It’s getting to be Southeast Missouri District Fair time again. That means it’s gonna be cold and rainy or hot and dusty or both. I shared photos of the 1964 Midway last year. I ran across a couple sleeves of other activities to celebrate this year’s Fair.
The caption under this September 16, 1967 Missourian photo said, “Too many fishing rods in the same place created a tangle that called for adult assistance at the casting pool at the District Fair Friday night. Chris Sawyer, whose tackle is in distress, watches intently as Richard Holekamp, middle, a state farm forester, and B.F. Carr, 2823 Lear Drive, seek to unravel matters. Young Sawyer is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jim Tom Sawyer, 1431 Rose.
The Carrs and the Sawyers were the big winners in the casting contest.
Photo gallery of Chris Sawyer
Chris really took his casting seriously. Click on any photo to make it larger, then click on the left or right side to move through the gallery. I’ll have a few more fair pictures later in the week.
If the young man didn’t turn out into a prime casting expert, then it was not without the assistance of some great mentors!!!
After all of this, he was casting a Zebco into a 3 ft. ring, and kicking butt with his peers!!!!! Put the bait where the fish is hiding, THEN, hang ON!!, regards, kkr
I hate to be technical but that’s the way I am; the reel that young Sawyer is casting with looks like a Johnson Centennial. There is no drag adjustment on the top, it has a single lever crank, and the casting button is black.
That casting pond at the MO Conservation Department pavilion saw lots of activity. I remember the fishing derbies that they sponsored at Capaha Park for youngsters. I won a Zebco 33 reel and case for largest fish caught one time.
Every kid’s best friend at the Mo Department of Conservation was Wayne Martin, with Al Hoskins coming in a close second.
Ken R. It was a Johnson reel and I still have it and the rod. Caught a 4.5 pound bass at Horse Shoe lake on that rig a few years later with my dad on a purple spinner bait before I moved up to a Abu Garcia 5000.
Still love to fish
;0)
Glad you saw the photos of yourself as a young fisherman.
Do you still have that serious look on your face when you cast?
Alberta Sawyer, Chris’s grandmother was a huge factor in his being at the casting contest. Alberta won that contest many times over the years. My son, Pat Pittman, along with Chris, and Alberta won the contest many times.
Wayne Martin, a good friend of mine, initiated the contest and directed it many years. The casting contest was looked forward to for many years.
Ralph Pittman
Cannot resist a thankyou for publishing the pics of Chris Sawyer. I’m a little predjudiced, he’s my youngest son. I have loved and cherished those pictures, and him, for all these many years.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Ford (Sawyer) Lipps
Glad you liked them. The negatives have been kicking around for almost half a century waiting to make someone happy.
Good times!! Fond memories of old Horseshoe Lake and good times gone by. Several years ago I purchased a Johnson Century 100 remake of the original. I bought it for the memories. Every kid wanted one, but most of us got the Zebco 303 instead because the Johnson was $2 more! Thanks. Greg Ford, Hilton Head, SC.
Thanks for the photo’s it’s been a ton of fun being ribbed all week.
Can I get copies of these files that would be of high enough quality to print copies? My grand parents had the originals but they are long gone.
Chris,
I have to head out with Wife Lila on a grandsonsitting expedition this evening.
I’ll email them to you late tonight or Sunday.
Poke around on the blog. There’s a good chance I have some photos of your buddies you can rib them about.