2012 Convention

2012 Convention

Here’s Richard Lodge’s “From the Backseat” column, for a report on the 2012 convention:

First, a correction, of sorts. In the last Reel News I wrote about some of the activities planned for the 2012 ORCA convention in Bolton Landing, N.Y. My brain told me to write that we were going to visit the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum in Livingston Manor. In reality, a bunch of us drove to the Adirondack Museum, several hours closer to Lake George than Livingston Manor. The Adirondack Museum was a great place to visit, with top-notch history exhibits, some amazing antique lake boats and motors, and a decent assortment of reels, rifles, canoes and mounted animals.

John sums up my feelings about the convention on the facing page. It was a lot of fun with great people in a beautiful setting. I sold and traded a few reels, came home with two great rods (a cool bamboo Goodwin Granger bait casting rod I hope to fix up for the antique fishing competition next year and a great Heddon fiberglass fly rod, painted to look like bamboo). I also bought a folk art painting of a brook trout and a wooden decoy of the same fish, both by a retired New York State conservation officer.

It also was an honor to meet ORCA founder Michael Nogay and his wife Robyn. Mike gave a talk about how he came to start the organization and publish the newsletter back in the early 1990s. We all owe him our thanks for having a terrific idea — and following through on it to form the Old Reel Collectors Association.

That pile of old reels in the photo above? John Elder donated those for me to start “building” a new trophy to present next year in honor of the late Stu Lawson, who conceived of the Stu Lawson Ugly Reel Toss. See the most recent winner and the previous trophy, inside this issue, which has been given to Stu’s widow, Lois, in his honor.

—  Richard

Reel Collectors Gather in Lake George for 2012

  • When:
    • September 12 – 15, 2012
  • Where:
    • Northward Ho! Resort
  • Address:
    • 4648 Lake Shore Drive, (Mailing Address: P.O. Box 464, Bolton Landing, NY 12814)
  • Phone:
    • 518-644-2158
  • Owner:
  • Draft Agenda:
    • Wednesday, Sept. 12 – Evening Barbeque as a kick off event. Room trading. Travel day
    • Thursday, Sept. 13 – Break feast with the Board; Visit Fly Fishing Museum in morning (about an 1 hour and 15 minutes drive one way); Seminars in the afternoon and evening at Freshwater Institute (may have a lunch there); Silent Auction; Room trading.
    • Friday, Sept. 14 – Fishing Contest at Resort; Casting contest at Resort; Silent Auction;
    • Saturday, Sept. 15 – Show at Conservation Club, Ends at 4 pm.
    • Sunday, Sept. 16 – travel day.
  • For specific information:
    • Call Henry Caldwell at 518-796-3445
    • See the latest issue of the Reel News or visit Reel Talk for updates and registration forms.