Is anyone familiar with the Lucky Bug Shop, formerly in Butte? I’m from Montana myself, but I grew up mostly in Helena, and the Lucky Bug may have closed before my time (or not long after). I saw a rod marked with the shop’s name once, as well.
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The Literary Fly Fisher 
June 3, 2011 at 11:41 PM |
my great aunt and her son owned it…Art and Lucille Meinake…not sure of spelling…call me anytime or leave your no. …and I can call u for free…don’t really like computer talk.KD…just happened on this cause I have a rod she built for my dad I was going to have appraised
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June 5, 2011 at 12:00 PM |
Thanks for the note, Kevin! I’ve been curioius about the shop for a while, but I just don’t know many people from Butte. I’ll send a message to you email address with my number (or you can send yours to kenov@theliteraryflyfisher.com
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April 16, 2015 at 6:35 PM |
we have a friend of ours who has a lucky bug fly rod in the original case and he also would like to get it appraised. It came from Lucky Bug Shop 917 Utah ave., Butte, Montana
If anybody can help with getting it appraised it would be greatly appreciated. Email me at sjdoucet@yahoo.com or call me at
337-441-0310
Shane Doucet
Catahoula, La.
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April 21, 2015 at 11:46 PM |
Hi Shane. I have sent you an email.
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July 3, 2017 at 8:07 AM |
The shop was owned by my great aunt, Lucile Meineke and her son, Art Schmidt. She was my grandmothers sister, born in St. Anthony, ND.
We’d travel there in summer, from North Dakota, to tie flies and fish the Big Hole River.
She tied flies every day. We’d sit at the dinner table, her 2 parakeets flying around, tell stories and create flies from her vision. The only ones I remember that had someone else’s creation were “royal coachmen.”
Art had a pig remains place outside of town where we’d collect maggots. He’d sell them in tobacco cans. I hated that smell but the smell of money was greater.
Art did the reel repair and fly rod building. He was very precise and picky. He had a tremendous gun collection.
I still have a number of flies that I tied with her. Those were the best of times.
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July 3, 2017 at 12:45 PM |
That’s really interesting, Jim! Thanks. I wish I could head back in time and hit a few of the old shops. Today, they almost all look alike and sell the same mass-produced flies.
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September 6, 2017 at 11:32 AM
Jim, if you are ever up for sharing some pictures, I’d love to see those flies! I have no doubt they were indeed the best of times.
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July 1, 2019 at 1:43 PM |
Jim, Did you know a Sam Porter from St Anthony, ND? We just found a rod with the Lucky Bug name on it and I believe he was either related to or knew Lucile or Art. Told me once it was given to him one summer when he helped them paint a house?
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September 5, 2017 at 4:51 PM |
My late dad said he thought his Aunt Pearl (Dehne) Blaise owned this shop (would have been in 1920-30’s?) I wonder if your relatives were the original owners? If they were, I wonder if she was an employee – my dad and family were native to Butte and were all avid fisher”people”.
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September 6, 2017 at 11:30 AM |
Hi Shawn, that’s interesting. As the fly fishing circle in Butte ( or all of Western MT at the time) was pretty small, I’m sure there is likely a connection. If I had some time, I’d love to poor through some local records. i wish I could go back in time and speak with a few fly tiers in Butte and Montana back then.
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