The latest in our series of unusual subjects on postage stamps features fishing hooks disguised as flies, other insects or small fish.
The superbly illustrated minisheet above show Zug Bug, March Brown, Durham Ranger, Colonel Bates and Black Gnat fish lures. You have to love the names! The subject led to four further issues from Transkei up to and including 1984.
In 1981 the stamps showed Wickham’s Fancy, Jock Scott, Green Highlander, Tan Nymph and Kent’s Lightning.
In 1982 the lures depicted were Blue Charm, Royal Coachman, Light Spruce, Montana Nymph and Butcher.
The 1983 stamps had the Silver Wilkinson, Alexandra, Kent’s Marbled Sedge, White Marabou and Mayfly Nymph lures.
The final set of Transkei fly fishing stamps showed Silver Grey, Ginger Quill, Hardy’s Favourite, March Brown Nymph and Kent’s Spectrum Mohawk.
In 1998 Post Canada issued six 45 cent stamps featuring the Cosseboom Special, the Coho Blue, the Dark Montreal, the Steelhead Bee, the Coquihalla Orange and the Lady Amherst.
USPS has featured fishing lures twice to my knowledge, the most recent being 2025’s fine stamps. They depicted Crankbait, Popper, Spoon, Spinner and Wakebait disguised hooks.
First Class Mail rate stamps produced by the US Postal Service in 1991. Royal Wulff, Jock Scott, Apte Tarpon Fly, Lefty’s Deceiver, and Muddler Minnow lures.
In this stamp issue from New Zealand in 1997, four species of trout were featured – on the 40c a ‘Rainbow Trout with Red Setter Fly’, the $1.00 stamp a ‘Sea-run Brown Trout with Grey Ghost Fly’, $1.50 ‘Brook Trout (char) with Twilight Beauty Fly’, and $1.80 ‘Brown Trout with Hare & Cooper Fly’.
