Are you into fishing and do you also love collecting classic items? Why not combine both hobbies and collect antique fishing gear. You can combine the thrill of the hunt for vintage gear with learning more about how the sport developed in the last couple centuries.

When you are starting out you won’t have any trouble finding items to add to your collection. There’s a lot of affordable fishing equipment from the 1800s onward available to add to your collection, so you won’t find it hard to spot items you want to add to your personal collection. You will find basic gear like the rods, reels, and tackle as well as historic items like pictures of anglers and fishing licenses from the mid-1900s.

Typically, most anglers would like to have a vintage reel. Today, reels are made of metal alloys but during the past, different metals like iron, brass, and steel were used. Rod and reel design has also changed over time and you might want to collect examples showing how they evolved over time.

Another popular collectible is fishing lures. Many of the earlier models are much more colorful and attractive than ones used today. Fishing flies open up even more possibilities.

You also need to plan how you will store and display your collection. Some of the larger fishing collectibles can be used to decorate cabins and rec rooms. Small bits of tackle can be added to display cases or frames that keep them dust-free and help preserve them.

In addition to collecting antique fishing gear, you might want to consider collecting gear from around the world. Most of this gear will be homemade using materials easy to find locally. Even today in many parts of the world fishing is not a sport but a means of survival. People fish in order to eat better and the gear they use reflects that need and the local economy.

In collecting these items, just follow what your heart’s desire. There are no rules about what you should collect. What matter is: you have a portion of the past.

Some vintage fishing gear guides available from Amazon include:

• Captain John’s Fishing Tackle Price Guide
• Classic & Antique Fly Fishing Tackle
• Collector’s Guide to Antique Fishing Tackle
• Fishing Collectibles: Identification & Price Guide
• Old Fishing Lures & Tackle: Identification and Value Guide

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