Ice Fishing photo
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By Joe Cermele

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In two years of running the vintage tackle contest, we’ve yet to see something with an engine entered as a contender. That changed just this week when Paul Gedgaudas sent in this old-time gas auger. Given that it’s getting pretty close to hardwater season, and given that resident tackle expert Dr. Todd Larson of The Whitefish Press and “Fishing For History” blog is a northern Midwest native, I figured he’d get a kick out of this one.

Dr. Todd says:

“At some point, all items of fishing tackle become collectable — even power augers. As a lad growing up in Minnesota and Northern Wisconsin, I always envied the power drill guys — and the most popular brand of power augers were manufactured by Feldman Engineering of Plymouth, Wisconsin. Sold under the “Jiffy” name beginning in 1951, it was invented by Marvin Feldman, a fireman who loved to ice fish but (like me) hated the hand-twist auger and ice spud method of cutting holes in the frozen lake.

_Jiffy is still in business today, and still makes great power augers. I think your auger is an early-to-mid 1950s model and worth $75-$100 in working order. I’m really happy you took the time to restore it! To see a picture of the Feldman factory from 1963, where Jiffy augers were made, click here. To read a pair of interesting pieces of ice auger history, click here.”
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Excellent find, Paul, and top-shelf work on the restoration! Thanks for sending and keep an eye on your mailbox, because there’s a set of Berkley Aluminum Pliers headed your way.

If you’ve already sent me photos of your vintage tackle, keep checking every Thursday to see if I chose it for an appraisal by Dr. Todd. If you haven’t and want to enter the contest, email photos of your old tackle to fstackle@gmail.com, along with your name, mailing address, and story of how you acquired the gear. If I use it in a Thursday post, you get a pair of Berkley Aluminum Pliers (above) worth $50.