Al Hansen
Well-known member
Hey Gary, I sure appreciated having the chance to read that article out of the Star/Tribune. Back in 1952 I had a paper route and delivered that paper in Ortonville, MN. That was my source of income as an 11 year old. Then in 1954 I mailed in my first order to Herters and that was for one of their duck calls. My big order was sent in September of 56 when I ordered a half dozen of their pintail decoys. I remember getting a call from the railroad station that I had a box from Herters to be picked up. My folks drove me down to the train station and I got my decoys.
For a while I didn't buy much but looked through every catalog, page by page and of course getting bogged down in the duck hunitng supplies..
In 1966, I drove to Alaska and took on a new job as a 5th grade teacher in Anchorage, AK. That is where I found out all about what it was like to catch sockeye salmon. Back then the only thing I knew them as was a red salmon, however, I never would keep them when they started to turn red after the spawing season. My friend, Carl Clemson, was the man that introduced me to the Kenai/Russian River, fishing area. I would drive down from Anchorage on a daily basis right after school got out and fished until the reds quit running. Carl gave me a fly he tied and told me to keep track of how many I caught.
The next thing I knew, I was back home going through my Herter's catalog where I found all the fly tying equipment that I would ever need. Back then prior to the Marine Mammals act in the early 70s, you could buy polar bear hair. They had some very bright colors to choose from and I never bought another fly. I always made my own.
The Herters catalog was like my secondary bible!
Al
For a while I didn't buy much but looked through every catalog, page by page and of course getting bogged down in the duck hunitng supplies..
In 1966, I drove to Alaska and took on a new job as a 5th grade teacher in Anchorage, AK. That is where I found out all about what it was like to catch sockeye salmon. Back then the only thing I knew them as was a red salmon, however, I never would keep them when they started to turn red after the spawing season. My friend, Carl Clemson, was the man that introduced me to the Kenai/Russian River, fishing area. I would drive down from Anchorage on a daily basis right after school got out and fished until the reds quit running. Carl gave me a fly he tied and told me to keep track of how many I caught.
The next thing I knew, I was back home going through my Herter's catalog where I found all the fly tying equipment that I would ever need. Back then prior to the Marine Mammals act in the early 70s, you could buy polar bear hair. They had some very bright colors to choose from and I never bought another fly. I always made my own.
The Herters catalog was like my secondary bible!
Al
