CA1194303A - Fishing system for use with a moving boat - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT
A fishing system can be used with a moving boat located on a surface of a body of water. The system has a continuous cable with fishing lines dangling therefrom at spaced intervals. Guide means for said cable are located on the boat and also on a frame suspended beneath the surface of a body of water on a tether connected to said boat. The frame has two ends with a disc mounted at each end r each disc containing a roller that acts as guide means for said cable. The cable extends through all of the guide means to form a continuous loop and there are means on the boat to rotate said cable through said guide means. As the cable is rotated, the boat is driven or allowed to drift so that the frame can be pulled through a relatively large area in a relatively short time. As fish are caught on the fishing lines, they are returned to the boat and removed before the same fishing lines are returned beneath the surface by the rotating cable.
The fishing system is particularly suited to catching ground fish.

Description

This invention relates to a fishing system for use with a moving boat located on a surface of a body of water. In particular, this invention relates to a rotatable fishing syst2m that can be used on a commer-cial basis with a small boat to ca~ch fish, moreparticularly, ground fish.
Presently, there are three main methods of catching ground fish. Ground fish, for example, cod, haddock and halibut, are generally found near the floor of a continental shelf or approximately within thirty feet above said floor. It is known to catch these fish by dragging a cone-shaped net behind a trawler. The net has floats at the top and is dragged along the bottom of the continental shelf. However, this method requires a lot of energy, problems can be encountered where the bottom is uneven or rocky, the net can cause environmental damage to the bottom and poor results are achieved where there are low concen~
trations of fish~ It is known to catch ground fish using long lines of 4,000' to 5,000' in length with numerous smaller fishing lines attached to said long lines at spaced intervals. The fishing lines have baited hooks on a free end. The long line is strung out and anchored on the ocean floor with floats at the either end. After an appropriate time interval, the line is pulled into a boat and any fish caught on the hooks are removed. This method requires a large energy input but it only covers a relativeiy long and narrow area of the continental shelf when it is used.
Also, since the line is lying on the floor, the bait hooks are dif~icult to detect. On a smaller scale, it is known to catch ground f ish by a method called hand lining. The hand line is smaller and shorter than the long line described above. The hand line is hung over the side of a small boat and suspencled above the floor with numerous fishing lines e~tendirlg therefrom at spaced intervals. Th~ fishing lines have bait.ed hooks on a free end. Usually, with one fisherman, two hand lines are used simultaneously with one line being hung from each side of the boat. When there are two fisher-ment in one boat, it is common to hang two hand lines from each sid~ of the boatO Thefie hand lines co~er only a small area and som~times the two lines become tangled with one another. Further, with all three of these methods, a great deal of fishiny time is lost when the net or the lines are being placed in the ocean or are being retrieved from the ocean. The lines being used must be periodically rebaited or replaced with previously baited lines. It is very time consum-ing and expensive to rebait the lines. If replacement lines are used, the cost of equipment also increases.
It i5 an object of the present invention to provide a rotatable fishing system that can be used to cover a relatively large area of the floor of a continental shelf in a brief time period. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a rotatable fishing system that can be operated from a small boat while the boat is moving, is relatively inexpensive and is efficient in that fish can be caught on a continuous basis. It is still a further object to provide a fishing system that can effectively use lures rather than baited hooksu In accordance with the present invention, a rotatable fishing system can be used with a moving boat located on a surface of a body of water. The system has a continuous cable with fishing lines dangling thererom at spaced intervals. The fishing lines have means to catch fish at a free end. Guide _ ~ _ means for the cable are located on the boat. A frame i5 suspended substantially transverse to said boat beneath the surface of said body oE water on a tether connected to said boat. The frame has two ends with guide means for said cable locate~ at each end. The cable extends from guide means on said boat, beneath said aurface through guide means at one end of said frame, through guide means at the other end of said frame and back to said guicle means on said boat to form a continuous loop. There are means to rotate said cable through said gui.de means.
In a fur~her embodiment of the invention, a fishing system for use with a moving boat located on a surface of a body of water has a cable with fishing lS lines dangling therefrom at spaced intervals. The fishing lines have means to catch fish at a free end thereof. Guide means for said cable are located on said boat and beneath said surface of said body of water so that a large portion of said cable can be suspended beneath said surface from said boat at a predetermined depth, said cable extending past all of said guide mean~ to form a continuous loop, with means to rotate said cable through said guide means.
A method of fishing from a moving boat located on a surface of a body of water u~es a boat having a continuous cable rotatabl~ mounted thereon. A frame is ~uspended substantially transverse to said boat beneath said surface on a tether connected to said boat. Guide means are located on said boat and on said frame for receiviny said continuous cable, with means to rotate said cahle through said guide means.
The cable has fishing lines extending therefxom at spaced intervals with means to catch fish at a free end thereof. The method is placiny said cable in all of said guide means to form a loop~ locating said frame at A pre-determined depth, rotating said cable through said guide means on a continuous basis while moving said boat in a direction transverse to said frame, and removing any fisll caugh~ by said fishing lines as the cable passes through said boat.
In drawings which il:Lustrate a preferred embodi-ment of the invention:
Figure 1 shows the invention being used in three different ways;
Figure 2 is a partia:L rear view of a frame, supports and a continuous cable;
Figure 3 is a side view of one of the dises;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of one of the discs through a section A-A of Figure 3;
Figure S is a partial top vie.w of the cable extending over a boat;
Figure 6 is a partial rear view of said cable extending over a boat;
Figure 7 is a partial side view of elongated member~ of said frame fitting end to end ~o one another; and, Figure 8 is a schematic partial rear view of a frame and discs with the discs angled inward.
Referring to the drawings in greater detail, in Figure 1, there is shown three different methods of using the fishing system of the present invention. In a central portion of Figure 1, there is shown a boat 2 on a surface 4 of a body o water 6. The boat 2 has a continuous cable 8 extending therefrom with fishing lines 10 dangling therefrom at spaced intervals. The fishing lines 10 have means to catch fish at a free end. A fxame 12 is suspended substantially transverse to said boat beneath a surface of said body of water 6 3~

on a tether 14. The frame has two ends 16, 18 with guide means 20 located at each end. The cable 8 extends from guide means on said boat 2, beneath ~aid surface 4, through guide means at one end 16 of said frame 12, through guide means at the other end 18 of said frame 12 and back to said guide means on said boat 2 to form a continuous loop. Thera are means 22 to rotate said cable through said guide means. In the diagram at the centre of Figure 1, the ~rame 12 is suspended above a floor 24 of a continental shelf.
In a variation of the use of the inventio~ to the left sf the central diagram of Figure 1, the frame is shown suspended at a pre-determined depth approxi-mately midway between the floor 24 and the surface 4.
15 The ~ystem is used in this manner where it is desired to fish in deep water b~ not near the floor 24.
In another variation of the use of the invention, to the right of ths central diagram of Figure 1, the frame 12 is shown as being suspended slightly below the ~urface 4 of the body of water 6. In this use, each guide means 20 has a float 26 afixed thereto by a xope 28 to hold the frame 12 at a pre-determined level near the surface 4. While one flbat 26 is used for each guide means 20, only one float is sho~n in Figure 1.
The system is used in this manner when it is desired to fish in shallow water or it is desired to fish near the surface 4.
In Figure 2, there is shown a close up or enlarged version of the frame 120 By referring back to Figure 1, it can be seen that the frame 12 has a series of elongated members 30 that fit together end to end. Thus, the frame 12 can be made in variows sizes. For ease of illustration, in Figure 2, the member~ 30 are only partially shown.

L3~

As can be seen from Figures l and 2, a series of support lines 32 extend from loops 34 on members 30 to a ring 36 on the tether 14 in order to suspend the frame 12 at a pre-detenmined level beneath the S surface 4 of the body of water 6. The rame 12 has two ends 16, 18 that are at substantially the same level beneath the surfaae 4. At each end 16, 18, there is mounted a support o:r disc 42, representing the guide means 20. Each disc 42 is affixed to the respec~ive ends 16, 18 by means of a rod 44 affixed to the disc 42 and extending into a sleeve 46 that is rigidly affixed to an elongated member 30. ~he rod 44 is held in the sleeve 46 by means of a bolt 48 and a nut 50.
As can best be seen from Figures 2, 3 and 4, each disc 42 has a circular tubular periphery 52 with the rod 44 affixed to an upper portion of said disc 42.
Each disc 42 has elongated radial members 54 that extend inward from said periphery 52 and are symmetri-cal abou~ an imaginary line betwF~en upper most and lower most points 56 of said periphery 52. The radial members 54 extend from the periphery 52 to eithex end of a rotatable roller 58 located approximately at a centre of said disc 42. A flat cover 60 is located between the periphery 52 and an upper portion of the radial members 54 and said roller 58. An opening 62 is defined between the periphery 52 and the lower portion of said radial members 54 and said roller 58.
The periphery 52 of each disc 42 has openings 61 therein so that the periphery 52 can fill wi.th water when the disas 42 are submerged. In this way, the periphery 52 will not collapse from water pressure.
Each support or disc 42 is shaped so that the cable 8 will automatically align itself on the roller . .

3~3 58 by gravity. The opening 62 is large enough to readily accommodate a fish 64 on said fishing line 10.
The edges of the discs 42 are smooth so that the fish-ing lines will not snag on the supports or discs 42.
Also, the fishing lines 10 are short r~lative to the discs 42 to that the llnes 10 cannot contact the periphery 52 when the cable 8 is in the desired posi-tion on the roller 58. As shown in Figure 3, the radial members 54 are approxi.mately 120 apart from one another and extend from a lower porti~n of said pe.riphery 52, As best seen from Figure 2, the discs 42 are tilted at an angle of substantially 45 relative to that part 66 of ~he cable 8 extending between the discs 42,with an upper portion of said discs 42 being closer to one another than a lower portion. The purpose of tilting the discs 42, as stated, is to make it easier for the cable 8, fishing lines 10 and any fish 64 to pass through the openings 62.
Referring to Figures 5 and 6 in greater detail, it can be seen that the cable 8 passes from one side of the boat to the other and that the guide means on the boat are a set of rollers 68, 70 mounted on each side 72, 74 of the boat 2. On eaoh side of the boat ~, there is one horizontal rollex 68 and two vertical rollers 70 to form one set. The horizontal roller 68 is rotatably mounted in bracket 76 and the vertical rollers 70 are rotatably mounted on shafts 78. The two vertical rollers 70 of each set prevent the cable 8 from slipping off the horizontal rol.ler 68.
A variable speed electric or hydraulic motor 80 provides the means to rotate the cable 8 through said guide means. The motor 80 has a shaft 82 and a cap-stan 84 and is mounted between the -two se~s of roller~
68,70. The cable 8 is wrapped around the capstan 84 3~3 so that as the capstan 84 is rotated, the cable 8 is rotated over the rollers 58, beneath the surface 4 and the rollers 68 on the boat 2~ Preferably, the motor 80 is connected to the shaft 82 through a gear box and is powered from the power souxce of the boat 2.
As can best be seen fxom Figures 2 and 6, there are means to catch fish affixed to a free end of the fishing lines 10. These means are usually hooks or lures 86. If hooks are used, they would normally be baited. In some uses, it might be desixable to alternate hooks and lures on adjacent fishing lines of a cable or to use some other combination of hooks and lures on said cable 8. However, as bait is expensive, it is preferred to use lures on all of the fishing lines lO. Lures are designed to simulate swimming bait when the lures are pulled through the water.
Since the cable 8 rotates in ona dixection, the fishing systeltt of the present invention is particularly suited for using lures.
As shown in Figures 5 and 6, an additional vertical guide roller 88 extends from an arm 90 from one side of the motor 80. The guide roller 88 acts as a guide means for the cable 8. From the other side of the motor 80, from a similar arm 92, there extends a device 94 for automaticall~ detaching fish 64 from hooks or lures 86. The device 94 has a horizontal roller 96 adjacent to two vertical rollers 98. The cable 8 passes over the roller 96 and between the two vertical rollers 98. The vert.ical rollérs 98 are spaced apart from one another only a short distance so that the fishing lines lO and the hooks or lures 86 are small enough to fit between the vertical rollers 98 but the fish 64 are too large. Therefore, as the cable 8 rotates, the fish 64 will become detached from 3~

the hooks or lures 86 at the device 94.
As can best be seen from Figures 1 and 7, the frame 12 preferably is made from a series of elongated detachable members 30 that ~re designed to fit together end to end so that the frame 12 can be made in various si~es. One end of each of the members 30 has a sleeve 46 affixed to it so that an end of an adjacent member 30 can be inserted into said sleeve. The sleeve 46 and members 30 have suitable openings therein so that two memhers can be held together by a bolt 48 and nut 50 passing through said open:ings~not shown~.
In operation, the loop formed by the continuous cable 8 can be opened at a point or points 108 to either remova part of the oable 8 and make the loop smaller or to insert additional cable to make the loop larger. The frame 12 can also be assembled to be larger or smaller~ Further, the tether 14 can be lengthened or shortened, as desired. Depending on the size of the fxame 12, there are preferably three or more guide wire~ 32 extending from the tether 14 to the frame 12 so that said frame is held in a sub-stantially horizontal position beneath said surface 4.
If it is desired to catch ground fish, a depth finder (not shown) is installed on the boat to estab-lish the depth of the water at a particular location.The frame is then constructed to the desired width.
For example, it may be desirable to have a frame one hundred feet wide for attachment to a boat that is twelve feet wide. The frame is then assembled with the discs 42 located at either end. The cable 8 is strung through the opening 62 in each disc 42.
Sufficient guide wires 32 are attached between loops on the frame 12 to the ring 36 on the tether 14. The frame 12 is then lowered into the water with the _ g _ ~$~3~

length of the tether and the length of the loop being adjusted so t:hat the frame is held close to but not in contact with the floor of the sea. For example, -the frame might be located approximately six feet above the floor of the continental shelf. Preferably, the tether is designed so that it can be len~thened or shortened easily. This could be done i.n many different ways. One way, which i5 not shown in the drawings, would be to attach one end of the tether to a wind-up pulley located on the boat. The continuous cable 8 also has a point or points 108 where it can be opened or broken so that additional lengths of cablP can be inserted to make the loop larger~ Alternatively, the continuous cable can be shortened by removing a given length of cable at points 108. By simple arithmatical calculations, depending on the depth of the ocean at a particular point, the average wave height, the width of the frame and the desired depth of the frame beneath the boat, the size of the continuousloop and the length of the tether can be readily determined.
After the frame has been placed in the water, it will sink by gravit~ towards the floor. As the frame is sinking, the cable 8 will likely not be in contact with th~ rollers 58 in the two discs 420 How-ever, once the frame reaches the pre-determined level beneath the surface, the cable 8 will slide along one of the radial members 54 until such time as it becomes centred on the roller 58. If hooks are used on the fishing lines 10 of the cable 8, these would likely be baited before the cable is placed in the water. ~ow-ever, if desired, the system could be placed in the de~i~ed position beneath the surface and then the cable 8 could be rotated and the fishing lines baited in the boat as they pass throu~h the boat. Even if khe lines 10 are pre-baited, as th~ bait is consumed through the use of the s~stem, the hooks will have to be re-baited as they pass through the boat before re-entering the water. If lures are used, then baiti~g and re-baiting are unnecessa:ry. Since the fishing system is designed so that a large poxtion of the cable 8 is suspended at the same dlepth above the floor 24, the baited hooks or lures 6 can readily be seen by fish.
In any event, once thle frame and cable 8 are in position, the motor 80 is activated and the cable 8 is xotated transverse to the boat 2 so that it passes through the guide rollers 68, 70 on the boat 2 and the guide rollers 58 on the disc~ 42 beneath the surface 4.
The boat is then driven slowly through the water pulling the frame 12 behind it~ while watching the depth finder to ensure that the depth remains reason-ably constant. If obstacles are encouhtered on the floor, the frame 12 can be raised relatively ~uickly by increa ing the boat speed. While any rea50nable boat speed can be used, a speed ranging from one to one and one-half knots is suggested. In this way, the length of cable between the two discs 42, can be exposed to fish in a relatively wide band along -the floor 24. If the frame is being pulled through a school of fish, the movement of the cable 8, the fishing lines 10 and the baited hook or lures 86 will likely cause the fish to be attracted to the fishing lines 10. The movement of the cable 8 will also tend to hook the fish on the hooks or lures 86 after khey have been attracted to the lines lOo As the boat is being driven forward, a relatively large area of the ocean floor can be covered by the fishing system of khe present: invention in a relatively short time. The speed of rotation of the cable 8 will vary with the conditions desired by the operator of the boat. One suggested speed of rotation of the cable 8 i5 approx-imately three feet per second. However, any reasonable speed of rotation could be used. The angl~ of the fi~hing lines 10 relative to the cable 8 in the area between the two discs 42 will vary with the speed of rotation of the cable 8 as well as the forward speed of the boat 2. While it is preferable that the boat 2 be driven forward to pull the system through the water, the boat 2 could be moved in various ways, including allowing the boat 2 to drift on the water.
If the system is desired to be used for shallow water fishing or fishing at a mid-depth, the same pro-cedure would be followed except that with shallowwater fishing, a float would be necessary as shown in one of the views ~f Figure 1 and described above.
While the fishing system is designed for use on a continental shelf, it could be used in virtually any body of water of reasonable size.
As shown in Figure 8, in a further variation of the fishing system of the present invention, each disc 42 has a forward portion 110 and a rear portion 112.
In addition to being tilted at an angle of substantial-ly 45 relative to the cable 8 as described in Figure2, the discs 42 of Figure 8 are angled slightly toward one another s~ that the two forward portions are - clos~r togethex than the two rearward portions of the two discs 42. ATIY appropriate angle can be used but an angle of 10 relative to the cable 8 extending between the two discs is suggested. The purpose of angling the discs 42 as shown in Figure 8 is to cause downward pressure to be exerted on said discs 42 and the frame 12 as they are pulled through the water by 3~

the boat. The actual angle could be more or less than 10, as desired. Exerting downward pressure on the frame and discs can be accomplished in various alter-native ways. For example ~he discs 42 and frame 12 S could be made of heavy materials~ As another example, weights could be affixed to the discs 42 and frame 12.
The purpose of causing downward pressure to be exerted on the aiscs 42 and frame 12 is to prevent the system from rising too much towards the surface as the speed of the boat increases. Where downward pressure is exerted on the framP and discs, it would be possible, with the same length of cable 8 and tether 14, to operate the boa~ at a higher speed, while maintaining the frame and discs at or near the same depth.
The fishing system of the present invention is designed so that most of the fish will be caught by the fishing lines that are moving between the two discs. However, if a fish is caught on a fishing line either before the first disc or after the second disc, there i9 nothing in the system that will cause that fish to be removed from the fishing line before it reaches the boat Preferably, the frame 12 and discs 42 are made from aluminum so that they will not rust. The peri-phery 52 of each disc 42 could be made of soiid material or hollow tubing. If hollow tubing is used, the periphery must contain openings so that the water pressure will remain equal inside and outside of the tubing when the discs are used in deep water. Other-wise, the walls of the tubing will collapse, Alter-natively, if hollow tubing is used for the periphery 52~ the tubing could be filled with a suitable material, for example, concrete, in order to prevent the tubular walls from collapsingO The cable 8 can be made of anysuitable material but it is preferably made of a synthetic rope.
There are numerous variatiGns that could be made to the embodiment shown in the drawings, by those skilled in the art, within t;he scope of the attached claims. For example, the tether could be replaced by an elongated frame member or two tethers could be used one from each end of the frame 12. Also, the discs 42 could be designed cliffer~ntly. Any reasonable width can be used or the frame 12. While the fishing system is designed for use with a small boat, it could also be used with a large boat. For ease of illustra-tion, many of the fishing lines 10 have been omitted from the drawings. For example, in Figure l, the fishing lines lO are actually spaced equally along the full length of khe cable 8 but are only drawn in in a few small groups of lines lO.
The fishing system of the present invention is particularly suited to the use of lures rather than hooks or baited hooks as the movement of the cable 8 pulling the fishing lines continuously through the water causes the-lures to move in a manner that can.be .
attractive to fish. The advantage of using lures instead of hooks is that the lures do not have to be baited. This not only saves time, it is also much more convenient and less expensive.

Claims (23)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A rotatable fishing system for use with a moving boat located on a surface of a body of water, said system comprising a continuous cable with fishing lines dangling therefrom at spaced intervals, said fishing lines having means to catch fish at a free end, guide means for said cable located on said boat, a frame being suspended sub-stantially transverse to said boat beneath a surface of said body of water on a tether connected to said boat, said frame having two ends with guide means for said cable located at each end, said cable extending from guide means on said boat, beneath said surface through guide means at one end of said frame, through guide means at the other end of said frame and back to said guide means on said boat to form a continuous loop, with means to rotate said cable through said guide means.

2. A system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the two ends of the frame are at substantially the same level beneath the surface of said body of water

3. A system as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the guide means on said frame are rollers.

4. A system as claimed in Claim 3 wherein there is one roller mounted in a support at each end of said frame, each support being shaped so that the cable will automatically align itself on the roller by gravity, each support having an opening adjacent to said roller, said opening being large enough to readily accommodate a fish on said fishing lines, each support being designed so that the fishing lines will not snag on the support.

5. A system as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the supports are discs.

6. A system as claimed in Claim 5 wherein each disc has a circular periphery with an upper portion of said disc affixed to an end of said frame, each disc having elongated radial members, that extend inward from said periphery and are symmetrical about an imaginary line between upper most and lower most points of said periphery, said radial members extending to either end of said rotatable roller located approximately at a centre of said disc with a flat cover between the periphery and an upper portion of said elongated radial members and said roller, the opening being defined between the periphery and a lower portion of said elongated radial members and said roller.

7. A system as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the elongated radial members are substantially 120° apart from one another and extend from a lower portion of said periphery.

8. A system as claimed in any one of Claims 5, 6 or 7 wherein the discs are tilted at an angle of sub-stantially 45° relative to the cable extending between the discs with an upper portion of said discs being closer to one another than a lower portion.

9. A system as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the frame has a series of elongated members that are designed to fit together end to end so that the frame can be made in various sizes.

10. A system as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the guide means on the boat are rollers.

11. A system as claimed in Claim 10 wherein the cable passes from one side of said boat to the other and the rollers on said boat are mounted on either side of said boat.

12. A system as claimed in Claim 11 wherein there is a set of rollers on each side of said boat, said set having one horizontal roller and two vertical rollers, the two vertical rollers preventing the cable from slipping off the horizontal roller.

13. A system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the means to rotate the rollers is an electric or a hydraulic motor.

14. A system as claimed in Claim 12 wherein the motor has a capstan connected to a motor shaft with the cable being wound around said capstan between the two sets of rollers.

15. A system as claimed in Claim 12 wherein the cable is rotated at a speed of approximately three feet per second.

16. A system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the means to catch fish at a free end of said fishing line are hooks or lures, or a combination thereof.

17. A system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the loop formed by the continuous cable can be opened to either remove part of the cable and make the loop smaller or to insert additional cable to make the loop larger.

18. A system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the tether can be lengthened or shortened, as desired.

19. A system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the frame is suspended by said tether at a pre-determined depth, said frame having at least three guide wires that extend from said frame to said tether so that said frame is held in a substantially horizontal position.

20. A system as claimed in any one of Claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein, for shallow water fishing, a buoy is affixed to said frame by a tether to hold said frame close to the surface of a body of water where said frame is being pulled through said water by said boat.

21. A fishing system as claimed in any one of Claims 1, 4 or 7 wherein there is mounted in said boat a device to automatically remove any fish caught on the fishing lines as said lines pass from side to side of said boat.

22. A fishing system for use with a moving boat located on a surface of a body of water, said system comprising a cable with fishing lines dangling therefrom at spaced intervals, said fishing lines having means to catch fish at a free end thereof, guide means for said cable located on said boat and beneath said surface of said body of water so that a large portion of said cable can be suspended beneath said surface from said boat at a pre-determined depth, said cable extending past all of said guide means to form a continuous loop, with means to rotate said cable through said guide means.

23. A method of fishing from a moving boat located on a surface of a body of water, said boat having a continuous cable rotatably mounted thereon, a frame suspended substantially transverse to said boat beneath said surface on a tether connected to said boat, guide means on said boat and on said frame for receiving said continuous cable, with means to rotate said cable through said guide means, said cable having fishing lines extending therefrom at spaced intervals, said fishing lines having means to catch fish at a free end, said method comprising placing said cable in all of said guide means to form a loop, locating said frame at a pre-determined depth, rotating said cable through said guide means on a continuous basis while moving said boat in a direction transverse to said frame, and removing any fish caught by said fishing lines as the cable passes through said boat.