Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-02-27
CAPE COD MACKEREr4
a. Fish That Makes Things Live.
ly in Their Season.
Something About the Boats and Bali
for Taking Them The Fisher
men Make Good Money When
the Fish Are Plenty.

This is the home of the Cape Cod
catboat, or, at least, craft of that model
are much in vogue in these waters.
With few exceptions, the catboats that
rendezvous at Edgartown in the fish,
ing season are as clean as need be. OF
course, mans home associations are
exemplified in the care he takes of his
possessions, but these ratboats, rang,
ing from 20 to 80 8ls5t In length, are in
apple-pie order, resplendent with fresh
paint. and hight with white sails, new
cordags znd polished spars. Speed is
alway9 a factor considered, next to
seeHorthiness. in these boats, and
yachtmen who visit Vineyard sound
are often surprised at the great sails
the boats swing, even in fresh winds.
Most of the fishing cats are provided
with cabins and two good hunks. An
oil stove and iceboX are prime necessi.
ties. In the cockpit or standing room
are slowed the kit of fishing gear and
tubs. A peculiar box-lilse mill for
grinding bait is fastened to the TOP
of the centerboard box, and fish lines
festoon the cockpit combing. These
fish lines are armed with small steei
hooks, on the upper end of which is an
oyal-shaped piece of shining lead. This
hook, with it's attachment, is known
to the craft as a Jig" and in its way
is cruel implement.
The fish lines are usually about the
size of twine made use of by family
grocers TO tie up small packages. The
usual length is four to five feet. When
the fish are biting freely one man han
dies three lines. The bait mill is con,
structed on the principle of stone
crusher. Porgies and other fish are
dropped into the hopper, and with u
few turns of the crank come out in q
semi-liquid mass called chum. Por,
gies have long been used for the pur.
pose because of the oily nature of that
species. Chum of the proper con.
sistency is like an anni-seed bag to the
willy fox, and good deal more effective
When mackerel are hungry they are
not very particular as to what company
they keep, and to this fact much.of the
success of fisherman is due.
When a catboat is ready to put to sea
ohp VI AiiS ochtii istssuS5S anu II 10 Olilp
at certain stages of the tide and sea
when this feat can be successfully I'M
dertaken-the first duty is to raise the
mackerel. The fish travel in schools"
near the surface of the water, which
is kept in continual motion by them,
as if disturbed by the wind. When
the lookout sees the mark of School
the boat is sailed into the locality and
hove to on the starboard tack on the
windward side of the school" Ground
bait, mixture of SHREDDED fish and
water, is then thrown overheard.
The greasy "chum" spreads over the
water in an oily slick, and as the par.
ticles of bait spread on the waves the
mackerel swim toward it in search OF
food. To the market fisherman their
wake or ripple as they advance gives
much qualification, but the city man
can hardly restrain his excitement.
The fish reach the boat, tracing the
slick as fire licks up oil. They figh
among themselves for the shreds of
fish bait until the water is bright with
flashing colors. The jigs are dropped
overheard sometimes, but not always
baited. With the taste of chum the
mackerel become ravenous. Any bright
substance looks to them like food,
They dash at lead-encased hooks, and
the fishermen get very busy. Three
lines to man is the proper number,
and the length of line is such that it
is easy with one motion to pull the fish
out of the water. If the hook is not
disengagcd the mackerel comes into
the boat with jump, and by a simple
twist of the wrist it is jerlSed off the
hook into the tub that awaits it. Very
often pole, armed with hooks, is
thrust into the swarm of fish with
great success. One man has good luck
when he catches six barrels of mack
erel day. This feat has been accom-
plished on many occasions this season
by the crews of boats hailing from
Edgartown. When the mackerel sell
for ten cents, each fisherman is start
ing properly to accumulate wealth.
But mackerel are capacious. One mo-
Tent they may bite ravenously, and
then sink from sight.
The fish caught in Vineyard sound
by professionals are shipped, as rule,
to New York, but some quantities reach
Boston by way of Hyannis. steamer
is employed in freighting the fish, and
as the vessel is not large it often makes
trips loaded to the plank shear.-Bos-
ton Herald.
In. Co.