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One of Grey’s
launches, the
Frangipani,
returns to port
in Mercury Bay
with him on
board.
There are many reasons the Museum
Trust Board moved ahead with the
extensive and fabulous display on
fishing: the thriving local commercial
fishing and processing industry has
always been important, and recreational
fishing gives many residents and
visitors great pleasure year round. Then
there is that bump in tourists which
coincides with the start of the big game
fishing season.
Trustees Lou Sikking and Dick Wilson
headed the project, with the challenging
task of designing a display and raising
the funds. An extended research period
took place where many ardent anglers
were consulted, including some of
the ‘old hands’. Dick said this took
many hours, but was also pleasurable,
hearing many a great story, as well as
learning a few good fishing tips.
As more people learned about the
project, enthusiasm grew and valuable
artefacts were contributed – luckily as,
apart from some great images, there
was little the museum had to display.
Although some displays were prepared
by specialist companies, many were
created by Lou and Dick personally,
taking up to 4000 volunteer hours. Invaluable support from local
fishing industry personalities Jim Williscroft and Ian Clow, and input
from the Ministry of Fisheries, resulted in some great displays on
commercial fishing.
And all this was created on a shoestring budget – the
award from Museums Aotearoa for display excellence in
small museums is well deserved by all those involved.
Above: In this 3D kingfish
display, the fish’s side
opens to reveal its
anatomy.
Below: Several solid
panel display boards,
bring order to the
musuem’s collection of
photographs, stories of
local fishing personalities
and offer a history
of local sport and
commercial fishing, and
evolution of the Mercury
Bay Game Fishing Club.
Grey spent many fishing seasons
catching game fish at the Bay of
Islands and Mercury Bay.
Though famous
for his western
novels, Grey
wrote almost
20 books about
fishing. Tales
of the Angler’s
Eldorado tells of
his experiences
in Mercury Bay.
Grey obsessed over the best tackle
and tactics to catch marlin and mako.
His ‘style’ caught on, and our game
fishing industry took off.
Grey fished Mercury Bay first in 1929, where he set up camp on Mercury
Islands (see previous spread). He then came back for the season of
1932-33, where he camped at Matapoua Bay. Grey’s fishing obsession
took him to Tahiti, Australia, Nova Scotia, New Jersey (where he
harpooned dolphin), Florida, Catalina, and numerous freshwater rivers
in the USA. During his adult life, the emotionally volatile Grey spent 300
days a year fishing.
Avid about
fishing...
Every
exhibit
has a
history...
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“Totalspan were really on the ball. They
answered all my questions & got the
job completed on time & on budget.”
07 869 0400 29 l KOPU RD, RD1 KOPU, THAMES
0800 TOTALSPAN (0800 868 257) l