Fish (term)
From WikiPOBia
Fishing is a way to temporarily repair a split or damaged spar such as a mast or yard. Reinforcing pieces of sound timber are bound to the spar so that they bridge the damaged area adding their strength to the weakened section.
A wholly separate use of the word, fishing the anchor describes the process by which an anchor is attached to the cat-falls, by which it is hauled out of the water and secured at the bow.