The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1896-11-12
New Trick For Taking Mackerel.
Fish Have Become Cunning and All Familiar
Methods Fail-Purse Seine Rugged on B0Oms.

Fish Have Become Cunning and All Familiar
Methods FaiI-Purse Seine Rugged on B0oms.
PRovINCETowN, Mass. In no branch of
the fisheries is there greater diversity of
fish catching methods than that of mack
erel fishing. Hook and line, set net, drift
or drag net, trap and seine, have all been
used with varying success.
Years ago vessels went out rugged with
hooks and lines and bait The bait
''tolled' or lured the mackerel from the
depths to the surface, where they bit at
baited hooks with avidity and were yank-
ed with celebrity inboard.
Vessels secured big catches and crews
made big wages while this method was in
vogue, but the fishermen were not satisf-
ed. They wanted more dollars, and sc
adopted method that promised to give
an increased catch-the SEEMING method.
This style of fishing proved remunera-
tive for number of years, or until the
mackerel learned to shun the seine, or had
been well nigh exterminated Then came
period, coming down to the present,
when mackerel were scarcely more than a
memory. Vessels secured the seas, but
mackerel were sighted rarely, and still
more rarely secured.
Bait throwing was tried, with little OF
no success. and the mackerel industry
seemed doomed. But during the past
three years mackerel have slowly increas-
ed in numbers along our coast, and a re-
vival OF the business is looked for.
The mackerel of the present are unde-
niably wild, shy OF cunning, for, while the
catch to date exceeds by far the catch
for the corresponding period last year,
the number of fish captured is as drop
in bucket in comparison to the quantity
OF fish seen.
The vast rats of mackerel seen on
the cape Shore on Georges and elsewhere,
while furnishing proof that the species
was increasing, showed that they were
''artful dodgers elusive, almost, as
phantoms. The fishermen, patient, per-
severing and resourceful, have tried every
known trade trick in recent years to en-
compass the willy schools.
Failing to accomplish their object by
the once successful method of shooting
seines about schools, they resorted to
''tolr' bait, decoying fish alongside,
when the seine would be set around the
lured fish.
But the mackerel, having been deprived
for years of hashed porgy diet, had acquir-
ed a taste tor other provender, did not
take kindly to their old love, and the
catches made by this form of trickery
were never large.
In this fishy game of hide and seek, trick
for trick has been the rule, the mackerel,
acting under an impulse that seems mar
velously akin to reason, stealing marches
in mastery fashion.
One of their stratagems, one that nom
plussed the seiner for a while, was that
departure from old time custom of seeking
the surface waters by day and appearing
only at night, when their pursuers were
in port or hove to awaiting daylight. In
the last two years night fishing has been
the rule, such action being imperative if
fish were to be captured
Meanwhile the mackerel have gradually
learned to like the ground ''tolP' bait of
their progenitors, and the fishermen have
learned Il brand new trick, one that seems
to be effective.
Schooner Stowell Sherman of this port
was reported a few days ago as having
taken 100 barrels Of bulls eye mackerel.
and it is said that nearly all of the lot
were taken by a method new to fisher
men of our generation, though practiced
formerly.
1t is practiced successfully by western
island fishermen, and a few of the Block
island fleet have employed it with good
results recently. The device consists of
two long poles attached to the vessel S
side, a mass of netting, and bait thrown
broadcast upon the water, and the process
is about as follows:
From point abreast the stalboard fore
rigging boom 20 feet long is swung out
at right angles with the hull, while at the
same time Il smaller pole is swung Just
forward of the main shrouds. Rings, to
which are fastened the ends of a square
cut bag net, play loosely on these poles OF
boOmS.
The distance between booms is approx
imately 40 feet, the length OF the net on
its inner edge. The outer edge is five feet
longer and is weighted with leaden ''snk-
ers." BY means of outhaulers the netting
is hauled from rail to boom ends.
The forward boom is suspended nearly
horizontally, but the after boom is low
cred till its outer end and most of the
netting are below the surface. Freshly
ground bait is thrown down over the hid
den bag: the mackerel rush for it. and if
they swim thickly the net is quickly hoist
ed until the rim is above water, when the
fish are bailed inboard.
1t should be said, however, that the
true mackerel are not taken readily by this
device, they getting away promptly at the
first upward movement of the netting
but the voracous bulls eye mackerel fall
easy prey.
This latest scheme saves wear and tea1
of the seine and is a great labor saver, as
the trap pocket is light and easily han
died.
1t is said that ''Sor' Jacobs was the
first to employ the device in the Block
island fleet
Other vessels have rugged similar traps,
and vessels are being hastily equipped
with the new-fangled apparatus.
Grant in War=Times.
II