Fishing Creel

Many people enjoy fishing either as a hobby or as a competitive sport. The purpose of fishing is to catch different kinds of fish, sometimes large fish are caught and also rare fish. Unlike industrial fishing, fishing carried out by individuals is usually not with the intention of keeping the fish, they are usually returned to the water. There are some areas which have natural lakes where fishing occurs, or there are man made lakes which are filled with fish and individuals pay to fish in the lakes. One requirement when fishing is for all people to stay quiet so the fish are not disturbed.
A piece of equipment which is used by many fishing enthusiasts is a fishing creel. The creel is a small wicker basket, often used to capture the fish or prey.
The creel has a specific design, it is designed to have an evaporative cooler which is lined with moss and dipped into the creek in order to keep the catch chilled. Fish are held in the creel by a small leather strap, the fish usual enter the creel through an open slot at the top.
Despite many people believing this item may be a relatively new piece of equipment, it does in fact hold much heritage. The creel which was also known as a wickerwork receptacle in Middle English time dates back from around 1250 AD. There is also much evidence to prove that the creel was also popular throughout 1450 AD. The 17th century was the time when creels which made entirely of leather, came in to fashion. This was mainly due to the popularity of all leather products increasing. In the 1800s leather began to be used as a decorative product on creels which were made from materials such as willow and wicker. The leather looked good and also held a purpose; it helped to reinforce the creel. In the 1800s the majority of creels were being manufactured abroad, very few were made in the UK. The main exporters of the creel were Japan, China, Korea and the United States.
The creels of several decades ago and also very early creels have become collectors items. Many people now collect or invest in antique creels, with many selling for large amounts of money. Creels which were made by a famous company known as the George Lawrence Company fetch particularly high amounts of money.
The majority of creels which are manufactured currently are made from materials such as willow or wicker. The creel is a popular item with people holding picnics, picnics sets can usually be bought to the match the style and material of the creel. The price of the creel depends entirely upon the size and also the manufacturer. Some hand made creels are now available; these have been manufactured in the UK, which shows how the popularity of fishing has increased, as previously the UK produced very few fishing products. The mass production of creels now also means that some can be bought for very cheap prices.