La Crosse Fish Decoys
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Don Petersen has done it again! Following his comprehensive and authoritative books, Folk Art Fish Decoy Makers Past and Present, he has given us yet another great book, La Crosse Fish Decoys. While a few articles have been written regarding La Crosse fish decoys and their makers, this is the only book ever written on the subject which comprehensively covers it. In this Chapter 4, Petersen presents the biographies of 71 La Crosse decoy makers, discusses the characteristics of their decoys, and then provides photographic examples of their output. He has replaced the “unknowns” of La Crosse fish decoys with the “known.” In addition, he presents us with word and picture, a feeling for the city of La Crosse in the early days of spear fishing. One can almost feel the chill of La Crosse winter, see the river boats of the Mississippi River, not to mention the bluffs along the River. In Chapter 5, Petersen give us the photographic review of La Crosse decoys which imitate actual fish species. Chapter 6 and 7 present for the first time, an authoritative discussion of La Crosse spears, jig sticks, decoy boxes, and “cheater fish decoys.” It is a well-substantiated fact that La Crosse decoys and spears are soaring in value. As an example, Lloyd Thorsen decoy recently sold on Ebay for $1,250!! A serious fish decoy collector cannot afford to be without this book. My advise is – don’t wait to buy it tomorrow- buy it today.
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About the Book
La Crosse Fish Decoys is the first and only book covering this subject matter. It should interest fish decoy collectors, hobbyists, fishermen, and anyone interested in a hobby that has a solid financial return. The heyday for spearfishing in La Crosse, Wisconsin, was 1890 until 1938, when spearfishing was banned in that region. Thus given the age of the decoys used, little is known concerning their makers. Indeed, all of the known La Crosse fish decoy makers are deceased. This book is divided into seven chapters. Chapter 1 provides a brief history of the La Crosse region from its earliest days until the present time with emphasis, when appropriate, to the sport of spearfishing. Chapter 2 discusses the development of the technique of spearfishing from its Asian origins and contrasts the American Indian approach to spearing to the white men’s modification of it. In Chapter 3,The Mississippi River is discussed and its effects on spearing in the La Crosse Reach. The heart of the book is Chapter 4, when seventy-one known La Crosse decoy makers’ biographies are presented along the discussion of their decoys, not to mention, photographic examples of their work. Chapter 5 gives a photographic review of fish decoys which imitate actual fish species. Chapter 6 provides photographic example of La Crosse spears used by fishermen, and documents both known and unknown speak makers. Finally, Chapter 7 reviews La Crosse “cheater” decoys, jig sticks, lures, and decoy-holding boxes to round out the book.
About the Author
Dr. Donald J. Petersen is an emeritus professor at Loyola University Chicago. In addition, he is a labor arbitrator listed on the national panels of the American Arbitration Association, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, and permanent umpire with several organization and unions. He received his doctorate from the Illinois Institute of Technology. His hobby is collecting spear fishing decoys since the mid 1970’s and number more than 2,000 decoys, He is written Folk Art Fish Decoys (Schiffer Publishing, 1996) and Fish Decoy Makers Past and Present, (Decoy Magazine, 2001) and has had numerous articles published in Decoy Magazine and Hunting and Fishing Collectibles Magazine.