Life — May 31, 1929 — page 19: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a humorous comic strip titled "Fly Fishing" that plays on the double meaning of the term. Rather than depicting traditional fishing with a rod and line, the panels show men attempting to catch actual flies (insects) using fishing equipment and techniques. The joke escalates across six panels: men use fishing rods with lines to catch flies near trees, one man uses a net, another employs a large mechanical or constructed device, and the final panels show increasingly absurd methods involving what appears to be a large net or trap structure by water. The satire relies on the literal interpretation of "fly fishing" — treating it as fishing *for* flies rather than the actual sport. It's a straightforward visual gag typical of Life magazine's humor approach.