Gyotaku Fish Art Exhibit with Local Artist, "The Mighty Bluegill"

It sounds cheesy, but fly shops are often more than just fishing stores. They're places to gather, meet like minded people, and yea, buy fishing gear, but they're also the backbone of local fly fishing culture. We pride ourselves on living up to the hype and going beyond the norm.

At The Hatch, we're not only a fly shop, but also a beer bar (which should be back up and operational very soon) and now, we've added another title to the mix: Art Gallery. The rustic brick walls of the shop provide the perfect backdrop to display some killer art, and we couldn't think of anyone better help us kick off this endeavor than Matt Monahan, aka "The Mighty Bluegill".

Matt's art is truly one of a kind and fits perfectly in the shop, mainly because his subject matter is one we all care about; fish! Matt has spent years perfecting his own blend of the traditional Japanese art form of Gyotaku, where he uses real fish to create realistic "prints"--for a lack of a better term. It involves paint, hemp paper, and a bunch of technique that's way over our head, but we know one thing, the outcome is incredible. Monahan refers to it as, "Taxidermy that your wife will let you hang up," and ten out of ten spouses agree, it beats some dusty, dilapidating specimen on your wall or that Billy Bass singing wall mount you used to have in the late 90s.

So, on Friday, June 19th at 6pm, we're going to have an official art exhibit opening, and Monahan himself is going to do a live demonstration of the Gyotaku technique that is sure to provide you with a greater understanding of the process and what goes into creating these one-of-a-kind works of art.

Due to social distancing, we are limiting the number of people that are able to attend this event, so we are allowing you to RSVP to the event HERE. The first 10 people to sign up can watch the demo live, but don't worry if you can't make it, we'll record his process and put it up on our social pages for all to enjoy. Matt's art will also be on display and for sale in the shop for several weeks. Stop by and check it out or RSVP to the opening. See you there!