162 How To Make Fish Mounts 



waters of the United States. Nevertheless, all state fish and 

 game departments are cooperative when an educational project 

 is at hand. A responsible person can obtain such a state permit 

 to collect the fishes necessary for a school, camp, or boy-scout 

 project. Send a letter to the director of your state fish and game 

 or conservation department. In any event, the majority of 

 fishes that would make a good amateur museum collection can 

 be taken legally with rod and reel. 



Seining is productive, and collecting in this manner is great 

 fun. Common minnow seines, available at most tackle dealers 

 in 6-, 10-, 12-, 15-foot lengths and 4- to 6-foot depths serve well. 

 A M-inch square is the usual size of the seine mesh. This type 

 of net has pieces of lead along the bottom and wooden floats on 

 the top. The ends of each side, top and bottom, are equipped 

 with /4-inch rope extensions which should be tied, at each end, 

 to a broom handle or appropriate lengths of bamboo or tree 

 limbs which are fairly straight. Light-weight electrical conduit 

 pipe can be used also. The collectors manipulate and extend 

 the seine by means of these two handles. 



Along the shallows of a lake or seashore, two men can do an 

 efficient job of seining. One works up close to the shoreline 

 while the other extends the seine out directly from shore, as far 

 as it is safe for him to progress. Both collectors then walk along 

 a short distance dragging the lead side of the seine along the 

 bottom. It is important that the seine hugs the bottom as it 

 goes along because fish will try to squirm under it and escape. 

 The seine should be kept at an angle which will facilitate its 

 progress through the water. However, do not drag the floats 

 under the surface. 



Seining must be done at a fairly rapid pace. If progress is 

 slow the trapped fish will hit the seine and then quickly swim 

 along the length of it and escape at the outer end. After 

 going along for about 10 feet, the person working the deep end 

 of the seine should increase the speed to as fast as he can 

 progress— without falling into the water! The collector holding 

 the shore end of the seine will have to slacken his pace. In 

 other words, the seine is worked quickly and brought around 



