Questions and Answers
I certainly do not know all the answers, but will try to help in any way that I can....
Q: I have a few old plastic lures, and they look melted. Did the hot air melt them in the tackle box?
A: Odds are, you have a lure that had a chemical imbalance in the lure when it was manufactured. This was fairly common among old plastic lures of the 30s and 40s (when plastic was first used). I especially see this with old Heddon plastic lures. There is not much you can do about these lures and hopefully their shrinking is done….
Q: I see you fish with old lures and catch fish on them. I tried using some old lures like the Bass-Oreno and the Wilson Wobbler, but I get little of no action at all out of them…and they do not catch fish.
A: The key is…reel them in slow. If you reel them too fast, the action can be gone. Old reels from the time of these lures typically had a much lower turn ratio than the reels of today. The Bass-Oreno should go under the water slightly and dart back and forth, somewhat erratically. The Wilson Wobbler needs to be reeled in very slow to get it to wiggle. Remember, some of these were made before diving lips were invented.
Q: I have a plastic lure with a white film on it. I wipe it off, and it keeps coming back. How do I clean this off?
A: The easiest way is to use a hair dryer. Yes, you read that right…a hair dryer. Turn it on and slowly heat of the lure. The white film will “melt” almost immediately. Wipe it off with a cloth. Then, clean the lure with a mild soap. The white film can return again, but this seems to work well for me.
Q: Where do you look up information on your lures, especially the value?
A: Information on lures ---- books and research. Value ---- some in books…but mainly notes, past experiences, online auctions, and sometimes fellow collectors.
Q: Where did you find all of your lures?!?!?!
A: If I told you, I would have to kill you. Ha ha! Really, I find them all over, but you have to really look. I acquired much of my collection in the 1980s when they could be found more often. This was back in the days when I thought I was the only one collecting lures. I briefly collected coins, rocks, toys, and other things…but nothing compared to my lures. Soon, all of the other collections disappeared. Friends and family is a good place to start. Tell everyone you collect lures (I didn’t tell anyone for years…which was a mistake). Finding what you want can be very tough and you can put on a lot of miles. But, that is what I enjoy. If you don’t…find another hobby or collect a lure you can buy in the local tackle shop. Or, shell out a ton of money and buy someone’s entire collection.
Q: How do you attach your lures and boxes in your cases? Don’t they fall out?
A: I use T-pins that I purchase from a fabric store to hold my lures and boxes in place. I use the largest T-pins I can find for the boxes, and the smallest size for the lures. Typically, I pin the lures in the line tie and in the rear hook ring. If the case will be transported periodically, I pin the hooks in place too.
For the boxes, a couple pins above and below the box…and one or two on each side holds them in place…even when transporting my lures.
Q: What do you use for you background in your case?
A: Cork board covered by fabric. They look great and the materials do not harm the lures.
Q: I have a very old wood lure that had little flakes (paint) by it this winter. It is losing its paint? Can I do anything to stop this?
A: Your paint probably is flaking paint for the lure wood got extremely dry and “shrunk”. Low humidity is not good for wood lures. Get a humidifier in your home for the winter times. Try to keep at least 40 – 50% humidity in your home. Also, don’t let the humidity get to high in the summer months. If you can keep the humidity about 40 – 60% all year, you should be fine.
Q: Do you charge for appraisals?
A: Typically not. To this day, I have yet to charge for doing any appraisals. But if I have to drive to your location and it is well out of my way or if you have 100s and 100s of lures to appraise…we may work out a “fee” ahead of time.
Q: I got a tackle box from my grandfather, but there are no wooden lures…they are all plastic. These are not worth anything, is that correct?
A: False. If you have a uncommon lure or an uncommon color, the price could surprise you. For example, a Heddon Torpedo is a common lure that is only worth a few dollars. But, if it is an ultra rare color…I have seen them sell for thousands of dollars.
Q: What is the “Minnesota Collectors Club”?
A: It is just a “club” I started for other people to show what they collect. Basically it means that I will show you collection on my website so others can see what you collect.
Q: I have a very old yet dirty minnow bucket. I do want to clean it. Any suggestions?
A: I can give you a suggestion on what has worked for me, but don’t call me if it doesn’t work or if you damage your minnow bucket. Clean you bucket using Murphy’s Oil soap by wiping it down gently or you can use plain dish soap and water. Do NOT use anything that is harsher. After the bucket dries, wipe in down with a very light coat of vegetable oil. Let it sit for 20 – 30 minutes, then wipe it down with a soft dry cloth to take off any excess oil.
Q: I love your website, especially the items made in Minnesota. Will you include more MN tackle history in the future?
A: Yes, it is a work in progress. I have MANY more lures to add and a lot more history on lures and companies. I am not a computer genius, and this is taking me a lot of time to add. Who knows, I may be complete in a decade or so. Ha ha! Seriously, I do not want my website to become “stale” and the same thing each time you look at it. That is why I have the “Lure of the Month”, so there is at least one new thing each month.
Q: Why aren’t you a member of the NFLCC (National Fishing Lures Collector Club)?
A: I will just say that it is a personal choice and leave it at that. It can be a great club if you wish to join and it does have some great members. But, be aware that anyone can join....
Q: How long have you been collection lures?
A: It is hard to say when I really started...but it was sometime in the early 1980s.
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