Antique Fishing Equipment

What Is Antique Fishing Equipment?

An item such as fly fishing equipment or ice fishing equipment is considered an antique when it has reached a certain age.  Some people will argue that an antique is only an antique after the collectible item has reached an age of fifty years or more.  However, vintage and antique fishing equipment tends to be considered antique if a specific era in human society has passed.  In addition, fishing equipment that is considered antique usually shows a certain attention to detail and craftsmanship and is often made by the human hand, rather than mass produced or machined.  What most antique fishing equipment collectors are searching for is an object (rod, reel, creel, lure, fishing box, or bucket) that bears some affinity to a certain age, or way of fishing, and many collect a specific manufacturer’s items because of that nostalgic value.

Where To Find Antique Fishing Equipment Online

One of the best places to find antique fishing equipment is online auctions, but purchasing directly from collectors can be a bonus because all the guess work has been taken out of identifying specifics for your favorite antique fly fishing equipment, lures, rods, and ice fishing equipment.  When browsing online, you should always consider the source, and who knows better than a fellow collector.

However, if you are up for an outing, you might consider attending one of the events put on by the following organizations, companies, societies, or associations listed below to search for antique fishing equipment for your collection as well as research historical facts about fishing equipment.

Angling Artifacts

At Angling Artifacts, you can locate information on antique fishing equipment including grading systems for rods, reels, and lures.  The extensive collection of information at http://www.anglingartifacts.com/ will have those who love fishing equipment treasures from the past with mouths watering.  You will find information on antique fishing equipment including creels, reels, lures, and tackle, as well as fun fishing toys, jewelry, art, and ceramics from the past.  Angling Artifacts also serves as an excellent link resource to fly fishing equipment, ice fishing equipment, and fishing equipment clubs and museums.

Australian and Hardy Brothers Big Game Fishing Reels

At http://www.antiquegamefishingreels.com/, you will find the expertise of Australian and English fishing reels collector, Jeff Overington who has been an antique fishing equipment collector for thirty years.  If your antique fishing equipment extends to Australian Big Game Reels, you’ll definitely want to check out his advice on collectability, as well as his online photo albums.  Of note, Jeff Overington is revered for having one of the only three known Hardy Bros White Wickham Big Game reels in his collection.  Jeff is also happy to assist collectors in identifying and valuing your Hardy Zane Grey, Hardy Fortuna, Hardy SeaSilec reels.

Antique Fishing Lures By Floyd Roberts

At http://www.antiquefishinglures.com/navigation.htm, Floyd Roberts shares his extensive knowledge of antique fishing lures and antique fishing equipment.  He has compiled an exhaustive listing of pertinent websites related to antique fishing equipment, particularly Heddon, PRADCO, South Bend, and The BassmanTM.  A special interest of Floyd Roberts is casting weights.  However, he also offers a varying selection of fishing equipment for sale at http://www.antiquefishinglures.com/sale.htm.  His offerings of fishing equipment include Heddon mirrors, boxes, lures, and catalogs, as well as items from South Bend, Creek Chub Bait Co., Pflueger, and several Japanese Heddon items.

Antique Fly Fishing Equipment Online

Drexel Grape Vine Antiques

For concise and accurate information on antique fishing equipment, a collector and owner of Drexel Grape Vine antiques shares his overview of collecting antique fishing equipment including fly fishing equipment at http://www.drexelantiques.com/fish.html.  Whether you are interested in learning more about antique fishing equipment such as rods, reels, lures, fly fishing equipment, big game tackle, or saltwater fishing equipment, there is something for you here.  Of note is that Drexel Grape Vine Antiques has quality information on Hunting Badges and Fishing Licenses from days of old.  He also has some sobering information about fakes, as well as restoration tips for collectors of antique fishing equipment.  Additionally, you can view a current listing of antique fishing equipment items available from Drexel Grape Vine Antiques at http://www.drexelantiques.com/fishing.html.

Antique Ice Fishing Equipment Online

Antique Fishing Collectibles – Randy Nelson

Antique Fishing Collectibles at http://www.antiquefishingcollectibles.com/ is dedicated to what Randy Nelson terms a fascinating hobby, that of collecting and preserving antique fishing equipment.  He purchases antique fishing equipment such as lures and boxes from companies including Pflueger, Creek Chub, South Bend, Shakespeare, Moonlight, Keeling, and Heddon as well as several less well known companies.  He has an interest in ice fishing equipment, fly fishing equipment, and antique fishing equipment including single lures, boxes of lures, rods, reels, fishing decoys, catalogs, and paperwork featuring vintage fishing tackle.

Find More Antique Fishing Equipment Online

The National Fishing Lure Collectors Club (NFLCC)

At http://www.nflcc.org, the primary mission is to create an awareness of fishing tackle collecting as a hobby.  NFLCC assists members in locating, identifying, and trading antique fishing equipment.  Membership has its other perks as well.  Whether you are interested in fly fishing equipment, ice fishing equipment, or the many other wonders of vintage fishing tackle, NFLCC will help you find reeds, rods, catalogs, minnow traps and buckets, creels, photographs, and catalogs featuring your favorite antique fishing equipment collectibles.  NFLCC currently has 5000 worldwide members and is the largest organization on the web devoted to the hobby of antique fishing equipment.

Membership dues are annual at NFLCC, with $25.00 annual membership in the United States, $50.00 annual membership in Canada, and a rate of $75.00 per annum for all other countries.  The National Fishing Lure Collectors Club membership package includes subscriptions to the informative NFLCC Magazine, NFLCC Gazette publications.  As a paid member, you also receive access to al NFLCC sanction shows and a membership directory, which is certain to help you find exactly the right person to ask your antique fishing equipment question.

World Of Fishing Antiques

 At http://www.fishingsociety.org/antiquefishingeq.html, World of Fishing Antiques offers a smorgasbord of choices for the antique fishing equipment collector.  It’s a good portal to begin at when you are seeking additional information on antique fishing equipment online.