On Tue, 17 Apr 2007 09:08:29 -0600, Willi wrote:

wrote:
OK, I got the ball rolling with my reply to BJ...so what is
everyone's/anyone's favorite Herter's stuff, good, bad, or nonsensical,
fishing, hunting, or general sporting goods?

TC,
R

Herter was a one of a kind! His catalogs fueled my daydreams when I was
a kid waiting for our annual fishing trip to Minnesota or Canada. Each
one was worn out before the next arrived. I usually made an order using
my Christmas money to buy the "World's Greatest" lures and the "finest
hand crafted" gear at prices that even a kid could afford. Some of the
stuff was complete garbage but most was serviceable and some was
excellent. However, there was no way to tell before you ordered it
because EVERYTHING was "THE BEST". In his fly tying book, there is much
pomp and hooey but if you look past it, it is full of good advice and
there are a couple gems where he was decades ahead of everyone else. The
hard part was picking out the good stuff.


Warren took George Gherke and me on a drift down the Madison just before
George died. While we were fishing a dropoff on the edge of a gravel
bar, I remarked to George that his online demeanor reminded me alot of
George Herter. He stated with a smile that no one had ever said that to
him but that Herter was his hero and had corresponded with him as a
child. He said he tried to emulate Herter in his business dealings as
well as his personal life.


For those of you that have read even one of the Herter catalogs or any
of the Herter books, I think this sheds some light on at least some of
George's behavior on ROFF.

Oh, Lordy, from what I know of both Georges, George Gehrke (at least
online) coulda been George Herter, Jr. Some years before is death, I
had a conversation either on ROFF or via email with ROFFians about GG
being like Herter - IIRC, you were part of it. Not long after I "met"
the ROFFian GG (I actually crossed paths with him pre-ROFF), I/we
thought his online shtick to be like Herter, which, again, IIRC, is what
brought about the conversation. I've always thought that down at the
core of things and while the both of them might have had a temper (might
not have, too...) and some definite, um, "ideas," both were sportsmen
with a some heart and brains...and in the case of GG, a stained
pocket... Of course, E veryone's MMV...

TC,
R

Willi