Skip Whitcomb (American, B. 1946) "Fishing Boat Tied Up" Signed lower right. Original Watercolor on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting originally appeared on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the 19c Fishing Boat Coil issued June 25, 1994. "I never lost a little fish - yes, I am free to say it always was the biggest fish I caught that got away." Poet Eugene Field's words still ring true today, a century after they were originally penned, for modern fishermen continue to boast about immense catches that consistently seem to wriggle off the hook. Typically, prize catches are found in deeper waters, far from shore. To pursue such creatures, fishing from boats is essential. Throughout the world, such vessels are vital to those who depend upon the fruits of the sea for their survival and livelihood. In Canada and throughout Polynesia, for example, canoes are among the most popular watercraft used for fishing. Relatively unchanged from those once fashioned by early inhabitants, these time-honored boats continue to carry modern fishermen to areas beyond the casting range of shore anglers. Another craft commonly used for plying offshore waters is a rowboat. These small vessels are easily maneuvered in places such as sandbanks and shallow stretches of sunken mud, where fish gather to feed on worms, dead crabs and even smaller fish. Image Size: 15.75 x 13.5 in. Overall Size: 18 x 16 in. Unframed. (B12955) See More