Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-02-15
POTOMAC FISHING.

coming spring season in anticipation OF
good catch. The mild weather dur
ing last month brought out the fish,
and even so early in the season those
who operated small seines found their
business very profitable. Although it
will be about six weeks before the big
haul seines are all in operation, some
few shad and herring are being caught
within 10 few miles of the city, more
than have been taken SO early in the
season for many years. The catch OF
black bass in seines and trap nets has
increased in recent years. Most of
them are caught in forbidden water,
principally in the river in the vicinity
of Analostan Island. Occoquan bay
and Accotink creek are also good places
for the net fisherman to catch bass, for
from these waters hundreds of bass are
caught in nets with shad and herring,
rock fish and perch.
Local fishermen are now busy ar
ranging their nets and fishing appli-
ances, for about the first Of March a
number of them will start for the
several shores down the river.
AT Wind Mill Point, the fishing
shore of K. a. Golden, and what is
known as "The Gums" the shore Of
Theo. Ballenger, large haul seines are
now in operation, the only large seines
that are now in use down the river.
The seines are taking rock fish, white
perch and an occasional small catch of
shad and herring, but at this season of
the year they are operated principally
for the perch and rock fish. In addi-
tion to these number of small seines
are being operated. These are what
are known as "winter seines," and
they furnish plentiful supply OF yell
low perch and catfish as we'll as rock
and white perch during the winter sea-
son. The season at the two large
shores mentioned has opened so early
that the dealers bave put on the small
boats to haul the fish, and no longer
depend on the steamboats,, but the
steamboats, bring all the fish from salt
water and from most of the small
seines along the river at different
points.
Later on, when the small army of
fishermen leave for the lower Potomac,
VIM. Knights well-known shore at
Stony Point, opposite Glymont, will be
in operation. This and Golden's shore
at Wind Mill Point are the only two
large haul-seines that will be operated
by steam power, the others using
horses or men. Then the fisheries at
Moxley's and Chapman's points, not
far from Fort Washington, will COM
mence operations. AT Ragged Point j.
r. Faunce & Brother will have their
large trap seine in operation. while the
shores known as Marsh Hall" and
deep Hole" on Occoquan bay, as
well as the trappers at Accotink
creek, will also furnish large guam
tity of fish for market. At the three
latter places many black bass are caught
throughout the spring and summer months.
Already number of them have been taken
from Occoquan bay. Besides the shores men,
toned, number of other shores will be
mated that there will be at least three hun.
dred trap nets in the river.
When all these are in operation there will
be about two thousand men employed along
the river, while about the same number will
be employed at the business in this city and
Washington, making total of about four
thousand men employed for a Few weeks
This number includes tho hucks!ers and
their assistants, who handle fish during the
season when shad and herring are plentiful.
IN one haul at Ragged Point last week
1000 herring were caught. This Is said to
be the largest catch of this fish 90 early in the
season for many years. They brought $25
thousand in Washington, and later on thoy
will sell as low as 50 thousand, and then
the sales will be slow. This seasons catch of
carp has also been unusually large, and the
fish have been of good size. During wind
storm about two weeks ago, when the wind
lowered the water on the marshes and along
the upper river shores, great many carp
were left high and dry, and country people
waded about in the mud and picked them up.
1t is said that about two tons Of the fish were
caught in this way.