Vic McCristal's Tribute to his friend Eric Moller |
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Tony
Admin Admin Joined: 09 Nov 2009 Location: Hervey Bay, QLD Status: Offline Points: 6012 |
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Posted: 26 Nov 2009 at 10:46pm |
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Vic McCristal and ANSA QLD have kindly provided LureLovers.com permission to reproduce this article in which Vic shares his memories of his good friend Eric Moller.
Thank you for sharing this with us Vic and ANSA QLD The article contains a wealth of information for admirers of Eric and his work, and gives us an understanding of this Australian Lure Making Pioneer that most of us would otherwise never know. The original article can be found at http://www.ansaqld.com.au/articles/eric-moller/ ============================================================= Eric Mollerby Vic McCristal Eric at work His hands are solid, big-knuckled, scarred and obviously very powerful. The top joint of the right forefinger is missing and if you ask Eric Moller he will admit with a gentle smile that he lost it making lures. He was running some cedar slats through a planing machine when his hand slipped. His left hand has lost some of its control due to a stroke he suffered a year or two ago. His left leg drags a little and sometimes buckles at the knee on uneven ground. But
despite these disabilities, Eric Moller continues to carry on the work
he loves so well and at which he has become famous all over Australia;
the crafting of quality lures. Eric Moller was
born at Childers near Bundaberg and as a child received his education
at a small bush school at Kilkivan near Kingaroy. During his youth he
developed a close affinity for the Australian bush, its trees, streams
and wildlife. As a young married man, things weren't always easy in the
Queensland of fifty years ago and Eric worked at everything and
anything to support his wife and six children. He hand cut timber in
remote country towns, worked towns, worked long hours cutting sugar
cane and battled the wind and waves as a deckhand on professional
fishing boats. A lifetime spent outdoors has left him the As an amateur angler, Eric accepts the principles of sportfishing as basic ethics. When
I took him fishing for the first time following his stroke, the first
fish he caught was a mangrove jack of barely legal size. Eric undoubtedly needed it at home
but he unhooked it and slipped it back in the water, speaking gently to
the fish: 'You're a bit small - oId mate.' He did this without
thinking. Courtesy to fish is as natural to him as breathing. Eric
Moller became the first Honorary Life Member of the Australian National
Sportfishing Association on the strength of that philosophy and
attitude. He is the classic example of what a true sportsman should be: the kind of man other men admire and respect. Whether other fishermen follow his principles or not they have no argument about the way he designs and builds lures. Moller
lures became a classic pattern and Eric has fostered their acceptance
and developed the hobbyist lure business by giving them away to many
novice lure fishermen. Other lure makers have followed suit with methods and styles similar to Eric's. The hobby of making your own lure is now a major part of the Queensland fishing scene. Eric Moller's lure craft first started by necessity around 1968. As
a pensioner, he found the cost of commercial lures prohibitive. I
suggested that he try making his own and showed him a technique with an
integral wire. It was a slow but effective method involving shaping and glueing together two halves of timber slats. Typically of Eric, he improved and advanced the basic idea. As
a keen, practising fisherman, he studied the reasons why fish were lost
or landed and why they responded to a certain style, size or depth of
action. At his age, there is a coolness that assists his judgment. Watching Eric play a good fish, it is obvious that he is happy but not overexcited. All the moves he makes are the right ones. He has the ability to lose a fish and laugh without regret. Amongst
Eric's possessions is a well-thumbed address book filled with the
signatures of hundreds of fishermen; young, oId, great and otherwise, a
virtual Who's Who of Australian lure fishermen. Eric can refer back to
names, faces and fish with the aid of a phenomenal memory. He
often surprises me by referring to fish we caught years ago, fish I've
long since forgotten, creeks to which we've not returned. Once we walked some miles through tea-tree country with Eric leading the way to small lagoons where he knew fish swam in quiet isolation. He had been to this spot fifteen years before and still knew the way through featureless, flat, forest country. He could name individual trees he had marked for the Forestry Service and take you straight to them through the bush, fifteen years later. He is the complete bushman. continued... |
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Cheers, Tony
For the love of Fishing Lures. |
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Tony
Admin Admin Joined: 09 Nov 2009 Location: Hervey Bay, QLD Status: Offline Points: 6012 |
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Eric’s choice of timber for his lures is based on his experience with the best boat building timbers. He
likes beech which is impervious to water, sweet to carve and cures at
the right weight for the size lures he makes. In the back shed where he
makes his lures, a visitor will find a string, of a dozen lures hanging
for the paint to dry. The floor is thick with shavings, the shed is
filled with the noise of pigeons he feeds but doesn't
race. There is an old bench which carries the woodworking tools; the
battered vice, a hacksaw, cans of zincanneal bibs. Shelves higher up
carry an assembly of paints and enamels. An old cabinet holds his
flies, containers of completed lures 'for some old mates up on the
Tableland, they go over to the Staaten about twice a year'. Eric's
lures are built for casting on spin or plug tackle. They are barramundi
lures and the basic design is equally effective in greater and smaller
sizes on almost any fish that swims. A small Moller will catch bass,
redfin, trout, sooty grunter, yellowbelly and mangrove jack. In the
medium size they will catch almost any predatory fish in fresh or saltwater. The larger or heavier models are mostly used for specific fishing where distance, depth or fishing in darkness is required. They too, will catch almost anything. Eric Moller's fishing style is identical to mine with a marked preference for practical line classes. We rarely fish around the mangroves with less than an 8kg (17lb) line. Casting distances from a small boat need not be fancy and working casts of 10-20m (30-65ft) are easy enough with
lines up to 15kg (30lb) on workhorse gear. I like line strengths around
9-10kg (20-22lb) for meat fishing or for tagging estuary fish heavier
than average. With that kind of reserve power,
you are still in control against the lunge towards the snags of a big
jack or solid cod. Eric and I have learnt the hard way that fine-line
fishing is for fine, open country. During a fishing trip along a creek in Missionary Bay
I recall talking to Eric about a slightly larger than medium lure,
built for deeper running but with only a slight quiver action instead
of the usual lively wobble. Earlier on I had lost a commercial lure to
a good mangrove jack. While I was having these problems, Eric had
landed several fish including two hefty barramundi. Suddenly Eric decided it was his turn to row and mine to cast. He patiently removed the successful lure from his own line and held it out to me. ‘Put that on’ he said, 'it's the one you were talking about, deep action, narrow wiggle.’ With that lure I scored a hat trick of big barra almost immediately. Three casts for three fish. I was delighted with the success of
the principle but when I tried to take the lure off and give it back to
him, he waved it away. ‘Keep it,’ he said, ‘I can make more any time I
like.’ Such is Eric Moller’s generosity. Of course he can make other
lures, but how many friends would give another fisherman a proven
winner so casually. Eric will guarantee any of his lures to break an 11kg (25lb) line. From curiosity, I checked one on a 22kg (50lb) line and snapped the line. These lures are robust enough to score a century of heavy sportfish catches and still survive. Because they tend to be used by experienced fishermen they don't survive forever. They are usually lost around mangroves, oysters, coral or snags. Sometimes
a lure will float to the surface after it has been smashed or it’ll be
discovered within reach on a snag on which the fish broke the line. Most of these 'survivor' lures have one or more escapes. During the course of a few fishing trips, good catches are taken on a particular lure. Suddenly this becomes the lucky one and you begin to take more notice of it’s performance and start counting the fish. Once the score climbs near the hundred, the angler goes through the rigours of the ‘nervous nineties’ known to cricketers. Eric's method ensures maximum durability for eyelets. Eric doesn't like weighting lures, preferring instead to use the natural weight of the timber. Should a sinker type lure be needed, it can be made in hardwood. A floater may need a bulkier body of well-dried white beech. A lure for fast trolling may have a longer body and a smaller bib. All his lures are designed to 'work' at the first touch of the rod tip. His own casting has always been first class so he aims for a lure to be responsive from the second it hits the water. Fittings have to be the best; usually 6H rings and 4x strong Mustad or Eagle Claw hooks. The
rings are near flawless but the hooks will finally rust and have to be
replaced several times if your lure has a longer life than average. Stainless hooks appear more likely to break than bend on a fish. All fishermen have their idiosyncrasies. One of mine is a preference for double hooks rather than trebles, using a larger size rigged direct to the wire eyelets. Given extreme wear, the same eyelets may be worn out by work if the lure lasts long enough. Around
this country it is not uncommon to see one of Eric Moller's lures hung
up in honoured retirement, like a champion boxer who retired
undefeated. Eric is a fair and honest man. He
is the first to point out that his basic patterns are to some extent
derivative. There have been two influences. one was a Heddon Tiger
which I lent him as a patten of excellent design when he first started. To this day, his tiger pattern yellow lures show that origin. However, the belly is better shaped so that a fish's mouth is better able Amongst
skilled lure fisherrmen, tackle needs the strength to stand repetitive,
heavy use. Some lures are built for small fish and light Iines, or for
anglers who don't catch many fish. The good lures, the great ones, are
built to work long and hard on heavy lines for fishermen who catch a
great many fish. Using a Moller, a fisherman
is unafraid of the power in the jaws of a great turrum or the
razor-edge crunching of a mackerel or a long and difficult fight with
any species, anywhere. Eric's lure will stand up to it. Eric's choice of zincanneal bib metal is logical. It is relatively easy to cut and will take a concave curve if a stronger action is needed. It can be bent but is stiff enough not to buckle if it strikes a rock during a cast or is crushed by a striking fish. Colour plays a vital part in an angler's choice of a lure. It's
debatable whether or not colour is so important amongst fish. Colour
can certainly be chosen for contrast or to make lures more visible in
bad light. Certain lures are chosen because they are harder to see in
crystal clear water. Eric's colours have been chosen by fish rather than fishermen. Eric Moller's fame has spread nationwide. It
is not unusual to see his lures being used by fishermen in Western
Australia, the Northern Territory, Tasmania and South Australia. What makes his lures so special for so many people is their authenticity. They are handcrafted and built by a man who knows and loves his fishing. Each lure is a personal thing, stamped with its maker's personality and love of craft. The end result Edited by Tony - 26 Nov 2009 at 10:56pm |
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CaptainCranky
LureLovers.com Guide Beta Tester Joined: 12 Nov 2009 Location: Cairns Status: Offline Points: 7141 |
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Still more to come fellas,Regards Barry
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The Journey is the Reward
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Tony
Admin Admin Joined: 09 Nov 2009 Location: Hervey Bay, QLD Status: Offline Points: 6012 |
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Gday Vince I should mention that all I did was got on the phone to Barry and asked him to seek Vic's permission, all the credit here should go to Vic and Barry
Barry - You sir, are a legend! |
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Cheers, Tony
For the love of Fishing Lures. |
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CaptainCranky
LureLovers.com Guide Beta Tester Joined: 12 Nov 2009 Location: Cairns Status: Offline Points: 7141 |
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Too easy,hopeI can get more info soon.Regards barry
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The Journey is the Reward
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Alistair
LureLovers.com Guide Beta Tester Joined: 10 Nov 2009 Location: Casino Status: Offline Points: 4385 |
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Thanks Vic and Barry. A great read and one of many I expect will be seen on this site. |
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Alistair.
Comfort the disturbed - Disturb the comfortable. |
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CaptainCranky
LureLovers.com Guide Beta Tester Joined: 12 Nov 2009 Location: Cairns Status: Offline Points: 7141 |
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My pleasure.
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The Journey is the Reward
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Tony
Admin Admin Joined: 09 Nov 2009 Location: Hervey Bay, QLD Status: Offline Points: 6012 |
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Thanks to ANSA QLD here's some higher resolution pictures than the ones that appear in the original article.
To learn more about the great work that ANSA QLD does promoting sportfishing please visit the ANSA QLD website at www.ansaqld.com.au/ There is a load of great information on the ANSA site, here's a link to the page covering the Eric Moller Award on the ANSA QLD website www.ansaqld.com.au/awards/eric-moller-award/ This is the most honoured award offered by ANSA Qld Branch Inc. |
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Cheers, Tony
For the love of Fishing Lures. |
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bassnbob
Stall Holder B.O.B Timber Lures Joined: 22 Nov 2009 Location: Charlestown Status: Offline Points: 9390 |
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THATS BRILLANT ...................
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goldtrev68
Ex Member. Joined: 15 Feb 2011 Location: Cooloola Cove Status: Offline Points: 3126 |
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man whatv agreat read,,wow,,very interesting,,Gary
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Red Hunter
Stall Holder Red Hunter Fishing Rods Joined: 19 Mar 2011 Location: Cooktown C,YORK Status: Offline Points: 2550 |
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Master Craftsman , thank you for posting ,
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bignanny
Stall Holder CAM Lures Joined: 18 Oct 2011 Location: North Qld Status: Offline Points: 1869 |
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Classic stuff, what a great story, thanks for posting.
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mdlures
Stall Holder MD Lures Joined: 05 Mar 2011 Location: cairns Status: Offline Points: 696 |
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A true legend and inspiration
cheers Mark
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MDlures
traditional hand carved fishing lures |
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Mal Vader
LureLovers.com Fanatic Joined: 14 Apr 2012 Location: Woodberry NSW Status: Offline Points: 4501 |
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Enjoyed immensly, thanx for the time and effort to post. Thanx also for permission to share, foreward thinking like this, from groups like ANSAQLD, doesn't hurt anyone. Priceless in many ways.
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DARK LORD
In Space, no-one can hear you SCREAM! |
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rodsncods
LureLovers.com Fanatic Joined: 27 Nov 2011 Location: somewhere Status: Offline Points: 4206 |
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my mothers maiden name was moller.she was born and raised in north qld.grew up around mackay nebo and koumala.eric's facial featchers remind me of my uncles,ronnie and maurice, from what i can remember.makes me wonder if he is a distant relative.my uncle morrie used to make spinners out of old knifes and spoons,i still have a couple somewhere....mick
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