LUCERNE – After 44 years in business, “Gypsy” Jim Harris has decided it's time for retirement.

Harris has announced that he's holding a retirement sale for his business, Gypsy Lure and Tackle Co. Distributors, and everything has to go.

The sale will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 3 through July 16 at 5825 Highway 20, Lucerne.

The Boy Scouts are helping Harris set up for the sale, and he said there will be an abundance of items for the devoted fisherman.

Harris, 83, is a World War II veteran who was at both the bombing of Pearl Harbor and later at the D-Day invasion, he remains active in local veterans groups and activities.

Harris was in the insurance business after he got home from the war, and after he left that business he began running a bait shop.

He first came to Lake County on a part-time basis in 1962, after meeting a county resident who told him about it. Harris said he liked Lake County because it was easy to get to the mountains or the ocean. He moved his family here permanently in 1973.

Harris' retirement sale will include all of his inventory: all types of rods and reels and rod and reel units; salt water lures; split shot, assorted sinkers in packs; flies, import, domestic, steel head salmon; import snelled hooks; all types of fillet knives; bait knives; replacement nets; B.B. swivels, snap and brass swivels; connectors; beads No. 2 through 10 and fancies; all domestic lures, nets, gaffs, fly and jig vices; and all bulk lures and components.

Harris said everything goes, “including my mistakes.”

Dealers and the public are welcome to take part in this “opportunity of a lifetime” as Gypsy Jim closes his business.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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