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Mike Stevens
SAN CLEMENTE — Scott Munson’s new book, “The History of the Tadi Lure,” created a buzz leading up to last year’s show season, and those who already own the book quickly rated the project as an essential look into West Coast sportfishing history with its deep dive into one of the fishing industry’s most revered brands. With Father’s Day approaching, WON sat down with the author for a quick Q&A to uncover the book’s roots and what it took to put it together.
When did you realize you wanted to write a book?
I always knew I would write a book one day, but I never thought it would be something like this.
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Why Tady?
I was fishing buddies with Joel Shimizu (current owner of Tady Lures) for several years. As a history teacher and history lover, I would always ask Joel questions about his family business. He always said that I needed to talk to Dan Fink (a friend of his father’s). Then one day I got an email from Joel saying that Dan Fink had passed away. I decided to start writing the book the next day. My friendship with Joel Shimizu is what made me want to write a Tady book. Also, being friends with him gave me access to items and documents that others would not have access to. Not only that, I am a huge fan of the Tady brand and everything they produce.
What were you hoping to achieve with this book?
I wanted to help Joel answer questions about his family business and make my mark on the industry. But ultimately, I wrote the book for myself because I wanted answers to some of the questions we had. When I was a kid, my parents didn’t have enough money to take me fishing, but they would buy me fishing magazines and books every now and then. I would read the whole magazine and book until the pages were falling out. I think 12-year-old me would have loved this book.
Tell us about your research process. Was it more work than you expected?
It was a lot of work. I started in February 2023 and finished in November 2023. It took me 10 months to research the history, photograph items, scan documents, find jigs, interview people, write the history, edit everything, and format the book. Most weeks were very similar. Saturday morning I went to a swap meet to look for Taddy’s items. Then I scheduled interviews in the afternoon near where the swap meet was. I usually repeated that on Sunday. And then I called trusted sources (including Joel) during the week to make sure the information I got over the weekend was correct. It was hard because working as a teacher meant I worked all day and wrote at night and on weekends.
Were there any surprises or major obstacles you encountered during your research?
There is a lot. Unfortunately, much of this history has been lost. There are still a few people who have this knowledge, but it hasn’t always been easy to find them. The “Lucky David” story was a tough one to find. And even when I tried to print it, I still had unanswered questions and photos I was looking for. I still didn’t know who “Taddy Mike” or “Taddy Walt” were named after. But the biggest obstacle was raising the funds to print such a large book. Luckily, I had some close friends and family to help me.
It seems like some of the books didn’t make it in time for the show season, which is a bit disappointing.
It was a huge shock when I got the news that I couldn’t deliver the book to the show. It was financially devastating, but I was really looking forward to getting everyone the book I’ve been working on for a year. I’m so grateful to everyone who still decided to support the project by pre-ordering the book.
What parts of the book do you think readers will find most interesting?
Interestingly, everyone I’ve spoken to has different favorite things about the book. For some, it’s a history book, and many love the documentation I included on the Japanese American Internment Camps. For collectors, it’s a catalog of everything Tady Lures has ever made, and a go-to list for anything they may have missed. Others love the little stories behind the jigs. But for most people I’ve spoken to, it’s a connection to their childhood. My favorite part is the old ads from publications like Western Outdoor News.
Are you planning on doing it again with another well-known brand?
I have already started the second and third books, which I intend to make into a three-volume set. The second and third books will be about multiple companies, so I don’t think I’ll be writing a book about one company again (unless Salas contacts me).
A History of Tady Lures is available for purchase at www.greyarrowpublishing.com. Author Scott Manson can be contacted at djscottmanson@yahoo.com.
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