Finding Minnesota: Collecting Fish Stories
LITTLE FALLS, Minn. (WCCO) – From classic lures known as "lazy Ikes" to vintage motors with the nickname "knuckle busters," the evolution of fishing is on display at the Minnesota Fishing Museum.
It was the brainchild of Al Baert, 91, a long-time fisherman from Sartell. He came to realize that the value of his fishing supplies was not in how much he could sell them for, but in how many memories they contain.
Baert founded the museum in 1998, purely for personal reasons.
"Because I loved and missed my dad," he said. "There was always competition (between) us. 'Who's going to catch the first fish or the biggest fish?' I wish he was still here."
The executive director, Mavis Buker, said the museum has a dual purpose: preserving artifacts and helping people reminisce.
"The museum is for people who love to fish, but it's also for people like me who love people who love to fish," Buker said. "I think many of us can think of that sound of that loon on the lake, that smell of that early morning air and the mist and the water."
Through the museum, families are able to donate things that were stored away in closets or attics. Many of those items are then put on display, often with a picture of the person who used them.
Jim Pitt of Aitkin shared belongings from his mother, Agnes Sweek, who tied fishing flies for a living in the '30s and '40s.
"I thought this is where it'd be nice to have our mother's things on display," Pitt said, "to share them with people."
Baert said it can be an emotional experience for visitors.
"We have people coming in here, and they'll stand by something their uncle or grandpa have donated, and they'll cry," he said.
It's a collection of Minnesota history, built from decades of waiting and hoping with a line in the water and soaking in all the other moments that come with it.
"People look at me (and ask), 'Why did you spend this kind of money or work this hard?'" he said. "(It's) because we enjoy what we're doing. A lot of feeling and a lot of love is expressed right here."
In the coming years, the volunteers are planning to raise money for a larger facility.
It will house not only the fishing museum, but also the Minnesota Fishing Hall of Fame, which is currently in Baxter.
