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| FISH (page 1) | |||
| The Fish Inn [gone] Coeur D'Alene, ID |
The Big Fish Drive-in [gone] Erie, PA |
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| The Fish Inn burned down in the mid-1990s. The Big Fish Drive-in was in Peninsula Park. The fish was just a 2-D facade with screen door cut-outs slapped onto the front of the building. Today, there is a hot dog stand where the Fish was. |
| Giant Trout Preston, MN |
Giant Trout Kalkaska, MI |
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The Preston Trout is 19' long and installed on a trailer. There was once a 6' long chainsaw carved fish in town but it fell into such disrepair that it was destroyed. For more, see this website.
The Kalkaska Trout is 17' long and 12' tall and is posed leaping from a fountain. This is the third version of the fish that was originally installed here in 1966. The trout is Michigan's state fish and Kalkaska is home to the National Trout Festival. A Giant Robin, Michigan's state bird, is placed just next to the Trout. For more, see these websites: 1, 2 and 3. |
| Giant Trout Baxter, MN |
Beaver House Grand Marais, MN |
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This Giant Trout is located at the Baxter Village shopping center. [photo thanks Mark Comstock]
The Beaver House bait and tackle shop features a giant walleye. This store opened here in 1964 and I believe the walleye was installed at that time. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. [photos thanks Mark Comstock] |
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More Giant Trout:
Des Plaines, IL |
| Big Fish Supper Club Bena, MN |
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| The Big Fish Supper Club used to house a hamburger stand but now the restaurant is in an adjacent building. The 65' long, 14' tall muskie was built in 1958 and was originally called the Big Fish Drive Inn. Another source says it was originally the Big Muskie Drive-in. The body was built on a wooden frame and Coca-Cola signs were used to make the fish's eyes. Customers entered the stand via the fish's mouth. There was also a take-out window. In 1963, the stand was converted into a souvenir shop. A more conventional building was constructed next to the fish to serve as the restaurant. Today, the fish is used for storage. The fish's teeth have been stolen a few times so they are only left in during the summer months. These photos are from around 2001. In 2009, this structure was restored. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. |
| Giant Perch Port Stanley, ON |
Captain Wylie Port Clinton, OH |
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This Giant Perch is mounted on top of a sign on the Lake Erie shorefront. Yellow perch is a local specialty. For more, see this website,
Captain Wylie is a 20' long fiberglass walleye. He is paraded around during the annual Walleye Festival and then parked in front of the Lakeland Hotel. Port Clinton proclaims itself to be the Walleye Capital of the World. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. |
| Giant Walleye Clarks Grove, MN |
Giant Walleye Rush City, MN |
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The Clarks Grove Walleye is installed at a BP gas station. In the late 1980s, the station's convenience store housed the Fisherman's Stop and the giant fish was on the roof. It was moved down to the ground in the early 1990s. For more, see this website.
The Rush City Walleye is also installed at a gas station. He is about 14' long and made of fiberglass. This giant fish has been here since the late 1990s. A sign next to the giant fish indicates that it was caught by Paul Bunyan. |
| Giant Walleye Garrison, MN |
Giant Tiger Muskie Nevis, MN |
Giant Muskie Gananoque, ON |
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The Garrison Walleye was built in 1965 when Garrison declared itself the "Walleye Capital of the World." This fishing village is wrapped around the most popular walleye lake in the state, Mille Lacs. It was originally intended as a portable fiberglass fish to accompany Miss Garrison in the annual town parade. The 26' long fish has since been affixed to a cement base and serves as a beacon for boaters and ice fisherman lost on the lake. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.
The Nevis Muskie was built in 1950 with cedar, redwood and concrete. At 30 1/2’ long, it claims to be the World's Largest Tiger Muskie. In 1991, the fish was repainted and a roof was built to protect it. For more, see this website. The Gananoque Muskie is made of concrete and was produced by John Boxtel. This statue was created in recognition of Gananoque as the site of the largest muskie ever caught, which at that time was about 40 pounds. |
| Giant Walleye Lake Kabetogama, MN |
North Country Taxidermy Hazelhurst, WI |
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This Giant Walleye is 14' long and has a saddle on his back for photo-ops. The original walleye was built in 1949. [photo thanks Mark Comstock]
North Country Taxidermy features a bass, a muskie, and a deer dressed as a hunter. [photos thanks Mark Comstock] |
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More Giant Muskies:
Mille Lacs Lake, MN |
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More Giant Walleyes:
Baudette, MN Mille Lacs Lake, MN Garrison, ND |
| Giant Tropical Fishes and Coral Islamorada, FL |
Giant Sunfish Onalaska, WI |
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These Giant Tropical Fishes and Coral are installed at the Garden of Eden, a garden and gift shop.
This Giant Sunfish, nicknamed "Sunny", is 12' tall and 20' long. Onalaska calls itself the Sunfish Capitol of the World and has an annual Sunfish Days festival. For more, see this website. |
| Giant Fish Waupaca, WI |
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| This Giant Fish belongs to the River Bend Sport Shop. When the store moved recently, they brought the Fish along with them. |
| Giant Fish Hayward, WI |
Giant Fish Manitowish Waters, WI |
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This Giant Fish (largemouth bass?) is installed around the side of the building of Pastika's Bait & Tackle. It appears to have been used as a fountain at some point.
The Manitowish Waters Fish (smallmouth bass?) is installed next to Swanberg's Bavarian Inn. Does anyone know what type of fish it is meant to represent and/or the story behind it? |
| Giant Fish Minneapolis, MN |
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| As of 2007, this Minneapolis Fish was located behind Phillips Garden, a landscaping business. It was created by Jeff Millikan and was installed in front of the building for several years. Another artwork replaced it and the fish was moved back into this storage area. The artist will be reclaiming the fish soon. For more, see this website. |
| Giant Fish Defiance, OH |
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| This Defiance Fish, aka "Big Mo" and the "Big Fish", is installed at Newman's Carryout and Sunoco station. |
| Giant Bullhead Crystal Lake, IA |
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| This Giant Bullhead is twelve feet long and installed on top of a stone pedestal. The statue was built in 1958 by Carl Frick. |
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More Fish (page 2) |
More Fish (page 3) |
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