Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1858-10-26
Eel FIshing in the susquehanna.

AT the present Time tne purSulI auu caP1uto
of the piscatorial treasures Of the Susquehanna,
furnishes q vast amount of sport for the riparian
residents, and what is of importance, supplies
them with considerable amount OF valuable
food. About the middle of August the water OF
the stream becomes very low, and usually by
September, that in the channel is only 1ew
feet deep, leaving the stony bottom for VIDE
space on either side in some places nearly bare,
with occasional deeper furrows which pass along
lit. At this stage of water the instinct which
governs the fish to descend the rivers previous
to the advent of cold weather becomes tn
means of their destruction. For many miles oe
the rivers length, therefore, north and south OIL
us, the people owning the shore adjoining, erect
their fish dams and gins, by deepening the chan
mel somewhat and building an elongated
shaped wall, at the lower point Of which is liked
q box, from which the fsh, when once caught,
cannot extricate themselves. ~
Obeying the instinct in their descent OF the
stream, they find themselves borne pleasantly
into this channel, and wriggliDg themselves
cheerily, they let the current-pent in by walls
carry them along until they tumble, plump!
into the box at the termination OF the v. The
fish taken in this manner are for the most part
cells. of which almost incredible quantities are
captured during the fall season. The eel.catch-
ers call it fall run, and in many sections are in
the habit of dating all events from it. We once
heard q man in court examined as to question
of time, by counsel He made his deposition,
and was passed over for cross-examination. -
''How do you know this to be the cese2" he was
interrogated. "Why, because it was the same
week with the first run of eels." This was
deemed conclusive, and the witness underwent
no further inquisition on that point.
To return to the eel question-their "run" on
ly takes place at night; in day time they remain
quiet in the comparatively deep pools of the river.
Tie work of catching them, however, Is so in
secure, not so much on account of the labor, as
of the wakefulness and exposure which 1t in
wolves In some of the dark and showery nights
of the season the game will come into the boz
so fast that the watcher, who is often stationed
there with boat, can scarcely remove them ir
to it with sufficient celerity. At other times
there will be scarcely spoil enough In the boxer
to repay for trouble In watching them. 1t
only the larger apparatus and dams, howeyet
that are thus cared tor; the smaller being rarely
filled to overfowing. Fisherman secure and sal
down some five or ten barrels OF ees during the
season, besides living entirely upon them during
the catch. The larger operators make the bus
mess pay, as single man alone can perform all
the labor required in taking and sailing the fish.
We have read of various illustrations of digtal
dexterity and have seen Ole Bulls, Paul Julien's
and Vauxtemp's manipulation of the violin; but
could either of these gentlemen once behold the
marvellous rspidity with which some of the fish
ermen divest the eels of their slippery epidermis
or integuments, they would stand abashed, and
like the sable individual in the song, "lay down
the fiddle and the bow" for ever afterward.
We are at loss to see how it is possible for
any fish whatever to descend to the mouth Of
the river, excepting it be few belated ones,
who delay their return until rise in the river
gives them security from the low water traps
From Marietta to point perhaps hundred
miles up, excepting in few places, these eel
gins are so numerous that they must entirely
empty the river of the eels, the run continuing
constantly until frost, and the fishing being ter
minated only, as we have already said, by the
fall rains When these occur the boxes are ia
ken up.
The walls which remain under the water are
very seldom disturbed, and the next year, with
little repairs, are Just as good as ever. The
eels are packed in full sized barrels, and many
are sent to Baltimore. Quantities are purchased
by sea.going vessels, whose shippers are aware
of the delicious flavor Of this rather anomalous
article of provision. The fishing season in some
places closes with grand carouse, In which
q large quantity of whiskey is consumed.