Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-05-14
SHAD FISHING.
WHY THE sHAD COME UP THE DELAWARE,
AND WHERE THEY ARE CAPTURED
FOR THE CITY TRADE.

fOh ihE cll1 TRADE.
The Philadelphia Record relates III,
following fish story y Between tn,
shad fishers and the milliners there ex
ISIS fellow feeling that words canno
convey. This unreasonable weather
has struck the spring bonnet trade il
vital spot, and has totally dished tb,
calculations of the fishermen. Th,
shad is coy fish, and dslikes to pro
ect its tender little body into stream
that is tempered with the nippnc
winds that March has entailed to April
The men Of nets are getting ready foi
the fish, and, even now, hundred oI
cork floaters dance upon the waves ol
the Delaware, suspending the network,
that ends the career Of oil fish that
become entangled in its meshes. The
visits of the shad into the Delaware
are entirely of a family nature,
During the greater portion of the
year the fish make their home in the
bosom Of the ocean, where the temper.
ature is not given to such Jack-in.the
box performances as it INDUCES in in
this quarter. But when spring puts
in its appearance in time, and the icy
temperature is taken from the waters,
the motherly shad, with her male es-
cort, swims up the river to deposit her
eggs, and, having performed this duty,
sports in the stream for while and
returns. 1t is while on this errand OF
nature that the shad fishers sweep the
stream with their trcacherous nets,
and haul in the victims that at this
season form such prominent place
upon all well regulated tables.
True to their instincts, the fish so
far have been backward in their ex.
peditions up the Delaware. But there
are exceptions to all rules, and few
ventursome mothers have endeavored
to reach the city, but many of these
never passed tho barrier Of floating
traps which the Gloucester fishermen
spread across the river. In the middle
of March Of last year Delaware shad
were plentiful in the market, and no
family was supremely happy without
a fine specimen of tho tribe as a central
piece on the dinner table.
Down in the bay at points few
miles this side Of the Delaware the
gill net corks have been bobbing on
the waters for two weeks, but they
have bobbed, comparatively, to little
purpose, for the fish have detailed in
the ocean, knowing full well that the
sun has not yet had power enough to
take the disagreeable chill from the
great stream that divides New Jersey
from Pennsylvania. Bright warm
sunny mornings are required, and when
they shall have come then Delaware
shad may be expected in untold mum.
bers.
Even now, when paying returns are
not expected, a squadron of small
boats, engaged in casting nets, rides
upon the waters of the big bend be.
low Gloucester In the evening, Just
when the sun IS sinking, or when the
tides swing around from ebo to How,
or wee versa, these small crafts shoot
out from the SHORES under the motive
power oi Two orawny fishermen, who
cast tnelf nets ana wait ior hnny VIC
Tins.
All along the shores on both sides OF
ka a. Gahnw... A.,
the stream hshermcn are at work
menulng ana iengtnenlng thelr nets
that tney may DC ready Tor the shad
when tney shall oegln 10 make ,nelr
excursions up tne stream; ny Mon
uay inc eh'ire notli'a VIII DC IN WORK
ing order, ana then may inc late
sleeper expect 70 nave his slumoers
disturbed oy tne Ius'y.iungeu snad,
siocto' AZ tnoh Oiu rVos Ohh w ih'