Fish Decoys

It's a windy crisp Sunday afternoon, hockey on the television, cleaning up some carving work-even did some laundry!  Now have some time to talk more about decoys.... but this time decoys for fish.  I think that I have  talked about and posted enough pictures that everyone is familiar with hand carved duck decoys some of which set on our mantles and some still reside in the garage ready to be put out for hunting.  Some carvers compete, others sell their works as art and others, well, we just carve, trying to get better every time we complete a piece.   But in the upper midwest there is another breed of carver-those who craft fish decoys.  Just like duck decoys, fish decoys are designed to attract fish into range of the hunter.

The history of fish decoys dates back thousands of years when native Americans used them to attract fish within range of their spears, mostly through holes cut in ice.  When Europeans settled into the area in the northern states they quickly learned to use fish decoys to attract fish that could be speared in the winter months.  As these decoys are created they are designed to swim in a circle as the fisherman uses a light jerk or movement up and down; usually these decoys have no hooks attached to the body.  The decoy is attached to a short stick with no reel and on a short line.

The decoys are fished under tents or shacks with no windows, so the only light is the light coming in through the hole cut in the ice.  This sets up the ability of the fisherman to see into the hole but the fish cannot see the fisherman.  While the fisherman moves the fish with one hand he holds the spear in the other hand ready to impale any unsuspecting fish who comes to investigate the decoy.  Originally any fish of any length was fair game; today the fisherman is restricted by length limits-this means the fisherman must be able to look into the water and determine length before spearing the fish!

These decoys are not made to imitate real fish but instead to attract fish.  Decoys are made from pine, basswood or any other easily carved wood. a cavity is carved into the underside of the wood, which is filled with poured lead or in my case, I used steel shot with poured glue holding them in place.  The fins can be either painted or kept plain using tin or copper and are there to allow the decoy to glide through the water in their little circles.  Here are a couple of pictures of a decoy that I have made looking to copy a Minnesota style decoy-I know there are no fish with a red nose, but remember these decoys are to make a fish come and look!

Just as with duck decoys there are different types of fish decoys-some are totally Folk Art reproductions, others are those that actually spent time in the water and are now hidden in some barn or shed, others are called whimsical creations, similar to that of that Budwieser Can Bass lure found in many tackle boxes (never saw or heard of a bass being caught on one).  The decoy below is patterned after a rainbow trout, will have copper fins, and has the gills carved and painted red.  These decoys are from pine, painted with acrylics and finished with a water proof clear coat.

So there you have it- a short history on another kind of decoy.  Most of the information I have found on these decoys indicate that they are better found in the upper midwest, so if you have family in Minnesota, Wisconsin Michigan,  go check out these sheds, garages and barns for those "mysterious" boxes under the steps.  If you find something perhaps we could make a deal.

These decoys are fun to make and as I always say, if we can't find the real thing then why not try to make a reproduction.  Not big money makers as most sell for some where between $50 and $75, unless they are old, then we are talking a little bit more money.  But either way, going to work on some shore birds and some of these cool decoys-next week some pictures of the shorebirds and the finished fish decoys.  Remember if you are working in wood, "measure twice, cut once" or if you are some place where there is open water-"Keep a tight line".

Much Peace in Your Life
Papa Richter

Examples of Some Antique Fish Decoys

A Michigan Style Decoy

An Old Perch Decoy

A Brook Trout Decoy