A popular riddle about a “school of fish” is:
Q: How do you catch a school of fish?
A: With a bookworm.
The joke has been cited in print since at least 1990.
17 July 1990, State Times (Baton Rouge, LA), “A Little Bit of Humor,” The Bubble Gum Rapper, pg. 1, col. 3:
Steve: How do you catch a school of fish?
Ginger: With a bookworm!
Old Fulton NY Post Cards
23 June 1993, Clinton (NY) Courier, “Kid’s Riddles,” pg. 7, col. 3:
What kind of bait do you use to catch a school of fish?
Bookworms!
Google Groups: schl.sig.lmnet
HIT: Library Jokes and Riddles
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
10/15/96
(...)
What’s the best way to catch a school of fish?
With bookworms
Google Groups: schl.sig.lmnet
GEN: School jokes
Paul & Deborah Connell
2/26/98
(...)
What bait do you use to catch a school of fish?
Bookworms.
18 November 1998, Titusville (PA) Herald, “Cryptoquip,” pg. 6, col. 4:
THE MORON THINKS HE’LL BE ABLE TO CATCH A SCHOOL OF FISH WITH A BOOKWORM.
Google Books
Mind Knots:
A Book of Riddles
By Mark Ziegler
Illustrated by Ryan Haugen
Minneapolis, MN: Picture Window Books
2006
Pg. 11:
How do you catch a school of fish?
With a bookworm.
Twitter
Kids Jokes
@KidzJokes
How do you catch a School of Fish??? With a Bookworm!!! hehehe!!! #Jokes
12:17 PM - 13 Dec 2009
Google Books
Wise Crackers:
Riddles and Jokes about Numbers, Names, Letters, and Silly Words
By Michael Dahl
Mankato, MN: Picture Window Books
2011
Pp. 38-39:
HOW DO YOU CATCH A SCHOOL OF FISH?
WITH A BOOKWORM.
Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.
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Above, Big Apple Corner at 54th Street and Broadway in Manhattan. Google Maps. Stolen and missing, 2021-2024.
Above, John J. Fitz Gerald, from the Aug. 15, 1931, Binghamton (NY) Press, pg. 14.
Listen to Robert Emmerich introduce "The Big Apple," a hit song from 1937. Music written by Bob and performed by Tommy Dorsey's Clambake Seven with Bob on piano. Lyrics written by Buddy Bernier and sung by Edythe Wright. Audio provided by Dorothy Emmerich.
Also listen to a 1937 "The Big Apple" song by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra. See a 1929 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald and a 1931 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald.
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