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The Karl and Beverly White National Fishing Tackle Museum

By Barbara Crews, About.com

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Oklahoma Aquarium Houses Museum

The Karl White Fishing Tackle Museum
If antique fishing lures are your passion, I have just the spot for your next vacation -- Jenks, Oklahoma! The non-profit public Oklahoma Aquarium has been open since May 2002 and is located near Tulsa, Oklahoma. And although the numerous marine life exhibits are both educational and beautiful, Karl and Beverly White have helped put the museum on the map with the donation of their entire fishing tackle collection.

Cases and cases of lures and reels. Look up and you'll see tackle boxes hung on the wall, turn another corner and you come upon a bass boat. With over 25,000 pieces in the collection, it's a good bet that if it's related to fishing, it's probably in the museum.

  • The White collection is considered the world's most complete tackle collection.
  • The Snyder Reel, the only one not in the Snyder family, is one of the premier pieces in the museum and valued at $50,000.
  • White's first lure, purchased at the age of eight, is James Heddons Crazy Crawler and still in the collection.
  • The entire collection is cataloged in Karl White's three books, Fishing Tackle Antiques & Collectibles and available to purchase in a boxed set from the museum gift shop, price $114.95.
Source: The Oklahoma Aquarium

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