Ever since people first start trying to catch fish, they've been inventing tools to make catching fish easier.
U.S. Patent 515,001 for a "Fishing Apparatus", which was issued to William R. Lamb on 20 February 1894, is one of many inventions dedicated to that task. What makes it stand out from all the other fishing related patents is that it's just two pages long. One of them is taken up by the following figure, which confirms this patent takes a very different approach to catching fish:
Why add a mirror apparatus to your standard baited hook, line, and sinker set-up? It's all about enticing your prospective fish dinner to attach themselves to the business end of your rod and reel. Inventor Lamb explains how in the text describing his innovation (we've added some paragraph breaks to make it easier to read):
This invention relates to that class of devices used as decoys in fishing, the object of it being to induce the fish to take the bait more readily.
[...]
In using the apparatus, a bait s, (represented in this case as a small crab) is put on the hook h, and let down into the water with the mirror which serves as a sinker, until its lower edge just touches the bottom. In this position, the least pull on the hook on the branch line, will be felt very plainly by the hand at the upper end of the taut main line a.
In this position, as shown in the drawing, the fish B, when approaching the bait s, will see the reflection B', of himself in the mirror, also coming for the reflection of the bait s', and will be made bolder by the supposed companionship, and more eager to take the bait before this competitor seizes it.
He will lose his caution, and take the bait with a recklessness that greatly increases the chances of his being caught on the hook.
We searched for where we could buy a decoy fishing mirror apparatus, but aside from a Floating Betta "Exercise" Mirror intended to entertain betta fish in aquariums, found none for sale anywhere. With that being the case, we can only assume the invention was so phenomenally successful, it quickly led the near total extinction of the reckless fish it was intended to aid in catching, with the betta fish surviving to become the most prominent fish in this category still swimming in world's bodies of water.
An alternate explanation is that the fish mirror proved itself to be a clunky, heavy rig that frequently broke off the line to which it was attached, invariably sinking to the bottom of the aforementioned bodies of water before meeting its ultimate fate of being abandoned as an unsuccessful invention.
If you're looking for a good fish story, which one would you rather tell?
From the Inventions in Everything Archives
The IIE team has previously covered just two fishing-related innovations. They both rank among our favorites!
Labels: technology
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