The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-09-09
FISHING FOR HALIBUT.
b. @. W. Writes of an Interesting Indus
try of Oregon.
Especial CorreSpondence.l

Try OF OEeBOh'
Especial Correspondence.l
PORTLAND, Ore, Aug. 27.-Are you fond
of halibut steakss If so, do you know how
the fish are caught? did not know much
about the matter until the other day, when
l found young man who had just re-
turned from cruise on, or rather "oh,
the banks in the Puget sound district. l
asked number of questions, and CLEANED
some interesting facts on the subject of
deep sea fishing.
There is deep sea fishing company here
which operates quite extensively in haibut
fishing, and it is supposed to be a profitable
industry.
The company owns a steamer for the
purpose, and this steamer engages exclu-
sively in the fishing business. She car
ries a crew OF eleven men, a captain,
first officer and cook being three of the
number. Eight fishermen complete the
crew. They carry four small boats, and
two men are assigned to each boat when
fishing. The men catch the fish on COM
mission, and share the results equally be-
tween them. Thus eleven shares are rep
resented, and the net results of each cruise
are divided equally between the crew.
They have lines 200 feet long, and an an
Choir and a small buoy are attached to each
end of this line. The hooks are attached
at intervals of about twelve feet on the
line, making seventeen hooks to each line.
The hooks when thrown overheard are adj
justed to hang near the bottom of the sea.
''Dories" are used in casting the lines,
which are taken in about twice a day.
Each hauling in of the lines brings up fish
on from one-half to two-thirds of the
hooks The fish weigh from 40 to 175
pounds each. Frequently shark or cod
fish is taken. The former are of no value,
and the latter are used for bait rs needed,
after the ''cod" or oil producing part has
been taken. The surplus is thrown into
the sea. Occasionally black cod is taken,
and these go into the pot to make feast
for the crew.
Sometimes it is found that a hungry
shark has taken a meal from one of the
halibuts, and then it is used only as bait.
Sometimes they find carcass half con-
sumed by sharks, the halibut being unable
to defend itself or escape after having
swallowed the baited hook.
At the opening of the season the men
were paid one aud three-quarter cents a
pound as their share in its catch. The
company concluded they were making too
much money, and reduced the price to one
and one-half cents pound. The result of
the second cruise was that each share
amounted to about SO for a ten days
cruise
The company again reduced the price to
the men, thinking presumably that fisher
men could not stand such prosperity. At
one cent pound the crew revolted and
left the ship, but another crew was found,
and as the result of two weeks trip
turned in S65 per man. The fish are brought
to the ship after each raising of the lines,
and are opened, cleaned and packed in
broken ice in the hold of the vessel. One
trip resulted in a catch of 10000 pounds of
dressed halibut. the trips averaging lit
tie below that.
Occasionally when fogs settle down over
the fishing ground the dories cannot find
their way back to the vessel, and then the
anchor must be hoisted and search made
for the missing men. Indians go out to
the banks in small canoes, and spend sew
eral days at a time in fishing They dry
the fish and live on them during the win
ter. Halibut fishing is not the most en-
jOyable sort of pastime, and is not unat-
tended with danger, yet as long as 1T Is
such a profitable business men will be
found ready to brave the sea in the small
craft used, and undergo the hardships and
dangers encountered.
The profits to the owners of the vessels
must be liberal, as the market never is
overstocked, and the prices range between
eight and ten cents a pound. The cost
of catching is the one to one and
three-quarters Of a cent a pound to the
men, and the cost of the vessel and ice and
other fixtures, which is not large item in
the aggregate.
Ny informant said that the larger hall
butts make a vigorous fight when being
lifted out of dories. A stroke of big fish
across the shin is not very pleasing SEN
sation. B. G. w.