The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-08-05

Though not large fish, and not, as an In
| divlduai, requiring great amount OF space
| TO manUuyre in, mackerel inhabit the ocean
in nearly every part OF the globe, though
| the varieties differ somewhat in the warmer
zones. These fish are very voracious, and
roam all the ocean I'm immense and count
less numbers seeking food, making migra-
lions as extensive as the herring. 1t is
equally at bone In the sbai,ow waters OF
the coasts and the deep-sea localities. and
divides its pursuits between deep and shall
low swimming. 1t is regular in its vista
lions, aud may be calculated upon with Ger.
tainty 10 be found In particular place at
given time, so that the fisherman need never
20 amiss in his search for 1t, although bis
| plans for capturing the fish frequently do so.
| During the past three weeks the waters OF
Massachusetts, bay have swarmed" in
every part with mackerel, aud In Cape Cod
bay especially they have been found in
enormous quantities. Usually they have
been seen schooling" upon the surface,
though, when they are thus apparent. il is
reasonably certain that under water they
are still more numerous. The lower part OF
the bay having been, during this time,
populated with young herrings, swimming
about near the surface by the million, the
voracious mackerei have had fine hunting
and have pursued their legitimate game
with a pertinacily and seized upon il
with an ayidlty which is now duplicated
and finely illustrated in the chase OF the
bluefish after the mackerel itself. During
a cruise in the bay, taken by the writer OF
this few days since, the ripple OF the mack
erel schools was seen in every direction
throughout the entire day, and 1t is said
that this has been the case during all the
time mentioned above, and that the fish has
pushed fairly into the harbors, creeks, and
all the indeutatious OF the land, so that it
has even been taken from wharves, toe
channels and waterways, and the shadows
near the shores.
IMPROVING TUE OPPORTUNITIES.
When 1t is stated that single "school"
of mackcrel often contains sufficient num-
bers to bill thousands Of barrels, some idea
OF the greatness OF the supply may be en-
tertaned. They have numerous enemies,
as the bluetiSb, shark, etc., and among their
relentless and most busy prosecutors man.
kind must be reckoned Il principal. But
Notwithstanding their ranks are thinned
continually by all these destroying agents,
very many more escape than are captured,
and many doubtless become veterans-tray.
elIers in various seas--old heads, who know
thing or two about the dangers OF the
deep-and are perhaps oracles among fishes.
The fishermen look upon mackerel as a
wonderfully -fancful fish, coy and uncer-
tain IN all its ways, and impossible 10 be
anticipated in its bumors. For days and
days, sometimes, though present all the
time, and very largely on the surface. no
temptation is sufficient to make it take
bait ; and occasionally, when its fawori,e
food is strewn literally over the surface of
the water, the fish will refuse TO rise from
the depths, and disdain all allurement.
At other times it will bite anything
a red rag, morsel OF 6sh-skln, a
bit OF wood; and during the past ten days
il has frequently happened that no bait at
all has been needed. only bare hooks;
indeed, when the mackerel bite at all. ii is |
perhaps as often at a bare hook as any,
thing. They have their biting days" and |
they all seem to be influenced alike. Neither |
is it possible to present the exact connection |
between these prOpensties and the presence |
Of their natural food in the waters in fact, |
no one can tell what they will do next |
Near the "White Horse" great rock on |
the south Plymouth shore, one man took |
during single fishing one day last week |
| 300 mackerel, catching every fish with a |
bare hook, and many other fishers near him |
loaded dories to their thwarts, catching |
all in the same way. One fisherman in |
that locality declared that he had to |
row for the shore TO save bis life, |
80 fierce!y did the mackerel pursue |
his hook over the sides of his d0ry; but, |
few persons are aware who have |
not witnessed 1t how completely crazed |
these fish seem to be when they take 10 the |
hook. This will continue sometimes for |
hours, when all at once every fish disdains |
the hook, and ii is as impossible to take one
in that way as it would be to catch birds
with 1y-paper. When they do not choose
TO bite not one can be taken with the hook
for days at a time, though there may be
millions in sight all the while. They have
chosen to bite lately, and the whole south
shore has been stocked with them at times,
so that it has been impossible to give them
away.
However. the bay boats and regular
fishermen do not wait upon the mackereI to
humor It's inclination for the hook, but put
other devices in practice when their game is
dainty. They take with them on their trips
seines and all the appliances for capture
known in the business, and proceed TO en-
trap what they cannot secure by old-time
Among numerous schools OF
ia sight one is selected-not the
largest, for il Is not at all desirable to get on
hand too many fish at one time-and the
tories make ready TO surround 1t with the
great seine. These seines are vast nets,
very cumbersome and unwieldy, except to
he expert. Their width is sufficient to
reach far down into the water, and, indeed,
he boats usually carry two sizes, one for
I'D 4 t,an ~. har for holl fu- / 1
The lower edge Of the seine Il loaded with
g sinkers," TO carry 1t down under water
beneath the school, and along this edge is
'un a pursuing line, by which when the
,eine is set ii can be contracted at the bot
ON, and thus entrap the fish. The upper
edge is lifted with cork buoys, and can also
be pursed when the time for such proceed
ng arrives. Arrived at the head OF school, [
he fishermen deity shoot over their seine,
and proceed TO surround the now. craZed
ish. This Is an operation requiring dex-
erity aud experience, and there are many ,
conditions upon which success depends.
Often the wind Is blowing quite too strong
y 10 make tue handling OF the great net an
.asy Job; the water is Just too rough for fair
work; the seine and its ropes seem
determined to entapgle, illustrating in
very stage OF the proceeding the Total
ieprasiiy Of inanimate things. Withal the
situation Is exciting. Hundreds Of barrels
IL mackerei are shooting and darting and |
lashing at a thousand different angles over
he space on the surface the seiners are try
ng TO inclose. Presto! down they go out Z,
81 sight Ikea colony OF seals at a gunfire.
Uptney come again, in their furry beating
oLt oil the water, and scooting in every !
direction except that which would insure I
hem safety. they do not perceive that !