Yeah I think he is just grabbing a floating line or an eye on the dock, but it sure looks like fishing. Could be if they wanted.. I am sure it happened.
Not much rigging on that thing to create drag is there... yikes! The part about the hydrodynamic testing on the Curtiss hulls was indeed interesting.
A few of these were used for Forestry Patrol in Manitoba, and like I said I learned of the aircraft for the first time only recently due to that old picture that lit up my curiosity.
I'm not volunteering for the next aircraft.. I like these quizzes but I drop the ball all the time and tick off Ernie by getting distracted.. :-)