7 Comments

The fishing rod donated by Bessie Goldsmith seems to be more specific than that. It looks like a 'tip up', a rig used for ice fishing that unfolds into an 'X'-shape that fits across a hole in the ice. There's a flag on a metal band that's secured to an upright, and when a fish takes the bait, the flag flings itself into the air and alerts the angler. I grew up on Lake Attitash in Merrimac, and fished with my Dad and brothers, and my husband fished with his Dad and grandfather.. My husband and I have kept the tradition alive after living here on Foster's Pond for almost 50 years. Our son was an avid fisherman, and often fished for an hour or more before taking the bus to school. Now our grandchildren are sharing the excitement of learning the sport, and especially, the joy of spending a day on the ice.

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Thank you so much for your further identification of the rod. We didn't have much information about it. I had been wondering about the use of the metal strip and the cloth. I've never been ice fishing. So glad that you shared your knowledge and memories!

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This was an interesting post. Fishing is bad around here, no thanks to the drought. Have a good vacation, Marilyn

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Thanks. Doug. I'm heading south, maybe the drought won't be as bad there.

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Have fun fishing, Marilyn! See you in September.

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My "boat" appears to actually be a fishing net. Also, the angler seems about to catch more than he bargained for, and the mosaic facial detail of the older angler is very expressive as he prepares his rig.

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The mosaic artist had the two anglers and their gear down perfectly - the motion and the grace. There is also a sea devil seeming to mess with a small fishing boat in the upper left background.

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