Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-05-11
TOOTHSOME SHAD.
the FINEST GRADE IS FOUND
IN THE POTOMAC.
Means Adopted fee Capturing che
River eeautiss. An Sorts Of Nets
Used. Pianked Shad.

Potomac shad are regarded by cpl
cures as the finest shad sold in any
market IN the United states, and for
this reason there is ready sale for
them in other places. Describing
the methods employed in catching
this toothsome fish the Washington
Star says:
AZ soon as the ice had left the
river the nets were thrown overheard.
The gill nets were planted In the
water and the haul seines were oper.
ated from shore, principally BY horse
power. although some Of the smaller
nets were handled by men. 1t is
probable that the average person
who is fond Of shad has only the
faintest idea OF how they are caught.
1t Is true that the seine haulers
catch many thousands during the
season, but the largest number are
caught in gill nets.
What is known as the haul seine
10 nothing more nor less than q gem
eral dragging OF the river, and every.
thing before the net IL almost sure
to be landed on the shore. This is
hard and troublesome work, and fire..
quently hauls are made when the
catch will by no means pay for the
wear and tear on the nets. The differ.
ent modes OF catching shad are inter.
esting. In addition to the use OF nets
It Is said on good authority that the
fish will rise to fly. although
anglers In this section make little or
no effort to hook the toothsome deli
cacy.
Passengers on steamboats, fire..
quently see dozen or more poles in
the water, and from one pole to an.
other pieces OF netting are visible.
This Is the gill net md 1t Is this net
that Is death to the shad. The nets.
long and straight, IRE made OF fine
linen twine. with what the fishermen
call five inch mesh. Gill nets are
generally set in the evening, the
heavy stakes being driven so that the
nets may be stretched at right an
giles to the current. These stakes are
driven In the mud ut intervals Of
about one hundred feet and from one
to another the web Is stretched, the
top line being fastened to large corks,
while heavy lead weights hold the
bottom OF the net in the river.
When the bottom OF the river Is
too hard to permit the driving OF
the stakes the fishermen make float
nets in the same way. using heavy
anchors to keep the net In the proper
position. Then the large schools OF
shsd making their way with the cur.
rent try to pass through the nets,
which, OF course, they cannot do.
The Irvine slips behind their gills,
escape Is an impossibility and the
fish are soon strangled to death.
Then there 10 The pound net. which
10 also good one, not only for shad,
but for other fish. That Is n trap
into which the fish ore almost sure
to drop when It Is properly con.
structed. 1t consists OF an obstruc.
ton In the river extending from the
shore to deep water. and Mt The end
OF this long network, which Is called
the LEADER" Is u funnel shaped
mouth leading into the pound or
trap. The fish naturally 60 through
the small opening in an effort to get
around tho obstruction, and those
that go In seldom manage to get back
through the opening.
Then there Is the Dyke net, which
10 constructed on the order OF weir.
Ills used more extensively in bad
weather than at any other time, for
tho reason the fish are taken from 1t
alive, and are therefore that much
fresher and In better condition for
shipment.
These are the principal nets used
In the Potomac. In some OF the
small tributaries weirs are used for
catching fish for family use. At the
river front In the vicinity OF Twelfth
street there Is always a crowd OF men
and boys during the fish season, and
when there are no boats to be un!
loaded nor any fish on the wharf
there Is an anxious look on their faces,
for they are expecting the arrival of
another load OF fish from the lower
river. when they will have an oppor.
tunity to get in a supply or pick up
an odd. Along the line OF Water
street for two or three squares, as
we'll as on what IL known as the
"Fishtown" wharf, fish hucksters
have their wagons, and sometimes
there are more than hundred
wagons there, awaiting the arrival OF
boat or the sale Of . cheap lot OF
fish.
The owners OF the packing houses
have most OF the fish cleaned on the
wharf, where the work Is done by
men and women OF both colors, who
render songs and the choruses OF
plantation melodies. When these
people get through with the fish they
are put In tubs and washed, and later
they find their way to the packing
houses, where they are put In salt in
barrels or small tubs. Many OF them
are sold in this way, while others are
put up for smoking purposes. OF late
years many families put up ther own
fish for winter use.
The question Is frequently asked,
"What becomes OF the shad in the
winter"
II is certain that they leave the
fresh water and make their way south
in the salt water for the winter
season, returning again in the spring
of the year to the waters OF their
birth to spawn. 1t Is singular, but
the fish invariably make their way to
tho hnOi ~ N ~ q, ~ ti1awotae nnri n 70