In the east there seems to be several fly-fishing museums. As far as I know there is no fly-fishing museum in the Pacific NW. Can anyone correct me and tell me where there might be a fly-fishing museum in the Pacific NW honoring the heritage, history and people of the Pacific NW fly fishing community. We have many people that have contributed much to the world of fly fishing, boat builders, rod manufacturers, fly tyers and several wonderful bamboo rod makers old and new.
Pacific NW Fly Fishing Museum
- Thread starter jerry
- Start date
There's a lot of history around here for sure. While acknowledging how much it has meant to so many of us, I can't imagine trying to find funding for a physical museum for an interest as narrow as PNW fly fishing.
It's one of those things that probably would be better done as a "virtual" museum online somewhere.
It's one of those things that probably would be better done as a "virtual" museum online somewhere.
If only there were such a place
If only there were more hours in the day to plan and execute such a thing...
Aren't most museums volunteer-run?
I recall this as well.... (Western Washington Univ' - in Bellingham)
I can think of several narrow interest physical 'museums' that struggle to survive, with poor attendance and dwindling volunteer participation. In many cases thinking something like this would be a cool idea means hoping somebody else would take on the burden of creation and long-term O&M.
Here you go....
news.wwu.edu
Special Heritage Resources exhibit features fly fishing collection | WWU News | Western Washington University
Western Washington University Libraries’ Heritage Resources department presents a special opportunity to get up close and personal with one of the Library’s most treasured collections. The fly fishing collection, housed in the library’s Special Collections, holds more than 1,600 historic and...
HauntedByWaters
Life of the Party
Yes they do but it’s a collection of important history. Not really what most people would consider a museum.
There used to be a PNW Museum of Fly Fishing website but it’s not active now from what I can tell.
They do have quite a bit on content on FB and IG, but no physical location that I know if.
SF
They do have quite a bit on content on FB and IG, but no physical location that I know if.
SF
The Western Fly Fishing Museum is in Florence Oregon and well worth a stop. The guy that started it (William Cushner) was a curator at the Smithsonian. While he never fly fished, many of his friends were FF royalty from the 20s on, and they and their heirs donated their gear. I believe he’s passed on but his son in law was going to keep it going.
5/8 NOTE: Apparently this museum is closed. See post by Wakingflies on the next page. Too bad but I’m not surprised.
5/8 NOTE: Apparently this museum is closed. See post by Wakingflies on the next page. Too bad but I’m not surprised.
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Not to be windy but I’ll pass on a couple observations. I only went once, sometime mid 90s I think. Cushner was a stamp curator as I recall, but an expert at framing things. Had some remarkable tools and lathes of old in his basement. Precision stuff not made for maybe 100 years. His collection had a lot of bamboo and creels from famous Catskills anglers of the past, exquisitely framed flies from many of them as well as some from west coasters like Lani Waller, and drawers with hundreds of gut (no eye loop) flies still in their sleeves from a famous east coast outfitter (don’t recall name now) that closed their doors in the 60s. It’s in a house he lived in, and I presume his SIL may today. When Cushner retired he moved West to Florence to be near his daughter.
I'd visit such a museum just to see a bunch of old fossils...wait a minute....
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I have a book which is a focus on Pacific Northwest fly fishing legends in fishing and tying. it is called: Fly Fishing Pioneers & Legends written by Jack W Berryman with a forward by Steve Raymond. I initially started reading it about 10 or 12 years ago when I was first a member of NW Fly Anglers and checked it out of their library. I had to return it without completing it and about a year ago I found my own new copy. It is a GREAT book and I sat down to read it again and spilled my celebratory glass of wine.... for finding it.... all over the middle of the book where I left off years ago. I was upset and ironically last summer when I was visiting my daughter in central Vermont I visited the American Museum of Fly Fishing in Manchester. I had that book with me at the time and shared it with their docent in the museum. He was very blown away by the book. I had to explain why all the center pages were wrinkled and told him the story.. He laughed and thought they would order the book for their library. It is a very good book on NW pioneers.
I’ve thumbed through that book and it’s worthy. The first book that truly engrossed me (after the Curtis Creek Manifesto) was Trey Combs first book: Steelhead Fly Fishing and Flies. Chock full of pictures and stories of the original Steelhead FF’ers. Many of the fly plates included “who dunits and whys”. I enjoyed it for years and when I thought I’d lost it, bought another copy, and then had two. I kept one copy in the crapper library to while away time. Years later I finally met him at a show, signing his newer book (which wasn’t as good, for me). I told him about my library book. He was not amused. Looked at me like I had three heads, as I recall. Oh well…
