A lure and fish hook that together stretch 22 feet hangs from a stairwell ceiling at the University of Minnesota Duluth. The tackle turned heads when it passed under the Aerial Lift Bridge in 2013.

For most people fortunate enough to have a garage, it’s a place to park a daily driver or two, store the cornhole board between backyard barbecues, and stash the trusty Lawn-Boy, along with some ...