Tackle Collectors of Arkansas

The TCA was incorporated on February 15, 1999 by David Stalnaker who serves as Chairman/President and six other veteran tackle collectors who also serve on its board. The other are: Bob Richards - Vice Chairman, Don Vick, Don Brader, Glen Sanders, Tommy Gage, and Mike Westbrook. We presently have 80 members and are still growing. Anyone interested in our hobby is invited to join the TCA and attend our shows and room trading. They do not have to line in Arkansas to be a member and in fact, about half our membership lives outside of Arkansas.

We are a nonprofit organization that returns any excess funds to many charitable organizations. The Tackle Collectors Club of Arkansas strongly supports the NFLCC, ORCA and the FATC collecting clubs. Just like these clubs the TCA is an organization that promotes and supports the collection of antique fishing tackle and the preservation of its history.

Mr. Stainaker realized the need for more tackle and sporting collectibles shows in this part of the country. There are many collectors that simply cannot make a 300 to 500 mile trip to attend tackle show. Hopefully a central location in Arkansas would allow more collector members to attend TCA shows where they can trade, sell or buy from other TCA members. TCA members also could display there collections at the shows is they so desired. As our club grows we plan on having several well organized meets in other Arkansas cities patterned after their successful Hot Springs annual meet of November 6, 1999.

The Tackle Collectors of Arkansas highly endorses room trading and we plan for it to be a big part of our shows. The TCA also allows sporting collectibles other that fishing tackle such as duck calls, decoys, game traps, ect. at their shows. Because of insurance restrictions firearms will not allowed at the shows.

The Wonder State Products Co. was formed by Bill Monday, Raymond Powell and Harold Berry in 1948 Helena, Arkansas. The Wonder State Co. only stayed in business about one year because they simply ran out of capital money. They began with the Bug-R-Bird lure that was made in at least three different versions. The company also attempted to make a plastic version of the Bug-R-Bird. They only made a few plastic lures and never put the plastic version into production.

Notice that the 2000 year Tackle Collectors of Arkansas club patch displays the rare Arkansas, Bug-R-Bird, lure.


One of the only two plastic body Bug-R-Birds found by Steve Ghent.	Un-Marked Bug-R-Bird with small metal lip without the wire leader as picture on their printed boxes.

Bug-R-Bird - Marked with rubber legs	#600 Bug-R-Bird - Marked with hair legs

Musky Size Bug-R-Bird with hair in the tail and large brass lip without a wire leader. The body length is 2-3/4".	Bug-R-Birds - Left to Right - Unfinished Plastic and Wood Bodies.

	Wood Body Popper - One of only six originals found
	The Dizzy Floater and cardboard box were made in Oklahoma. It is not known who copied who at this time.
	Dizzy Floater and prototype Wonder State Product copy. Notice the eye details from the head area.
	Glass Eye primer white coat finish on Steelhead lure.
	Marked Tack Painted Eye Steelhead Lure

The Wonder State Wood Products information and Bug-R-Bird pictures was supplied to me by Clyde A. Harbin Sr. Clyde dug up this information for me from his records that he had written on Wonder State Wood Products back on January 28, 1991.

May 24, 2000

(Left) David R. Stalnaker (Right) Clyde A. Harbin Sr. preparing for an in hand inspection of a Heddon Frog.

These Unknown Heddon Lures are the lures to be inspected. The Heddon Frog appears to be the same Heddon Frog that Mr. Clyde A. Harbin, swapped to Clarence Zahn before any fakes appeared.

The David Stalnaker and Clarence Zahn Heddon Frogs could be the same. However the Stalnaker Frog shows a great increase in wear or use. Or David Stalnaker has a second Heddon Handmade Frog.

August 29, 2000 David Stalnaker, Heddon Frog - From measurements and points of comparison from previous pictures it is now believed that the David Stalnaker Frog is one of the original frogs that Mr. Harbin owned several years ago. Tryvge Lund and Robert Jones, both previously with Heddon, both validated its authenticity from X-rays and from points of comparison.

March 4, 2001 Mr. Clyde Harbin Sr. sent Floyd Roberts information that solved the mystery of the hopping of the David Stalnaker Heddon Handmade Frog. The two below 1898 Heddon hand carved frogs at one time were in Mr. Harbin's lure collection. Mr. Harbin acquired his first (left frog) hand carved frog from the Heddon Factory Board in 1977 and acquired his second (right frog) Heddon frog from Larry Wysong in 1984.

The above pictures are of the 1977 Heddon Factory Board handmade 1898 frog (the logo is next to it) and the 1898 Heddon handmade frog that Mr. Harbin got from Larry Wysong.

February 6, 1984 Mr.. Harbin swapped his second Heddon handmade frog to his close friend Clarence Zahn. In 1995 Mr. Zahn sold this frog to John Romero and next it hopped into David Stalnaker's hands. Today this 1898 Heddon handmade frog is in the David Stalnaker Collection.

Mr. Clyde Harbin Sr. at his new desktop after acquiring his computer in December 1999. Clyde's old desk top housed old lure information books that were stacked in milk cases across the entire desk two cases high.

Clyde A. Harbin Sr. signed a gift copy of The NFLCC Springfield, Missouri Events for David R. Stalnaker. You too can read about the NFLCC Springfield Events by clicking on the link below.

Tackle Collectors of Arkansas Application for Membership

<<<Click on the Application Form to Enlarge.

To Join Tackle Collectors of Arkansas please use the enlarged form. Fill out the application and mail to Mr. David Stalnaker.

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Mr. Bob Richards (Vice Chairman) a fine member of the Tackle Collectors of Arkansas found a "CAH-00" lure while he was lure hunting at a local garage sale. A young lure collector before him overlooked the Double 00 but after Bob saw the CAH-00 marking under the computer board lip he knew this was one of Mr. Harbin's hand crafted lures and was very happy to have found the lure.

Mr. Richards was in the process of deciding on a 2002 patch design and had already planned to use a lure that was made in Arkansas but after finding the CAH-00 lure he had different thoughts. Mr. Richards called Mr. Harbin and explained that he was planning to use a Arkansas lure for the patch and Clyde said "But The Lure Was Field Tested in Arkansas" and Bob said that's close enough for me. Bob Richards talked it over with David Stalnaker (Chairman) and they decided to use the CAH-00 lure for this years club's four inch lure patch. Mr. Clyde A. Harbin is a respected member of the TCA club and actually is the only life time member of the club.

This is the CAH-00 lure that Mr. Bob Richards found at a local garage sale. He though best that this lure return back home.


Bug-R-Bird Cardboard Box, End and Side information.	Bog-R-Bird Box - Note the wire leader on the little lip lure.

	All Steelheads in different colors and eye details.
	Prototype Wonder State Wood Products Lures.