs and Marbles knives).
Herter’s, Inc. Herter’s No. 71, Waseca, Minnesota, 1961, pg. 300. (Spear illustration).
Herter’s, Inc. Herter’s No. 75, Waseca, Minnesota, 1965, pg. 347. (Illustrations of Herter’s ice fishing decoys offered in two sizes. Are actually Randall decoys).
Herter’s, Inc. Herter’s. No. 80R, Waseca, Minnesota, 1970, pp. 273 &306. (Illustrations of Herter’s spears (Randall) and Herter’s “Fleshex Minnows”).
James Heddon’s Sons. Trade Catalog, Dowagiac, Michigan, 1913. (Heddon decoy illustration).
James Heddon’s Sons. Trade Catalog, Dowagiac, Michigan, 1916. (Heddon decoy illustration).
James Heddon’s Sons. Trade Catalog, Dowagiac, Michigan, 1923. (Heddon decoy illustration).
John Pritzlaff Hardware Company. Fishing Tackle, Milwaukee,Wisconsin, c.1925.
Kennedy Bros. Arms Co. Trade Catalog, Saint Paul, Minnesota, 1935. (Pg. 65 illustrates a Paw-Paw ice decoy minnow that was offered in 5” & 7” sizes).
Morley Brothers. Catalog #31, Saginaw, Michigan, 1931, pp. 942.
Morley Brothers. Catalog #36, Saginaw, Michigan, 1936, pp. 668.
Morley Brothers. Catalog #49, Saginaw, Michigan, 1949, pp. 1181.
Morley Brothers. 1958/1959 Ice Tackle, Saginaw, Michigan, 1958.
Netcraft Co. The Netcraft Co.: Everything For Fishing! Catalog No. 39, Toledo, Ohio, 1951.
Shapleigh Hardware Co. Shapleigh’s Spring and Summer Sporting Goods Catalog No. 308, St. Louis, Missouri, 1928. (Illustrations of bobbers, gaffs, spears, tongs and scalers).
South Bend Bait Co. South Bend Fishing Tackle, Trade Catalog, Season 1923-24, South Bend, Ind.,1923.
William Read and Sons. Catalogue of Fine Fishing Tackle. Boston, Mass., 1912.
SALE LISTS:
Baron, Frank R. Great Lakes Ice Decoys, No. 1 (Summer 1986),Livonia, Mich. (Sale offering 44 items, 15 sketches and an article on Leroy Howell).
Baron, Frank R. Great Lakes Ice Decoys, No. 2 (Fall 1986), Livonia, Mich. (Sale offering 46 items, 9 sketches and an article on Oscar Peterson).
Baron, Frank R. Great Lakes Ice Decoys, No. 3 (Winter 1987), Livonia, Mich. (Sale offering 48 items, 6 sketches and an article on The Bear Creek Bait Co.).
Baron, Frank R. Great Lakes Ice Decoys, No. 4 (Spring 1987), Livonia, Mich. (Sale offering 43 items, 7 sketches and an article on Bud Stewart).
Baron, Frank R. Great Lakes Ice Decoys, No. 5 (Summer 1987), Livonia, Mich. (Sale offering 47 items, 6 sketches and an article on The Faue Brothers).
Baron, Frank R. Great Lakes Ice Decoys, No. 6 (Fall 1987), Livonia, Mich. (Sale list offering 45 items, 6 sketches and an article on The Veihl Family).
Baron, Frank R. Great Lakes Ice Decoys, No. 7 (Winter 1988), Livonia, Mich. (Sale list offering numerous fish decoys for sale and an article on Alton “Chub” Buchman).
Fritz, Ronald. Sale lists. 1990s.
Kimball, Art. Fish Decoy List, January, 1988, Boulder Junction, WI. (Sale offering 140 items, many of which are illustrated in his Fish Decoys, Vol. I & II. He might just as well have put the prices right next to the pictures in the book and saved us all the trouble of looking them up).
Miller, Gary L. Fish Decoys, Catalog No.1 (April, 1986), Suttons Bay, Mich. (Illustrated 10 page catalog of old and new fish decoys for sale with supporting text).
Miller, Gary L. Fish Decoys, Catalog No. 2 (November, 1987), Suttons Bay, Mich. (Illustrated 14 page catalog of old and new fish decoys for sale).
Smith, John L. Tackle Trader, Vol. 2, Issue 4 (Winter 1987),Westerville, Ohio, pg. 15. (Sale list containing 18 ice decoys, mostly contemporary).
PAMPHLETS:
Baron, Frank R. The Incredible Folk Art of Carl R. Christiansen. Color.
DECOY MAGAZINE REFERENCES:
Allen, Russ Atlantic City, NJ July/Aug 2004
Batters, William “Slow” Little Falls, MN Sept/Oct 1991
Behold the Mighty Minnow Gr. Lakes Fishing Decoys July/Aug 1997
Bethel Decoys Park Rapids, MN Jan/Feb 1992
C.C. Roberts Bait Co. WI Nov/Dec 1999
Brown, Dick E. Brainerd, MN Nov/Dec 2002
Copper Fish Decoys MN Nov/Dec 1993
Faue Brothers, The Hanover, MN May/June 1998
Finney, Frank Back Bay, VA Jan/Feb 1992
Fish Bust’r spearing decoys Brainerd, MN Jan/Feb 2004
Fish Models, Plaques & Effigies July/Aug 1996
Frog Decoys July/Aug 1995
Hall, Chuck Barnum, MN Jan/Feb 1993
Hanson, Marty Prior Lake, MN July/Aug 1994
Heddon & Sons Tackle Co. Dowagaic, WI Jan/Feb 1994
Heron Lake Decoys MN July/Aug 1992
Herter, George Waseca, MN May/June 1999
Howell, Leroy Hinkley, MN Nov/Dec 1990
Kromer, Effard “Bud” Fergus Falls, MN Mar/Apr 2002
Lacrosse Fish Decoys La Crosse, WI Mar/Apr 1995
Lexow, Fred Balsam Lake, MN July/Aug 1989
Lunka, Lawrence Ely, MN May/June 2003
Matzen, Jerry Nevis, MN Sept/Oct 2001
McNair, Mark Eastern Shore, VA Winter 1982
Minsch, Frank Pierz, MN May/June 2003
Mizera, Frank Ely, MN Mar/Apr 2002
Moes, Alfred Lakeville, MN Nov/Dec 2005
Newman, Earnest Carlton, MN Mar/Apr 1991
Peterson, Oscar Cadillac, MI Sept/Oct 2006
Peterson, Wilbur “Willie” Brainerd, MN Mar/Apr 1997
Pususta, John MN July/Aug 2000
Quam, Oscar New London, MN Mar/Apr 1998
Ryden, John Albert Aitkin, MN May/June 1991
Satre, Carl Brainerd, MN May/June 2003
Sawyer, “Chet” Duluth, MN July/Aug 1992
Schifferl, Lou Green Bay, WI Mar/Apr 2000
Sieger, Joseph Wolf River Township, WI Mar/Apr 2000
Sirois, Philip ME May/June 2000
Smith, Christopher Columbus St. Clair Flats, MI Mar/Apr 1992
Snow, John Lac du Flambeau, WI Jan/Feb 1996
Spearfishing Decoys Nov/Dec 1997
Tax, John Lake Osakis, MN Jan/Feb 1995
Thompson, Ray Park Rapids, MN Sept/Oct 1992
Valley, Mike Prairie du Chein, WI Mar/Apr 1998
Vandenbossche, Theodore Mt. Clemens, MI Mar/Apr 1993
Wheeler, Charles “Shang” Stratford, CT Winter 1985
Zweig, Rudy Douglas County, MN July/Aug 2002
VISUAL MEDIA (TV, Video, etc.):
Fish decoys : folk art beneath the ice.
Author: Bob Dambach; Tapio Kube; Mark A Greenig; Prairie Public Broadcasting.
Publisher: [Fargo, N.D.] : Prairie Public Broadcasting, ©2000.
Series: Prairie Public heritage collection.
Edition/Format: VHS video : VHS tape Visual material : English
Summary:
Meet fish decoy carvers in Minnesota. Learn the history of fish decoys, how they work, and how they’re made. Discover why fish decoys have evolved from being tools for survival to highly sought after works of art.