Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-08-08
ANGLING WITH BOTTLES.
Very Amusing way of Catching Fish for
Leisure Days

Catching fish is surely a very novel
use for bottle, but the feat is easily
accomplished and affords great deal
of amusement and excitement.
A number of empty champagne or
beer bottles being obtained, each one
is to be filled with sand or shot until it
will stand upright when foated in
water. Each bottle is then tightly
corked and strong tapering ash or
hickory stick eighteen inches long is
passed through each cork, this stick
having a small bright-colored burgee
Ga three-cornered fiag) as its tip. Next
piece of wire is twisted around the
neck of the bottle so that it cannot
slip off, and in this wire large loop
is made to which the fish-line is fas-
tened. The length of the line must
depend entirely on the depth of the
water to be fished. Ten feet is usually
long enough. The hooks, for general
use, should be of medium size, say No.
5. Moderately heavy sinkers are at
tached to the line. A swivel will
make the outfit complete, although
absolutely not necessary. 1t the
bottles themselves cost nothing
dozen may be prepared at cost of %
cents.
The bottles, thus having been made
ready, may be used in number of
ways. They may be set in a row on
bank of a stream, or on a pier close to
the edge; the hooks having been
properly baited, are to be dropped
into the water. 1t will not be long
before one of the bottles will begin to
waver and suddenly take a mighty
leap overheard, swimming off and
bobbing around in very peculiar
manner. The excitement which row
of these fishing bottles will arouse, says
the Sportsman Awake, and the guess
ing as to which bottle will 90 first, is
very amusing and not to be despised
as sport.
One OF more of the bottles having
popped off and been taken in tow by a
fish, must now be rescued; this can be
done by means of long stick having
three hooks, without barbs, dashed to
it. back to back; some one of the hooks
will soon catch into the loop of wire
around the neck of the bo6tle and you
can draw in both bottle and fish.
Where there is a lake or pond at
hand and a boat available the bottles
NAV be taken out from shore and set
afloat around the boat. If the fish are
at all lively and there are many bottles
to tend there will be some very excit-
ing sport in chasing the bottle, for
they will start all in directions at every
moment.
Where there is a number in the
party ''sides" may be chosen-two sets
of bottles being furnished, an even
number to each, and each set having
flag different in color. The side catch
ing the most fish wins whatever prize
is to be awarded.
For sea fishing an additional ar
rangement is needed, because the waves
cause the bottles to bob UP and down
so that it is hard to know when fish
bites. The flag is brought into use as
a signal screw-eye and strip of tin
three inches long is fastened by it's
lower end to the lower end of the rod
parallel with it, SO as to make a spring
clip. The flag is fastened to the end
of the line and is set by being caught
in the clip made by the strip of tin. In
this position the flag is lowered" as it
were. being at the foot Of the rod, but
when the fish bites he pulls it away
from the clip and raises it to the top
of the rod, where it stops, being too
large to go through the eye. That the
flag may fly straight and not be drawn
into the eye and crumpled, it is best
to sew it to straight bit of wire hav-
ing loop at the top to which the line
is tied.
Another improvement is to paint the
inside of the bottle white by pouring
in white paint and shaking it around
and then pouring it out and letting
the bottle dry, Then prepare the bot
tie as described, and should a large
fish turn the bottle upside down, as he
very likely will, it can be readily seen
and followed.