The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-04-17
HOW SHAD IS CAUGHT.
spec,a, to The Jersey Citv wsus.

+ TRENTON, April IL, l693.-There IS
nothing that tickles the fancy of the true
epicure who makes his home along the
Delaware quite so much as fresh shad
right from the water and cooked just
right to his taste. Ifyou want to procure
a favor, approach him just after he has
diped off this dish and you will be almost
sure to get it. And they will tell you
that the farther up the river the snad are
permitte 10 run hefore they are caught,
the more toothsome and dainty they be-
come.
Tne shad fishermen are guild by
themselves, aud very loath are they to
impart any of their secrets or incanta-
tions to any one not to the manor born.
All through the long winter evenings
they are preparing for the next springs
fishing Each member of the fishing
crew, which usually comprises six or
eight men, will knit portion of the net
to be used. and so rapidly and skillfully
do they knit it together that it is mere
play for them to sit and knit seine. as
they call It.
STAINING IN THE NET.
After the portions assigned to each are
com pleted. they are united, the net is
ssseamed in''-thaI is, the ropes are run
in the edges. the bottom rope being
weighted with leads, aud technically
termed the "lead line," while on its
fellow on the upper edge are strung
round blocks OF wood or cork, to cause
the upper edge to float at the surface.
This is called the cork line" and the
weights and cGrks are SO adjusted that
the net will float perpendicuiarly in the
water. wal ar The boat, too, is overhauled;
It is usually 1at-botJomed affair that
will not upset readily. The stern is
decked over TO form platform on which
the net Is loaded, and no dainty maiden
adjusts her drapery with more care than
the fishermen exercise In paying in''-
that is, piltng the net IN such way
that when it is being paid out" or
thrown off. it will fall in the water III
lust the right way.
Everything being In readiness the head
fisherman gives his crew the word that
they are TO begin fishing Tomorrow
morning" Accordingly. when the
morning comes, and it is usually very
carry in the morning, they are on hand.
The fishery, OF course, it is understood,
has been located from time immemorial
The net Is neatly and properly piled on
the stern OF the boat, the two oarsmen
take their seats, the "land line' is
given to the two or three men who
are to remain on shore. and the men
strike the water with their oars, and
as the boat moves on, tne net Is
gently dropped off in graceful folds.
which shake out as they touch the water.
The rowers pull right out toward the
middle Of the river, seeking to cover as
much of the channel as possible; the cur
rent gradually carrying them down
stream, the landsmen slowly working
their way down the shore as we'll When
the net has nearly all been paid out"
the boat is headed for the shore, and then
the men begin to pull for all they are
worth. AS they approach the shore the
landsmen also move down, and Dy the
time the boat touches the sand they are
at their proper places.
PULLING IN.
Now comes the exciting and interesting
part OF the work. One man takes the
cork line. at each end OF the net, and
slowly and carefully at first. they begin
10 pull it in. If the net is long one this
operation will take sometimes ten m1n-
utrs to accomplish. The nearer the net
is drawn in the more intense their inter-
est becomes. One will assert that there
are hundred shad in the net, for he can
pulling the lead line are instructed
to pull faster than the CORK
line. and as the bottom OF the
net becomes visible, with long pull and
a STRONG pull il Is dragged ashore, and the
result Of the "haup is seen. Perhaps
shere may be fifty fine shad In the net,
and--as often happens-perhaps there are
more. Then the net must be handled
over and laid inn on the boat again. pre-
paratofy to another haul. The men then
take rest for q few minutes and the
operation is repeated. There is too much
work abpnt sdad fishing in this way to
call it play, but there IS q fascination
about Ii that few men who have engaged
In ID will forego az long as they are
pbysicaily able to endure the work and
expoeure, for when shad fishing is In the
worz goes right on, rain or shine.