Research on the Fly

Working on traveling exhibitions is like casting a line into uncharted waters—you never know what you’ll reel in. Even topics I thought I’d never be hooked on spring to life when I dive in and study the people who lived them.

This week, the Museum Pros team is putting the finishing touches on a traveling exhibit we’ve been developing for months: vintage fishing. I’ve wet a line a few times myself—Northern Idaho’s South Fork of the Payette, Montana’s Missouri River south of Great Falls, a couple of trips in Virginia—but I had no idea about the deep currents of history beneath the surface. The evolution of lures, the subtle difference between fly and spin cast techniques, and the lifetimes anglers spent perfecting ways to trick a fish—these are stories that make the past shimmer like sunlight on moving water.

Throughout the process, I’ve gained enormous respect for the bond between anglers and the rivers, lakes, and streams they cherish. Those who know the water intimately are often the first to step up to protect it, casting their conservation nets wide to ensure future generations can also feel the thrill of the catch.

This vintage fishing exhibit, celebrating the art of plug baits and delicate flies alike, will soon be ready for rental. We can’t wait to share these tales of skill, patience, and passion with venues across the country—inviting visitors to cast their curiosity and see history come alive.