More a Hobby than a Profession - Fishing Before Refrigeration

Fishing for survival is an activity that has been carried out by men and women since the dawn of civilisation. The skills of fishing, many of which are unique to particular regions, have been passed down from one generation to the next. However, the quantification of the art of fishing as a recreational activity can be said to have begun in Elizabethan England when, in 1653, Richard Marriot published ‘The Compleat Angler’, a book detailing the skills and equipment required for successful fishing. So, over the generations, the manufacture of fishing gear has gone from a pastime to a multi-million-dollar industry.

Displayed on the wall above you are examples of what most anglers would consider to be archaic, historical fishing gear, suitable only for display in a museum! The rods, in particular, highlight the progress in construction from cane and dowel to fibreglass. Missing is an example of the most modern type of rod made from carbon fibre. Looking at the price range of these items at the time they were sold, although at least one is home-made, they would have ranged from inexpensive to top-of-the-range. Of course, as any fisher will tell you, the amount of fish you catch is directly proportional to the amount you spend on your gear… hmm?   

Wooden fishing reel with brass rod bracket. It has two wooden disks with narrow joining section around which green textile fishing line is wound. One of the disks has a pair of knobs which would be used to wind up the line.
Credit: WA Museum Collections, H1997.157