Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-08-11
WONDERFUL FISHING
INGENUITY AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR
SKILL ~ ANGLING.
How n Flock of Geese CatcIf Fish in Scot
land-Fishing with Electricity
Japanese Methods Of Angling.
[corrc,pona.nc, Of ths RIchmoua pL.paleh.l

NEW YORK, August g. 1899.
Recently New York newspaper offered
q prize OF $40 for the best % fish story.
The double eagle could have been won by
somebody who related facts instead Of nc
ton. as the truth is much more wonderful
than any creation Of fancy.
The other day the writer fell in with n
friend who IS an ichthyologist and enthu-
siastic angler. The conversation or course
turned upon his favorite subjects.
They have a style Of fishing in Scot
land" said he, which for case and repose
takes the prize. The intending angler Sc
lects half dozen Of the largest geese in his
BARNARD and having tied lines Eve or six
feet long with baitcd hooks 10 the feet of
each bird he takes them % the water;
When they arc put in the stream or pond
they OF course swim cut. and the fisherman
lights his pipe and sits down 20 await
events. Before long fish sees the bait,
and Selling 10. gives the bird good pull.
The goose is frightened half 20 death and
starts for the bank with its utmost speed,
dragging the fish after II. When the
game is landed il is unlocked. and fresh
bait being supplied, the bird Is sent out 70
try its luck again. In this vsy a fock OF
geese will make quite haul ~ the course
of day. the human fisherman having only
60 take tho game and bait the hooks, the
c.tching and pulling in being done Nv the
birds. In Washington Territory, or J sup
pose should say the State OF Washington,
in the great salmon country, pigs often
dive for FISH, and they VIII pick up SAL
mon in ten feet OF water"
CATCHING FISH BY ELECTRICITY.
Are there any fishing devices TO in
crease the quantity OF the catch - l
asked.
Oh, yes" ne replied, when was
across the water some time since
saw curious experiment in u European
fsh-pond that showed me what fishing IS
coming 10 in the future. The place was
dark, when a man wearing one of the
new electric lights entered the water,
which wss illuminated by the light.
The effect WAS curious, the most singular
result being observed ~ the fish, all Of
which gathered about the light, appa-
rently astonished at the strange appari-
ton. The man carried small scoop
net. with which he caught oil the fish
he wanted. If this system could be car
RED out on the Grand Baaks. In 200 feet of
water, there would be revolution IN fish
ing. The system WAS tried on board ves
sci Of the United States Fish Commission
with considerable success. The expert
ments were made with long line that had
an electric light Just above the bait. OF
course IN any place like the tank IN Fulton
market the fish become accustomed TO the
light and will not approach II, but in the
open sea- where new fish would constantly
be met with, no such difficulty would arse.
sAPANEsE FISHING.
But. after all, believe that the biggest
hauls are made by the japanese fishermen,
without any scientific appliances. and IN
the good old-fashioned way. ! was greatly
surprised when / first saw their fishing
boats and nets a few years ago. In the dis
trict Of Nagassaki alone lam Informed that
there are So 600 people engaged IN fishing,
with n 900 boats. On the most southcrlY
Of the four large japanese islands the ordi-
nary fishing boat IS twenty feet long and
tive feet broad. In the centre Of tho
boat is n compartment several feet square
opening into the water below. but covered
with net that makes il a tight place tor
the fish thrown there. Oars twelve feet
long with broad blades are used TO propel
the boat. which moves with great rapldlty.
-Four men are required for each boat, and
on clear night hundreds of such boats
NAV be seen moving out IN fleets, with
great fires burning on the crows nests AZ
the end Of the craning-irous IN the bows.
Tho boats made q picturesque scene
with their faring lights and half-naked
fishermen. swinging TO and fro at the oars
or standing at the bows with spears up
raised ready for n throw, in which they are
very expert. The larger fsh-tye or
six feet in leng;h-are usually caught
with a hook. The Bonita, weighing
from ten 10 twenty pounds, l. both
speared and hooked. For deep-water FISH
ing the boats are propelled with SOULS and
bamboo sails, with thirty or forty men III q
crew.
THEIR sEISEs.
Their nets, or selnes, are very large,
1. III Ill h. A.trf "a
Carolina, where horses are used TO drag
them ashore. In places where the beach
allows. .eines hundreds Of feet long aud
forty feet deep are drawn. At the
mouth OF ono river in Northern Japan
they think nothing Of taking. several
thousand salmon at one maui. lhclr
substitute for the pound-net Is an i'm
mense triangle covering an acre or more.
It - set where the water is n few faith
Oms deep with the apex Of the triangle
toward the shore. The meshes from the
centre toward the apex are very fine, but
towards the base they gradually open out
and become very large. The extreme edges
and apex of the triangle are kept at the
surface bv bundles Of small bamboo sticks,
while the centre says down to the bottom,
and the fish pas IN freely through the
large Ineshes. attracted by the bait which
is thrown IN for that purpose.
HOW THE FISH ARE TAKEN.
Morning and evening the fishermen in
four or five boats, beginning at the base
pass the net under the bottom Of the boats
and drive the FISH over the meshes of the
apex. So many are enclosed in this way
that the water seems TO boil with them.
The boats are often loaded at single haul,
although many of the hsh escape by leap
ing over the sides of the net. They are
taken out IN scoop nets. The fish
taken include bass, herrlngs, gorEies,
and fish corresponding % the Lou
iuana pOmpane. Young sharks are also
taken and esteemed great dellcacy.
The tremendous schools of sardines
there eeon are wonders in themselves, and
are taken by the Japanese IN a sort Of gill
net, which IL dragged through the water 10y
two boats propelled by sails, and they
bring up the net with a hsh 10 every mesh.
They have queer way Of catching whales
in the waters on the japanese islands, the
great cetacea being captured IN April aud
NAY of the northwest coast. When a
whale is seen to appear the signal Is given
by a Waterman, when scores Of boats
spread in It's path. and the whale, confused
by their number, falls IN easy prey TO thcir
lances."