Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1890-01-03
CATCHING GOLDFISH.
How an Extensive Marine Busi-
ness Is Carried On.
Experiences on One of the
Boats Which Make HaulS.


inches ab.ve the rail, writes Edward
Wiggins in the Lewiston (Me. Journal,
in an article desert ibing a trip he took
on Yankee vessel that started out to
catch Goldfish. These pegs are the ''pull
bobbles" for the lines to run against.
A small cleat is attached to the bull
wark to which the line is made fast,
each man having two lines, one at 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 tax en- from the hook,
and larger one called the ''gurry kid
is built amidships for the reception of
the offal from the dressing down tables.
Two large butts are lashed to the bull
warks 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 a spigot near the bottom OF
VIC buJts EfCl bAlho - nv" iS"NJ "HN
commence fishing.
Two or three partly picked CLANS are
placed on each hook and the leads are
then thrown over the side and soon
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 al
ternately against the pull bobbles, thus
striving to cntico the inny beauties to
take my bait.
Soon dispatch is sent from the bot
tom OF the Atlantic up along my hempen
telegraph that some poor victim has
partaken of his last meal, and, drop
ping the other line, 1 quickly haul in
hand over hand and soon have my first
fish over the rail aud 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 this too has secured prize. Surely
this is getting exciting, and as pulled
in our Sc cond line, its dripping coils
formed graceful circles on the little
platform at my feet. I forgot that /
was ever an invalid and our whole
thought was centered on the one idea
of discovering whether l 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 spark
ling water ! discovered that both hooks
are treasure laden, and with a loud and
Joyful hurrah lean over the rail.
The fish were all gathered from the
several kids and thrown into the one
amidships which adjoins the "gurry
kid" The dressing table is then set
up against the side of latter, and, TAX
ing out several positions, we are ready
for action
Our throater, Lowell by name, stands
facing the dressing kid and, reaching
down, seizes fish with his left hand,
the thumb grasping the under jaw and
lifting him, places the back of the fish S
neck across the edge of the kid, and
with quick slash of his two-edged,
dagger-shaped knife, cuts deep and
wide cash acre oss the throat. A Gcft
movement of the knife then removes
the tongue, which is thrown into tub
near by. He then rips the fish down
far enough to expose the entrails and
quickly Tipping out the liver slides the
fish across the table to the header, who
stands ready upon the opposite side.
The operation of heading is after this
manner: The header is provided with
woolen mittens having thumb and
forefnger. As the fish is slid across
the table by the throater, the header
seizes 1t by placing the foretinger OF the
left hand firmly in the fshs eye, and
the thumb under the lower jaw. Then,
with the forefnger of the right hand
he grasps the principal intestine where
it is joined to the body, and with a
quick jerk tears it loose; then with a
forward scoopng motion he removes
the whole internal machinery, and
slides it into a curry kid. He then,
with the left hand still retaining its
pos tion, draws the fish forward until it
lies upon its back, the back of the
neck resting over the edge Of the table.
He now, with his right hand extend
ed, grasps the fish by the throat, aud
with quick push against the napes
with the right hand, and at the sam,