Below you will find a fine selection of antiquarian fishing books on the subject of big game fishing.  If you want to catch an old fish, perhaps reading an old book on how to do it might just be the best way study up on the subject.  Chock full of wonderful history and great old…

Once a fish has been successfully fought and brought up to the side of the boat or to the river bank, and, if that fish still have not given up the fight it is often necessary to calm them down further.  To this end one of the oldest tools known to man is still used…

Big game fishermen needed a special chair to fight the large marlin, tuna and swordfish that were being discovered around the world.  These specialized chairs had several features that helped the angler to fight these monster fish.  Here are some of the features that came with the nicer chairs – ~ Rod Gimbal built into…

Over the years anglers have always pursued larger fish.  With really large fish comes some amount of risk to the angler.  Fishing belts have cups or gimbals that are strategically placed to not only make it easier for the angler to hold the rod while fighting the fish, but also serve to protect the anglers…

Fishing gaffs came in all different sizes for different species of fish.  Some gaffs would fold up and tuck neatly way or would attach to the anglers belt.  These smaller hand gaffs were used to boat smaller salmon and large trout.  Larger fish required larger gaffs. The largest fish, tuna, marlin, and swordfish often required…

Line dryers were designed to make it easy for anglers to remove the wet linen or silk lines from their reels so that they could rinse and dry their lines before they became moldy and began to rot.  Line was quite expensive back in the day and taking good care of your line meant not…

There were several different companies that made fishing line back in the day and they all sold different size lines for different fish under different names.  Prior to World War II most lines were made of either silk or linen and were sold on spools.  Today, some of the wonderful graphics on the labels affixed…

Over the years there have been hundreds of different lure making companies that have gone in and out of business.  Many companies were around for decades while some companies were only in business for a year.  Older lures were often made of wood and were fitted with glass eyes or painted tack eyes.  A lure…

Since fishing became a sport, landing nets have been used to aid anglers in getting their fish out of the water and onto dry land or into a boat.  Early net frames were made out of wood or metal with woven linen netting.  Just as they do today, nets came in all sizes for all…

Many anglers seem to love patches.  Patches allow anglers to show other anglers what clubs they belong to, what contests they have fished in, and what type of fish they fish for without having to say a word.  Below you will find a small selection of patches from different clubs and from different tournaments. Cabo…

Pins, or anglers jewelry, are a little less conspicuous then patches but still tell the story of the angler that is adorned with them.  Pins can often be found accumulating on an angler’s hat as well as their fishing vest or sporting blazer.  Below is a nice sampling of pins from different fishing clubs and…

Many reels came in boxes but some of the finer, more expensive reels came in cases.  Most vintage cases were made of leather and would hold a reel snugly in place while protecting it from the elements.  Big game reel maker Arthur Kovalovsky made solid cases out of Micarta, a material used for insulation.  Kovalovsky’s…

Every angler knows that you need a place to put your tackle.  Below you will find examples of some old tackle boxes and fly keepers from days gone by.  The workmanship that went into making these pieces was often a matter of pride for the manufacturer or individual and the results are often stunning. Gilson…

Teasers were the brainchild of big game angler Zane Grey.  Trolling for big game fish requires patience, often an angler will go hours or even days trying to raise a fish.  Pulling live or dead bait through the water for any amount of time would soften up the bait and turn them to mush.  Grey…

Like all sportsmen, many anglers love competition and nothing says “I won” quite like a big trophy.  Over the years there have been thousands of competitions in both fishing and casting and trophies are always on the scene waiting to be handed out so they can be engraved with the winner’s name.  Some trophies are…

Over the years anglers have been looking for things that will help them catch even the wariest of fish.  Over the years many companies have been making products to hook even the most warey of anglers.  Below you will find lots of great old fishing paraphernalia from days gone by.  Have fun looking and try…