Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-09-12
CATCHING GOLDFISH.
A GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF THEIR
CAPTURE AND CURE.

Shining beauties from the kid" to the
salted Pile.
On the right and left Of the fisherman
as he stands at the rail are pegs driven
into and extending some two inches above
the rail. These are the "pull boobies" for
the lines to run against. A small cleat Is
attached to the bulwark, to which the
line is made fast, each man having two
lines, one ut each hand. A small pen or
"kid" Is built against the side of the
vessel near each mans fishing berth into
which the fish are thrown when taken
from the hook and larger one called the
"gurry kid" is built amidships for the re-
ception OF the offal from the dressing
down tables. Two large butts are lashed
to the bulwarks amidships into which the
cod livers are thrown and left to "try
out" of their own accord, the oil being
drawn off now and then as occasion re-
quires from spigot near the bottom OF
the butt Everything is now ready and
commence fishing.
BETTER THAN MEDICINE.
Two or three partly picked CLANS are
placed on each hook and the leads are
then thrown over the side and soon l
feel them thump on the bottom. The
lines are then drawn in about three feet
and made fast to the cleats. Now l
stand with "nippers" on my hands and
arrayed in my barvil, or long oilcloth
apron, and grasping one line In each
hand "saw" them back and forth alter
nately against the pull bobbles, thus
striving to entioe the finny beauties to
take my bait.
Soon q dispatch Is sent from the bot
tom of the Atlantic up along my hempen
telegraph that some poor victim has par
taken Of his last meal and, dropping the
other line, I quickly haul In hand over
hand and soon have my first fish over
the rail and into the kid.
Batting my hook once more I throw
the lead overheard and while it is run.
ming down, grasp the other line and
find that this too has secured prize.
Surely this is getting exciting, and as
pulled in our second line, its dripping
coils formed graceful circles On the little
platform at my feet. I forgot that wal
ever an invalid and our whole thought
was centered on the one idea Of dis
covering whether have one or two cod
fish at the end of that line. 1t surely
draws more steadily and with less furry
than did the first one, and as the lead
shoots up through the sparkling water
discover that both hooks are treasure
laden, and with q loud and joyful hurral
lean over the rail.
Talk about pills and boluses to quick
en- sluggish circulation That last hau
really did me more good than all tn
drugs had taken for the past 81!
months.
LIKE A LARGE SLAUGHTER HOUSE.
The fish were all gathered from tn
several kids and thrown into the on
amidships which adjoins the "gurr
kid" The dressing table is then set u
against the side of the latter, and, tai
ing our several positions, we are read
Tor action. H.....
Our throater, Lowell by name, stand
facing the dressing kid and, reachin
down, seizes fish with his left hant
the thumb grasping the under jaw an
lifting him, places the back of the fish
neck across the edge of the kid, and wit
o quick slash of his two edged, daggt
shaped knife, cuts a deep and wide gas
across the throat. A deft movement ,
the knife then removes the tongue, whic
is thrown into a tub near by. He the
rips the fish down the belly far enoue
to expose the entrails and quickly fippiz
out the liver slides the fish across Il
table to the "header, :" who stands reat
upon the opposite side. During the Z
mainder of the voyage, I represent'
that individual, and was indeed thankf
that our first catch was not a large'o
for was certainly anything but an e
pert when tackled my frst fish.
The operation Of heading is after Il
manner: The header is provided wi
wooden mittens having . thumb and fol
6nger. AS the 6sh is slid across the tai
by the throater, the header seizes it
placing the fcuefinger OF the left ha'
6rmly in the fish's eye and the thur
under the lower jaw. Then with t
forefnger of his right hand he grasps
principal intestine where it is joined
the body and with quick jerk tears
loose; then with a forward scooping n
: ton he removes the whole internal n
chinery and slides it into the curry k
He then, with tho left hand still reta
ing its position, draws the fish forws
until it lies upon its back, the back Of
neck resting over the edge of the tai
He now with his right hand extend
grasps the fish by the throat and wit
quick push against the napes with
right hand and at the same instant
+ sudden downward jerk of the fish's he
o with the left, the head is broken off 8
d falls into tub between his feet, WI
E the beheaded fish slides over to
splitter, who stands at the front of
table with the throater at his left 9
the header at his right hand.
4 The splitter now seizes the fish by
4 nape with the left hand and with
quick slash with his. long knife sp
him down to the root of the tail
then places the lip Of the knife un
the lower end of the backbone and W
q sudden forward and at the same ii
lifting motion, whirls the backbone i
the air and the fish is thrown down /
the hold to the salter.
!, The fish are laid up in tiers like ct
| xuood IN q shad the tiers ralnnin0 tra