What Fishing Was Like in the Early 1900s

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Good morning, everyone. And I’m sorry to be late with this blog. I admit, my calendar failed me (which is better than saying I forgot).

You may remember from a previous blog post of mine, I’m working on a new historical story. That means, for me, I have to stop every few pages and research something to make sure I got it right. In this book, my heroine is fishing for trout in a creek. Seems simple enough, yes? But no. first research item – were there trout in the area where I’m setting my story during 1915. Turns out there were, so I’m good there. Second item, do I call what she’s using a fishing pole or a fishing rod? Well, who knew there’s a difference?

Turns out, she’d use a fishing pole — which is basically a long stick from which a string is tied and seems to have been around for at least four-thousand years. A fishing rod is more complicated and sophisticated. It has ringed guides along the pole and a reel to store the line. My heroine would definitely not have that. But from my research, reels did first start appearing in the 1600s.  In those day, it was mostly a loop of wire attached to the end of the pole. An improvement, nonetheless, and the string didn’t get so tangled.

I also learned that most fishing poles and fishing rods, at least until the 1900s, were home-made by people. There were even books published about how to make your own fishing poles, such as Iziak Walton’s “The Complete Angler (1676). I wonder if my local library has that. Tackle shops which sold manufactured fishing equipment have only been around for a hundred years or so, which is probably when innovations to fishing rods really took off and we got the modern tools anglers use today.

There are other ways of fishing besides with a pole or rod. Early man used spears, sometimes setting traps or bait and standing in the water waiting until a fish approached. A more primitive version of the pole was to simply toss a line into the water, anchor it with a heavy rock and wait for a fish to take the bait. Large nets were also used, sometimes requiring two or more people.

All this is probably more than you wanted to know about early fishing and more than I needed for my one scene in the book when my heroine is fishing. But I always enjoy learning something new. I didn’t bother researching hooks, figuring that was going a little too deep and readers probably would care. But now I’m thinking, maybe that would be interesting…

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Cathy McDavid has been penning Westerns for Harlequin since 2005. With over 55 titles in print and 1.6 million-plus books sold, Cathy is also a member of the prestigious Romance Writers of America’s Honor Roll. This “almost” Arizona native and mother of grown twins is married to her own real-life sweetheart. After leaving the corporate world seven years ago, she now spends her days penning stories about good looking cowboys riding the range, busting broncs, and sweeping gals off their feet — oops, no. Make that winning the hearts of feisty, independent women who give the cowboys a run for their money. It a tough job, but she’s willing to make the sacrifice.

26 thoughts on “What Fishing Was Like in the Early 1900s”

  2. I didn’t know reels &rods had been around that long.

    We’d go fishing for fun at my husband’s uncle’s lake place.

  3. Interesting! And, what rabbit holes we go down when we start searching for answers!! And, I don’t just mean authors, either!

  4. I have never been fishing and don’t really have a desire to. The closest we came was on my brother-in-law’s boat in Long Island Sound where we were catching crabs with a net.

  5. Thanks for sharing about fishing. I found it very interesting. I like to fish but haven’t done so in a long time.

  6. Thank you for the history on fishing. My husband and I used to take our oldest son fishing. He was the only one who caught anything. Lol

  7. Cathy,

    I appreciate the research authors put in when writing fiction. If something is way off historically, I think, ‘That’s for the story’ and move on but it can be off putting when it feels like information most folks would know. But, if your story referred to a fishing rod, I wouldn’t have known to question it haha… An interesting post, we learned something today. I smiled at the mention of Izaak
    Walton and his book because there’s an Inn named for him near Glacier NP where I like to stay. I take Amtrak and leave and return to the train there although it’s been closed for updating over the last year. A lovely place to visit.

    • Oh, wow. Thanks for sharing that bit of info on the inn. How cool is that? I imagine it’s really a beautiful place.

  8. It took them a long time to become modernized like a true angler. Fishing is not my game. I am not typically a patient person. It’s now or never for me. Give me a good book and you do the fishing.

    Have a blessed day.

  9. I love fishing with both a rod and a pole. Just spending time out to relax and catch the occasional fish. There was an otter who resented people fishing his territory and would splash around to scare off his fish. I need to get out and fish soon.

  10. I did already know the difference between a fishing pole and a fishing rod… but I’ve no idea why I know it.

    My dad worked with a guy, they were bus drivers, that did all sorts of outdoor activities, including hunting and fishing. He took our family fishing in the ocean on his boat. We were about a mile beyond the breakwater… probably at Long Beach CA… for the whole day.

    My brother, the braggart before the trip, was seasick the whole time. My sis, the nervous Nelly, caught the most fish even though some were too small to keep. Dad probably spent more time baiting out hooks than fishing. And mom chose to clean everything we kept while we were still out on the ocean instead of bringing that job home.

    I hadn’t thought of that memory in decades! I don’t think I was in high school yet, so that had to have been 45-50 years ago.

    • Hi MaryEllen. So glad my post stirred a fond memory. Kudos to your mom for cleaning the fish. That’s the one part of fishing I don’t like!

  11. There have been and still are many ways to fish. Various types of fishing weirs have been in use since ancient times. If you are quick and know the technique, catching them by hand works. Our son is good at it, but as a young teen, when he was talking to a game warden many years ago, we discovered it is illegal in our state. Using light to attract some varieties of fish and sea life (especially shrimp) and then netting them has also been used for years.
    We started on bamboo fishing poles and eventually worked up to rods and reels. We did the same with our children. We usually just used worms and mini marshmallows which work well. When ice fishing, using the eyes of the fish you already caught for bait works well. I have always admired the craftsmanship of those who tie flies. It is an art.

    • Cool info, Patricia. My son has tried hand fishing in Ohio, I think it was. And I’ve never heard of using mini marshmallows for bait. Hmm…

  13. cool post. thanks. oh but I would be so interested in hooks. from the time I was young, dad and mom took us fishing once a year. oh we camped and fished and learned how to clean and prepare them over an open fire. all five of us kids learned about all of this along with what fish to eat and what fish to let go back in the river. i always found it so fun. mom and I would make muffins and other food to go with the fish. when my sister came along (the youngest) mom would show her how to cook over an open fire also. funny thing, when I was going into sophomore year of high school we moved to IL and all that wonderful fishing time stopped. but every Sunday dad wanted fish. only now it was sardines and crackers. uggghhh. and fish became a yucky thing for my sister and I to eat. to this day neither of us will eat fish. unless it is the breaded kind covered totally in tarter sauce. LOL

  14. Morning, Lori. Thanks for sharing your wornderful memories. And I dislike sardines, too, though I hear they’re really good for you. Just can’t stomach them 🙂 Other than salmon, breaded fried fish is my favorite, too 🙂

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