Wednesday, December 23, 2015

The Twelve Days of Christmas

We couldn't help putting an historical spin on the holiday classic The Twelve Days of Christmas, please enjoy this feature and be sure to come see our exhibition of Field and Stream covers at the AMFF in 2016. Happy Holidays!



On the first day of Christmas my angler gave to me... a can of instant coffee! 

Far before the days of JetBoils, the outdoorsman of the 1920's got by on cans of instant coffee like the one seen in this ad. The maker claimed that its' product was "the greatest improvement in the coffee industry in a hundred years. Real quality coffee made by experts and ready for serving. It has been properly vacuum dried. All you get is real coffee- that's why a small can of G. Washington's coffee will make as many cups as a can of ordinary coffee ten times its size"
















On the second day of Christmas my angler gave to me...two Thomas rods and a can of instant coffee!

Fred Thomas began making fly rods in Bangor, Maine in the late 1890's after learning the trade as an employee at the H.L. Leonard Co. After a few dissolved partnerships and changes of address, the F.E. Thomas Company grew to include a world wide following and the shop employed as many as a dozen skilled craftsman, including the heir to the Thomas Rod Company, Leon Thomas. This ad that was featured in the February 1938 issue of Field & Stream is a testament to the company's growth as they offered both a 3-piece dry fly rod and a streamer rod as well. While Fred Thomas passed away in 1938 others kept his tradition alive and the company is still in business today.
















On the third day of Christmas my angler gave to me three camping tents, two Thomas rods, and a can of instant coffee!


Field & Stream was not all about hunting and fishing. This picture from the June 1928 issue was part of a readers' guide to summer camping.






On the fourth day of Christmas my angler gave to me four hackle birds, three camping tents, two Thomas rods, and a can of instant coffee

Some vacationing good samaritans stop to let a family of grouse cross a dirt road on the cover of this June 1927 issue of Field & Stream. Hopefully the birds returned the favor by giving the driver a few quality tying feathers.















On the fifth day of Christmas my angler gave to me five silver kings! Four hackle birds, three camping tents, two Thomas rods, and a can of instant coffee

We had to go big for the most important verse of the song and what better way than this February 1953 cover featuring a hammerhead shark going airborne after a hooked tarpon.


On the sixth day of Christmas my angler gave to me six gents-a-wading... Five silver kings! Four hackle birds, three camping tents, two Thomas rods, and a can of instant coffee


The Mishawaka Rubber & Woolen MFG. CO. originated in Mishawaka, Indiana in 1833. After some early trouble the company was purchased in 1867 by Jacob Beiger and his son, Martin Beiger. Martin and another business partner invented the all-knit boot in 1886 and the signature trademark red ball was added to the black band of the boot soon thereafter. The red-ball waders were not breathable by any means, but they were the toughest and most durable of their time.



On the seventh day of Christmas my angler gave to me seven fools-a-swimming, six gents-a-wading...Five silver kings! Four hackle birds, three camping tents, two Thomas rods, and a can of instant coffee

Author Norman D. Weiss put himself in dangerous situations to demonstrate safety in the appropriately titled “Don’t Wade into Trouble” in the May 1962 issue of Field & Stream Magazine
. The caption to this photograph read “Weiss gets out of the trouble with no more than a soaking. Belt holds air in the waders keeping him floating”. Don’t try this at home, kids.


On the eighth day of Christmas my angler gave to me eight maids-a-filming, seven fools-a-swimming, six gents-a-wading...Five silver kings! Four hackle birds, three camping tents, two Thomas rods, and a can of instant coffee

Kodak aimed to be the GoPro of the 1950's and 60's. Kodak's Brownie 8 cameras were compact as a camera could be in those days ("so compact you could fit it into a jacket pocket") and did not break the bank- the Kodaks cost only $27 compared to the prices of today's cameras. Not to mention that their clever tagline "Beats talking about it" played right into an angler's worst fears.











On the ninth day of Christmas my angler gave to me nine ladies landing, eight maids-a-filming, seven fools-a-swimming, six gents-a-wading...Five silver kings! Four hackle birds, three camping tents, two Thomas rods, and a can of instant coffee


The July 1952 issue of Field & Stream featured a lady angler reeling in a fish and a male companion looking on to much surprise.












On the tenth day of Christmas my angler gave to me ten trout-a-leaping, nine ladies landing, eight maids-a-filming, seven fools-a-swimming, six gents-a-wading...Five silver kings! Four hackle birds, three camping tents, two Thomas rods, and a can of instant coffee


The June 1934 issue of Field & Stream featured a stunning depiction of a trout chasing after a dry fly.












On the eleventh day of Christmas my angler gave to me eleven poppers popping, ten trout-a-leaping, nine ladies landing, eight maids-a-filming, seven fools-a-swimming, six gents-a-wading...Five silver kings! Four hackle birds, three camping tents, two Thomas rods, and a can of instant coffee



The June 1931 issue of Field & Stream features a man locked in a duel with a monster largemouth bass while casually smoking a pipe.












On the twelfth day of Christmas my angler gave to me twelve salmon running, eleven poppers popping, ten trout-a-leaping, nine ladies landing, eight maids-a-filming, seven fools-a-swimming, six gents-a-wading...Five silver kings! 
Four hackle birds, three camping tents, two Thomas rods, and a can of instant coffee!

The July 1971 issue of Field & Stream Magazine was all about the Atlantic Salmon. The article "Witch Salmon"recounted author Hal Hyman's trip to Iceland during which he regularly caught 20 pound salmon and marveled at the strides that the locals were making in fisheries management. He closed the article saying "I felt a moment of thankfulness for those whose management programs will keep the fish running strong, making sure that man doesn't put a curse more threatening than witchcraft on Iceland's rivers".

Long time Field & Stream fishing editor and master caster A.J. McLane also contributed an article detailing techniques for salmon fishing. He cautioned those switching from trout fishing to not expect any pattern of consistency in what the salmon are eating. "If a Hendrickson Dun or a Green Drake is on the water, then the artificial should look like the natural. Even if insects are not flitting about at the moment, we have a fair idea of what the trout might consider a tempting tidbit. But this does not hold true for the Atlantic Salmon in rivers"