There's six guys out there, and we're at the top. Things are going to change. I'm sure there will be magazines, and I'll be giving seminars. The art of fish carving isn't as successful or well known as, say, bird carving. People have been carving birds for decoys since the 1700s, and it's become one of the premiere nature arts.
Carvings have their own museums, magazines and contests.
The pieces also cost more than other carvings. Fish carving started in the 1960s. The world fish carving championships didn't start until 1982. The history hasn't been around that long. For Smith, the lack of money in his craft has troubled him.