Customer Reviews

Carving Traditional Fish Decoys: With Patterns and Instructions for 17 Projects

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One must start this review by explaining that fish decoys were used by spear-fishermen, usually under ice, when that sort of fishing was legal.

Today the old lures are collectible and good examples are quite expensive, and occasionally forged and artificially aged.

Anthony Hillman's guide will get you started in the wood-carving game. Fish decoys, because of their size, represent a much easier starting point than the ever-popular duck and goose decoys, but by following Hillman's guidelines, the carver will develop the sort of skill and confidence he or she needs to handle larger projects.

The author provides a concise introduction to the subject, including choice of wood, and the many pages of diagrams of various kinds of fish should prove helpful.

Color charts to help carvers paint their fish would have been useful, but would obviously push up the cost of the book, and this sort of information can be readily obtained from other sources.

It's worth noting that the traditional decoy carvers quite often painted their fish in fanciful colors and patterns that resemble no fish that ever lived. Some of them may even have worked.

Excellent pattern book for the beginner. Easy instructions and great selection of patterns to choose from.

The book was O.K., but not what I was looking for. Thought it would give some details on painting the finished project. It would have been better if I could preview, before purchasing.