Two-Headed Fish Decoy
Cecil Blank
Bemidji, MN
1940’s – 1970’s
January 2022
Cecil Blank (1911-1992) resided in Bemidji, Minnesota where his main occupation was working for a box factory.
In 1947 he began carving decoys for spear fishing which he greatly enjoyed. He carved his decoys from basswood and painted them with car enamel. He only made decoys for his personal use and maybe a few friends. At his passing, he had about 100 decoys ready for use.
Cecil speared on many lakes in the area where he lived and his decoys had a unique shape that collectors readily recognize. One of the rarest and toughest to find of his decoys is the two-headed decoy, designed so the pike would see the head from any direction that it arrived from.
Someday I may have to plop this decoy in the lake and give it a try! However, I don’t want to risk losing it, for I will probably not find another.
