Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-03-10

Other Kinds Of Fishing.
LETTER NO. z.

There are other kinds OF fishing than
those by hook and line and net and seine.
Some prefer the spearing art for the larger
species. such as sea-bass, yeilowtails and
sharks. They argue from this standpoint,
that the art and practice of spearing give
the poor fish an equal chance with the fish
erman; but that catching with hook and
line and net and seine does not, aud i.
therefore an unjust and cruel practice es-
pecially If one is fishing for sport only.
do not know but that there Is fairness in
this prop Jsition, Ii taken on the line of
sport but remember well how Dr. t
got up every morning very early, before
the peep of day almost, and put his boat
out to the shoals in Avalon bay; and how
he piled his spear most diligently and he
was quick Of sight, like hawk, and all
little success, and when he got real hun
CRY for fry, he had to resort to the usu
al method of hook and line. Dr. Twas
the most ardent and earnest fisherman,
think, ever saw. He was q practicing
ply sician, not of the old school, nor Of
any established school. | am sure, but of
school and method mostly his own. His
was by manipulations with his hands, and
he seemed to be an electric battery. He
seemed to store his power to neal within
the ibers of his flesh, by picking it (the
power) up from every hour of service in
whatever he happened to be engaged. 1t
was to all appearance a gathering of a lit
tie here aud a little there, and these litties
put together made him a wonder and a
character. He studied the habits Of the
fishes to nicely. and, although he seemed
TO tool away much time without catching
anything, he was power when he got
down to business, and. l think, carried of
.he first prize as fisherman for the two
or three summers he spent outing at Ava
Ion Everything he undertook 10 do he
set about it in an all cOnquering way. He
vas certainly one OF the welI-known char
acters Of this little harbor.
There is one thing about fishing gear
used here, | think should have mentioned
in letter No. l, but it slipped my mind, so
| will insert 1t here. | am quite sure
have never seen splice in line or rope on
shore, that did not make myself. have
never seen any mackerel bobs, or slickers,
such as | had seen at any Of the fishing
stations on the Atlantic. The heel OF the
boot or butt of the oar is used in place of
the killer. One greeny punched hole
through the bottom of his boat trying to
quiet the antics of yellowtall by using
the oar.
The shores here are well adapted to weir
building and to my idea, this would be
the proper enterprise to engage in for the
purpose OF supplying hotel tables with
h-h a. 1t always ought to be furnished.
Stale fresh .dsh is awful truck" They
trawl here, and for bait often use nothing
more or less than white rag.
Shell fishing here is quite a business
Some Of those who live on the island in
winter as well As In summer, put in their
Time and wear away the monotonous days,
weeks aud months of long season, which
season is from the tirst Of October of the
passing year to the first Of June of the
coming year, and with it the return of
the crowds of pleasure seekers. The shell
fish (Which are abalones) are found cling
Ing TO rocks. Unlike the clam, this fish
is one sided that is, it has but one she'll
and this she'll is the tish's shield, while
with the other side Of itself 1t clings to
the rock-and such clinging will tell you
more about 1t later. These shells are gath
cred Of pains be taken TO do so) so that
they can be n,sted as baskets or measures
are often nested from the Wee little ones
to the very largest. The little ones NAV
be found clinging to the under side of
ledges. rocks and large stones that are
left dry at low water so that toward the
water, they are found to be larger and
larger and 50 on down into the water, to
twenty feet deep, more or less; there
fore. the largest and best are iished up
from the rocks in deep water. Not only
do they grow larger toward the water and
so on, but also brighter and more vare-
gated in tint and coloring until they are
very beautiful. If / do not forget it
shall send you shells as proof of what am
saying. or course shells in deep water
are hard to obtain unless the ocean is very
quiet, the waters very lucid, and one has
keen eye and the right kind OF implements
to work with. To obtain those left by
the receding tide. ones implement may be
or very thin chisel or some such tool, or
in some instances (rare) one may succeed
by giving the butt of the shield sudden
thump with billet of wood. The fish be-
ing off its guard will fall from its hold !;
but it must be taken by surprise with the
billet, and as much so when using a knife
or chisel; for in an event of the least
warning, it's power to cling is wonderful.
A long pole with cbisel on one end and
spear on the other, is the tool commonly
used for deep water shell fishing. If two
to steady her, the other will practice with
the pole. In striking q shell. great care
must be taken not to strike IL; the chsel
must go between the shell and the rock to
which it clings, else the shield will be
ruined most likely. If the aim be true the
fish will drop from the rock as if shot, and
lie upon its shield as in saucer upon the
bottom. The spear Is then thrust into the
fish and the whole taken into the boat.
One man may fish by himself alone; in
such event he usually anchors both ends
of his boat. In case Of a ripple upon the
water box with glass bottom and no top
is used TO look through. This is the fish
erman's submarine spy-glass. 1t is very
useful, though a crude instrument, as
sure you.
Eels are the pest of shell fish and of the
shell fishermen too. Your Franklin bay
eels are not bit like our eels except in
being long and slippery. Catalina Island
eels are big as well as long, with dame
ters two and three inches. Their color is
very dark pepper and-salt. When they
come in over the gunwale on one side of
boat it is best for the occupants to walk
hurriedly out over the other side, provided
they can swim. and it might be more safe
in any event, for these eels are exceeding
ly ferocious. Not only are they on the
watch on the bottom among the rocks aud
weeds. in dark places, ever ready to scoop