archivist 0 Report post Posted May 13, 2019 Folks: The archive for which I work -- the Southwest Collection at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX, not a hot-spot for fly-fishing -- just received a small box of hand-written manuscript pages along with copies of magazines, all featuring work by Erne St. Claire. I'm looking for information on him, and would appreciate anything that anyone could offer. I've gathered that he began his professional fishing career in Portland, Oregon, owned a tackle business in Aurora, MO, and spent time later in his life in Harrison, AR. It also seems that he was an early pioneer in spin-casting for large fish, and that his flies and lures were well-though-of. Thanks in advance, Andy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tjm 0 Report post Posted May 14, 2019 "The Modern Science Of Spin-fishing" https://www.docdroid.net/Pbm2TlH/the-modern-science-of-spin-fishing.pdf He was a guy that cut down light weight fiberglass fly rods and made ultra light spinning rods from them ~1960. Joe Robinson (think he was from TX.) author of "Piscatorial Absurdities" carried on the idea. video of Robinson; https://youtu.be/kpxWurslYxk There was a discussion of St Claire's rods on another forum not too long ago and that is I recall from it, or have bookmarked. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stupidcar 0 Report post Posted July 4, 2019 Don't have any information to add, but I'm more than curious about that box of yours. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikechell 0 Report post Posted July 4, 2019 Welcome to the sight, archivist. I don't think you're planning on staying, after your research is done, but you are welcome to. You never know, maybe this is the start of a new career as a fishing historian. Or just a new hobby as a fly angler? You too, Stupidcar. Welcome to the site, if you're staying. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TJSawyer 0 Report post Posted May 14, 2021 There is quite a bit of non-fishing information on Erne in the archives of The Oregonian (housed on one of the slowest responding servers on the Internet). Erne was indicted for Seduction in 1950 but the charge was dropped when the 18 year-old woman (Erne was reported to be 35) admitted she was partly at fault. Erne wrote some letters to the editor in 1955 condemning Ike for socialist tendencies. In '56 Erne helped organize a third-party movement in Oregon. On the fishing front, a 1953 article in a Corvallis paper reported that some of Erne's fishing records were being challenged by Field and Steam. Erne's fishing lessons and lectures were given to various youth groups and the Izaak Walton league. Erne hit the big time in 1951 with his catch of a record Tyee Salmon on the Nehalem River. He appeared in Life Magazine with the fish and was quoted saying, "After I appeared in LIFE, I was written up by almost 20 sport magazines - and nearly got in the movies." At a later date he did appear in a Technicolor short film of 8 or 9 minutes length, "Fish Tales" by Carl Dudley in which Erne jumps into the Rogue River to pursue his salmon downstream. It is unclear to me if this is the same St. Claire who was a dancer appearing under the billing of "Yvonne and St. Claire" in an act called the "Masque of Death" in several performances advertised on both East and West coasts. I'd be delighted to learn more from anyone who has put some of the pieces together. T J Sawyer Portland native but longtime Minnesota resident Elderly Amateur Historian Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
