museum pieces

Fin-Nor’s “Wedding Cake” reel, designed by Gar Wood, was one of the first fly reels specifically
created to handle the rigors of catching large saltwater fish.
Photo by Sara Wilcox

The American Museum of Fly Fishing is located right next to the Orvis Flagship store in Manchester, Vermont. The folks from the museum will be sharing many of the. . .

Written by: Peter Nardini, American Museum of Fly Fishing

The Ghost, one of the beautifully dressed flies in Mary Orvis Marbury’s display from the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.
Photos courtesy AMFF

In honor of All Hallow’s Eve, we have come up with a few historic fly patterns from our collection with some spooky monikers. . . .

Written by: Peter Nardini, American Museum of Fly Fishing

One of the first saltwater bucktails, the Gibbs Special is forefather of many modern striper flies.
Photo courtesy AMFF

One for the Salt: Harold Gibbs Striper Bucktail
Harold Gibbs is considered the father of modern striper fishing in the Northeast. Originated in the 1940s, the Gibbs Bucktail (above) was one of the first attempts at suggesting a specific forage. . .

The original Gurgler was all white, but Gartside has added some color and flash here.
Photo by Sara Wilcox

The American Museum of Fly Fishing is located right next to the Orvis Flagship store in Manchester, Vermont. The folks from the museum will be sharing. . .

Lefty Kreh improved his line drag by cutting a thumb insert in his first fly reel, this Pflueger Medalist.
Photo by Sara Wilcox

In the photo above, you can see Lefty Kreh’s very first fly reel, purchased in 1947, the year Lefty discovered fly fishing while guiding legendary angler Joe Brooks. Here’s the story as he told it in. . .

Written by: Peter Nardini, American Museum of Fly Fishing

Thaddeus Norris was known as “Uncle Thad” to his legion of angling fans.
Photo courtesy AMFF

Once described by Arnold Gingrich as “the American Walton,” Thaddeus Norris (1811-1877) is considered one of the founding fathers of American fly fishing. He was among the first to. . .

P.D. Malloch’s innovation was in creating a reel whose knob could be used as a brake.
Photo courtesy AMFF

Peter Duncan Malloch (1853-1921) was born in Almondbank in Methven Parish, Perthshire, on July 15, 1852. He followed in his father’s footsteps as a bleach worker until 1872, when he. . .

Written by: Peter Nardini, American Museum of Fly Fishing

Hewitt was an inventor, author, scientist, and angler, and he changed the way we think about the sport.
All photos courtesy AMFF

Geoffrey Hellman of The New Yorker once described Edward Ringwood Hewitt (1866-1957) as “America’s outstanding example of the inability of man, however much inclined, to turn himself. . .

Written by: Peter Nardini, American Museum of Fly Fishing

The Horror was the precursor to many of today’s most famous and productive bonefish flies.
Photos courtesy AMFF

The Director of the Bermuda Fishing Information Bureau, Pete Perinchief, designed The Horror pattern in the 1950s after a frustrating trip to the Florida Keys with Joe and Mary. . .