In the winter of 1988, Hall began work in her studios to "keep her fishing" while Eli's boats were tied up at the wharf waiting for another season on the water, and The Coil rested in the shed, waiting for another season on the land. She continued this practice for more than five years- working outdoors in spring and summer and in the studio in the winter- but always "fishing for meaning".

A large and connected body of work emerged- investigating the gear, the tools, the vessels and the specialized clothing of the inshore fishery. Most of this work has been exhibited in public and/or commerical galleries, and Tools of the Trade was presented at the United Nations Conference on High Seas Fisheries in New York, in 1993.