Description:
Herring Rake
This rake, made of Douglas fir with brass tines, was used to catch herring, a small fish that travels in large groups.
"...fresh herring was plentiful. The oldtimers always carried a herring rake in their rowboats. The herring rake was split-off cedar. The fisherman drilled holes in his piece of cedar and put in brass wires and filed them into sharp points. He'd stand paddling in the front of the boat, holding the herring rake with the sharp points in. In a school or a ball of herring, he'd turn the sharp ends toward the herring, pierce them and bring the rake up to the boat with them, squirming, impaled on the tines."
"...fresh herring was plentiful. The oldtimers always carried a herring rake in their rowboats. The herring rake was split-off cedar. The fisherman drilled holes in his piece of cedar and put in brass wires and filed them into sharp points. He'd stand paddling in the front of the boat, holding the herring rake with the sharp points in. In a school or a ball of herring, he'd turn the sharp ends toward the herring, pierce them and bring the rake up to the boat with them, squirming, impaled on the tines."
- Gilbert McLeod, late 1960s (Marian L. Swain , Gilbert Said, 1992, p.66)
Loan to Ketchikan Museums, L2022.4.5.2
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Herring rake
Herring rake - tine detail
Herring rake
Herring rake - tine detail