Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-03-04

TUE APPROACHING FISHING SEASON
The fishing season of 1885 is now almost
unon us. and the OILERS and seine haulers
have made their preparations ID hopes OF a
anccessful season. In about mouth from
now when The mild weather sets IN, the
nsnal parties will be made up. and whole
Jsvs spent upon the fishing shares watch.
inc the modus operuadi of landing the large
seines, and partaking Of plank shad. In
,ba oldeu times" says q Washington cor
respoudeut Of Northern paper "a party
vent down the Potomac every Saturday on
the steamboat Salem 10 eat panked shad.
7, WAS chiefly composed Of Senators aud
REPRESENTATIVES, with few leading officials,
some prominent citizens and three or TOUR
newspapermen, who in those days never
Violated the amenities Of social life by print
inc what they heard there. An importing
house in Georgetown would send on board
the steamer large denjj Inns filled with the
best wines and liquors, which almost
everybody drank without stiut. Going
down the river there was god deal OF
card. playing iu the upper saloon of the
boat, with some story telling on the
hurricane deck. Arriving at the White
House fishing grounds, some would go
on shore, some would watch the draw
ing of the selne from the boat, some
would take charge of the culinary de-
uartment, aud few would remain at
the card tables. The oaken planks used
were about 2 inches thick, IA inches
wide and 2 feet long. They were scalded
and wiped dry. A freshly caught shad
was then takeu. scaled, split Open down
the back, cleaned washed aud DRIED. II
was then spread out on plank aud
- 81, u1k a
plank with the fish on it was then stood at
an angle OF 45 degrees before Il hot wood
fire and baked until it was rich dark
brown color, an attendant turning the plank
every few m me is and ba5ting tho hsh
with thin mixture of melted butter aud
-four. Meanwhile an experienced cock was
irving fire. b shad roe In q mixture OF eggs
and cracker dust at another tie, where
sweet aud Irish potatoes were being roasted
in the ashes On one occasion MIR. Web
ster, who had some Goldfish sent him III ice
on a govern ment steamer from Boston, car
ried them down on shad-bake, with q
large kettle, some pork, some ship biscuit,
some milk aud some onions, aud had
chowder made by couple from Massachu-
setts He was very particular in having
the pork first cut into dice, fried, and then
taken out with a screen. The melted pork
remained in the kettle, and in it were plac-
ed successive layers of fish, crackers
onions and potatoes until the Kettle
was two-thirds full, when he pour
ed in a generous quantity of milk.
The planked shad, meanwhile, were served
on the planks on which they had been
cooked, each person having llank aud
picking out what portions he liked best,
breaking up his roastI potato on the warm
shad, while The roe was also served to those
who wished for it, After the fish came
punch and cigars, and then they re-em-
barked aud the hows Of the steamer We're
turned toward Washington. When oppo
site Alexandria an account was taken OF
the liquor and wine which had been drunk,
and all asst s~meut was levied, which geu-
orally amounted to about 81 each. never
saw person intoxicated at one of these
shad bakes nor heard any quarrelng. The
festivity at one of them, however, was mar
red by the accidental falling overheard of
young man from Georgetown, who was
drowned