Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-10-28

Then q space of 50 to 100 feet of water
front is secured from the government as a
field for operations. The sweep is planted at
the waters edge, whit net suspended over
the water, and a cord is attached to the ele-
waited end of the beam, by which the net is
lifted to the surface. Then an excavation is
made in the bank n covered in with reeds
or mating to protect the occupant from rain
or storm. In this crude pit the Clone fisher
man" takes up his abode, and year in and
year out he Tor she, for often the women tend
the nets stands and at intervals lifts the net.
to secure any chance victim that may be
taken. No bait is used nor is there any rule
by which to determine when to lift the net.
1t is a pure game of chance. Yet in the
course of theday enough fish are usually cap
tured to meet the wants of the fisherman. and
when enough are captured to go to the mar
ket they are either carried or sent in boats
to the nearest city or village to be sold. In
going from Shanghai to Hankow, a distance
of 800 miles, / was impressed with the novel
sight of these dip nets lining the shores on
either hand at short intervals, the entire dis
lance, and such is the state of affairs on all
the waterways of the empire. Small streams
and shallow lakes are tished by dip nets con-
structed upon small boats, which are porta-
BILE. For deep-Sater fishing a cast net is en-
ployed. This is simply a wide extended sheet
of netting with lead or iron sinkers on one
end. The net is coiled in the hands of the
operator, and with a dexterous toss it is spread
full width over the surface of the water. TIL
leads sink rapidly to a common center, form
ing a bag-hke shape with the net, which picks
up any fish that happens to be in the water
thus inclosed. The net when thrown is drawn
in and coiled at the same time. When the
inclosed space is taken up the catch is landed
in the boat of the operator and the net thrown
again. This is likewise random fishing, and
Is no doubt the same cast net as was EMPLOYED
py the fishermen who We're induced to be-
come fishers of men in the time of Christ.
Across narrow channels q "gill nett is set.
n the fish in passing up or down the stream
are fastened in the meshes of the net and
captured.
There is but little fishing done in China
with hooks, and their hooks are made by
hand in Almost primitive and crude manner. |
l was crossing a shallow lake near Kin |
Kiang, andI observed a lot of bamboo rods
sticking in the bottom of the lake and extend |
ing several feet above the water, upon the
branches of which bells were attached
LINES were fastened to the rods, with baited |
hooks. When a fish was fastened upon one
of these hooks, in its efforts to free itself the
Dell would ring and the fisherman in waiting |
would thus be notified where his services |
We're required. This was very exciting sport |
Or would nave been to one fishing for sport
4 saw the pattern, no doubt, of the first or
most primitive device for taking fish by
means OF baitad hook. 1t was simply a thin |
bamboo splint with a cord attached to the
center, and the two ends were brought to-
gether and inserted III a piece of flesh. When /
a fish took this into its mouth to swallow fine
bait the splint was freed and would spring
back to its former straight position. cross