Carving Fish Decoys

by James T. Cottle

Fish decoys were originally used by Native and Early American ice fishermen to lure food fish within range of their spears. Carved and painted to mimic the appearance and behavior of prey for pike and muskies, the hand-crafted fish decoy has become enshrined in American culture as a treasured form of traditional folk art. Although the practicality
—and sanity—of ice fishing with spears is up for debate, traditional fish decoys have been the subject of a recent surge of interest and have become highly sought-after, both as collectables and to be used under the ice. If you’re someone who appreciates traditional American folk art and you want to learn to carve your own fish decoys, then this is the book for you. Life-long fisherman and decoy-carving instructor James Cottle makes it fun and easy to get started, with detailed instructions, contextual information, history lessons, and tool tips and techniques. This book contains 22 traceable patterns for decoys including trout, perch, bass, suckers, pike, muskies, sunfish, and walleyes, plus a mouse and a frog. Every step of the process is described clearly, with instructions that will guide you through cutting, carving, weighting, painting, and adding fins and tail to your decoy. Then it’s ready to use—on your mantel or underwater. With color photographs of finished decoys and tips for developing your own painting style, this is the definitive guide to making your own traditional fish decoys.

176 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

James Cottle’s life began in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the foot of Lake Superior. His years stationed in the U.S. Army in Germany led to his study of languages and linguistics, a PhD, and the career path he would follow as an educator in those fields. It also led to his world-wide travels and working and teaching abroad. Growing up in a Finnish American culture, his academic background, career as an educator, and his travels figure prominently in the stories in his latest book You Really Ought to Learn Some Finnish: Ruminations of a Well-Traveled Northern Boy—Stories Told in Verse.

The abundance of outdoor activities James participated in growing up created his affinity for nature that has stayed with him throughout his life. From his brother he learned the craft of fish decoy carving and went on to write Carving Fish Decoys: A Traditional American Folk Art as well as lecturing and holding seminars and workshops on the craft in myriad places that include the American Folk Art Museum in NYC; the National Museum of American Art and the Smithsonian Associates program in Washington, D.C.; and the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, MD. He has been featured along with his carvings in several local, national, and international newspapers and magazines that include The Washington Post and Field & Stream, Japanese edition. James and his craft have also been featured on Washington, D.C., area television stations. The following link contains one example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMiZH...