Esox Lucius Northern Pike Fish Decoy Christmas present for Dad

My latest fish decoy, thanks for looking.

Working Northern Pike Fish Decoy. 12 inches long. Fins and tail from a vintage INDIAN FIRE PLUG tank lid. Tail pinned with brass nails, fins locked in poured lead old school. Vintage glass eyes. Carved by hand from dried white cedar. Pyrography by hand. Watercolor and acrylic paints with 4-5 coats of spar varnish. Esox Lucius.

When my Dad, Jim Stouffer, (Paw) passed away on November 19, two days after his 73rd birthday, I stayed home from work for a couple of days.  It was hard to be around people and I retreated to the basement family cave.  Not from my kids and wife for any purpose, but just to be alone and reflect.  I guess.  I cried a lot.  Watched the movies Gettysburg and God's and Generals a lot and worked on this decoy.  Came up with the idea to do watercolor for the first time and really enjoyed the wood burning.  

My Dad would have loved it.  It would be in his Christmas Stocking for sure and then proudly on display with many of my best at Mom and Dad's home.

Merry Christmas Dad, Love, Me.

Tim Stouffer

Christmas Present from Mom

For Christmas my Mom gave me some lures from my dear Dad's tackle box.  Most of these were plastic Heddons that he gave to my Grandfather for gifts.  Grandpa liked to fish with them up here. Grandpa brought us first to Ely, Minnesota 44 years ago and more where we all ended up in 1995.  Christmas was tough without Dad this year, but I'm so thankful that he got to spend it with Christ, thanks for looking.

All cleaned up. First liquid soap and warm water, then WD40 with toothbrush.  I now see the square lips are Heddon Deep 6.

Others are deep dives, tiny deep dives and 1 go deeper.

Wood Go Deeper Crap with gold eyes. Has rubs, but I love the white on black color.

Well, nothing out of the ordinary I guess, but cleaned up they look better and it was a good 

Christmas present to get something that belonged to my Dad and Grandpa.  Tim Stouffer