The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1891-09-18
HOW INDIANS CATCH FISH
DESCRIPTION OF THEIR GU RIOUs
METHODS AND TACKLE.
Hooks of Shcil. Limos of Bark, Nets
of Vegetable Fibre, Clubs and

Hooks of Shoil. Limos of Bark, Nets
of Vegetable Fibre Clubs and
Spears.
Not much is known as to how the In-
dians in the East, the aborigines who |
wandered over the Shawangunk aud
Catskil.s, caught their fish. They had |
hooks and they had lines. The hooks
were made of bone and even shells,
which were rudely whipped upon lines
made of bark or dried plants. When
poles were used they were tree branches
or saplings. Upon the hooks were
placed bugs or insects. 1t is true, though,
that most Indians used fish traps and net
contrivances to get the fish that then
teemed the waters that now an angler
must patiently work in with his arti-
fetal cast Of dies, thankful for dozen
fish, happy with double that number.
Some idea of the primitive tackle and
methods of the early days of the coun.
try can be gained from the Indians OF
the northwest coast. who are slow to
adopt modern apparatus, and even now
make little substitution for the tackle of
200 years ago except in accepting iron
bsrbs for the early hooks of she'll or
bone. The Indians of the earlier period
and depending largely upon fish for food
were obliged 20 develop the piscatorial
art and make big catches. To put out
hundred set hooks and gain like
cumeer Of fish was matter of common
occurrence with them. The size of the
..-hsh- did not bother them, aud they eafeiy
landed immense halibut weighing as
much as $50 pounds.
II
parts of the coast rivers and streams
that r fish trap was often used Some
times they used spears at narrow pas
wages in the river.
The Indians OF the northwest coast
retain their old tackle to this day The
big hooks obtained from the whites are
used for gaf hooks and as spear heads.
The hooks are traded as ether merchan
disc. A primitive style of hook used
by the Haida tribe Of the northwest is a
straight piece Of bone, the shank
straight piece of wood, and the snood or
smell straight piece of whslebone, the
srell being attached to the shank by
lashlrgs of bark. In another style
narrow block of wood is used With q
spike of bone, shell, or iron, and snood
nf spruce root or whalebone. In Alaska
large halibut hooks are also used. At
FIRST these were barbed with bone, but
now they are with iron. They are made
in two pieces, each lashed at the Joint
with cedar bark, the ~shanks made in
--dtHereut designs, supposed to give good
luck TO the fishermen. Some are made
from the forked branches Of trees, yew
and spruce being generally used. In the
wood is set the bone, shell or iron barb
The bait is lashed to the arm of the hook
which carries the barb, aud placed jus.
under It, These are very strong, aud
haiibut weighing as much as fifty pounds
pre caught on them.
BY steaming and bending a tough
piece Of yew branch, various shaped
hooks are made. One variety is twisted
Just as though the shank Of long weak
fish hook were bent in an oval shape and
brought back so as to leave little be.
s'svru-s, t.ei oss a surfp. OI sUeer
IS placed upon which TO tie piece Of
bait.
The hook that is used in catching cod
and founders, constructed with the spe
cial purpose Of preventing foullng, is
described by Judge J. &. Swan as fol-
lows
limbs, cut Gut from old decayed logs
These are split in pieces of suitable size
and whitfield to the required shape and
bent by being steamed into the form
which In the skill hook resembles the
longitudinal section of a goose egg. The
lower portion Of these hooks is turned
inward to form barb, aud when not in
use the two ends Of the hook are fast.
ened together by a piece OF twine, which
is also used to tie on the bait. The two
parts OF the hook are separated oy means
Of stick or peg, which the fish knocks
out when he takes the Eait, anfl the two
ends of the hook close togethe5and hold
him fast. The peg floats II the sur
face and indicates TO the Indian that he
Las caught fish.
The sinker is another ingenious con-
trivance. 1t is large stone weighing
from twelve TO fifteen pounds and a
smaller one to serve as tripping stone.
The licc is wound around these stones
many turns and blight or loop tucked
under one OF the parts in the came man
rer. signal officer rolls up flag in
hall acd tucks blight of ballard under
tnrn which, when pulled out, sets the
flag free. So when the Indian fisherman
thinks from the number Of floating pegs
that he has enough fish, he pulls out the
loop OF his line, the stones become 'oos.
ened and fall out, and hauls in his line
relieved OF the weights.
The Haidas frequently put on 100
hooks to line, which act like trawl,
and so plentiful are the black cod that
often from fifty to seventy-f i've are
hauled in at one time. The bait used
seems to be anything handy, as the skill
is a greedy feeder and will take either
fresh herring, squid, or A strip of the
white skin from halibut's belly. The
Indian: however, had enemies to contend
with, one Of the most formidable being
me grourdfsh, or nurseish, as the sailors
call them, which will eat off the bodies
OF long line OF fish, leaving only their
heads. There is also small sculpin va
rtety, which will steal the bait. Doyfisb