Tuesday, March 16, 2004

Melrose--You can bet that Mabel Kraemer would be smiling today if she was living.

Her grandson, Jeremy Kraemer, not only is carrying on a family tradition--spearing--but has started one of his own which involves this winter pastime.

Kraemer designs and makes ice fishing spears--fittingly called a "Kraemer Spear." In fact, last year he took first place in spear making at the John Jensen National darkhouse show in Perham--his first time showing.

Homemade spears line the basement wall of the Melrose home he shares with his wife, Jeanne, (Middendorf) a Sauk Centre native, and their two children, Madi and Molly. Some he's made, others he's collected. Like the Dillo spear that he pulls off the wall and explains why it's a "central Minnesota spear." Also on shelves are decoys, some of which he has traded for spears.

"You can tell in what area a certain spear was made just by how it looks," said Kraemer who is waiting to trade a gold-plated spear he made for a Pimpl spear, made years ago by Wendlin "Charlie" Pimpl of Albany.

"The quality of the spears they turned out years ago was incredible, and they did it all by hand," said Kraemer.

He also restores spears for future generations.

"To get grandpa's spear is a big thing," said Kraemer, who knows the worth of traditions passed down.

The spearing folk art

Kraemer smiles when thinking of his grandma and how passionate she was about spearing.

"People would tease her that she needed something to do since she raised 14 kids," said Jeremy, adding that a few of his uncles have also inherited the spearing knack.

He was 13 or 14 years old when he first started spearing. Even back then Kraemer would sit in the darkhouse, starring at his spear and wondering how he could make it better. He made his first spear, which he calls "crude" 17 years ago.

Four or five years ago he was looking for a hobby and started carving decoys.

"But wood and I didn't get along," said Kraemer pulling one of his decoys off of a shelf as proof that he is no carver.

So he resurrected his spear-making, going so far as to fashion a bending jig so he doesn't have to bend the tines by hand. He has been influenced by books and spear makers of old.

According to history from the Internet, three-tined wrought iron spear heads go back thousands of years. In the late nineteenth century, with the advent of steel, spears could be forged and welded and the number of tines and designs blossomed.

"The old guys made their spears out of hayrack tines. They'd heat it up and hit it with a hammer and use files and sandpaper," said Kraemer. "They earned their money."

He said Pimpl charged "a buck a tine."

Kraemer's tines are made of spring wire. The rest of the spear is made out of "normal metal;" from the barbs on the end of the tines to the handle.

Handle styles vary. While some are comprised of raised copper, others are covered with "exotic" woods, like his favorite cinnamon beryl wood or black palm from Africa or bocote wood.

He got the idea for the unique handles thanks to his wife's grandpa who had arthritis and needed a better grip on his spear.

The raised handles, Kraemer said, allow for a better grip and a straighter throw.

"In order for a spear to work it has to be aerodynamic and straight. I make them for straight throws in deep water," said Kraemer. "Some people can't believe how straight it throws."

To him there's nothing better than hearing the successful spearing stories from someone who has used his spear. After all, he loves to spear himself, when he has time.

Although some, like his gold-plated spear, look too shiny and nice to use; he is adament that they are made to be used.

Don't go telling him that you are going to hang one of his spears on a wall.

"I tell people if they want to put it on the wall they need to spear a big fish and put both on the wall," said Kraemer.

Quality, not quantity

On weekends and evenings Kraemer can be found in his workshop, which is a room at Commercial Contractors where he is employed. There he refines his spears to perfection. Each, he estimates, is five feet long and weighs between seven and eight pounds; with the exception of the sturgeon spears that are larger because the fish are larger.

His first spear had seven tines but he said now just about every one he makes has nine tines. At times he takes a break and makes something unusual like an eight-tine spear. Perched on his wooden show board, where "Kraemer Spear" is etched in, is a gaff he made which is used to pull big fish out of the water.

"I get some people with pretty wild ideas. Like one guy who wanted an 11-tine spear. He figured if I could make a nine-tine spear I could make an 11-tine spear," said Kraemer, laughing.

In a year's time he makes between 100 and 150 spears. His phone rings 12-months a year, and he has people on a six-month waiting list.

Depending on the design, it takes him anywhere from eight to 50 hours to make a spear.

To him it's "quality not quantity" that counts; both in the workmanship and materials.

"I make them to last more than one season," said Kraemer, who burns in his name and number on each spear. He also personalizes spears with the individual's name, if they choose.

Each spear also comes with a tine guard which Kraemer makes out of plastic.

"Years ago they made the tine guards out of wood. Dillo's tine guards were stamped with his name," said Kraemer.

His spears have gone as far as Alaska and he has many local people who have more than one.

Kraemer has seen a resurgence in spearing over the years; especially going by the number of people who turn out at darkhouse shows. There are also a fair share of spear and decoy makers and collectors.

That is sure to be the case on April 2-3 when the Perham show is held. Kraemer already has his spear ready for show. Defending his title is not a high priority, but talking with fellow spear makers is.

"It's not really a competition. We just get together and talk about something we like to do," said Kraemer.

Spear-making and spearing is a passion that Kraemer expects to keep him busy for years to come.

Just like his grandma.

Jeremy Kraemer

1 West Riverside Ave.

Melrose, MN 56352

jekraemer@charter.net

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Permission to reproduce and display on Fish Decoys Net was provided on 2/1/06 by Caroll Moorman of the Sauk Centre Herald, Sauk Centre, MN.

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