The morning times., 1896-03-17
GROUND HOG Ind SHlD
Weather Too Cold and Rainy for
the Finny Potomac Tribe.
FIRST RUN SHORT LIVED
Small Catches Were Made Early Last
Week, but at Present the Fisher
men Are Watching the Weather
and Mending Their Nets-Mean-
while Lent Is Passing.

The cool, dsagreeable rain and snow
which has made the weather OF the last
week SO unpleasant, has been somewhat
discouraging TO the fishermen along the
river front.
7 he chilling northwest wind always
drives the fish down the river, and out
into the warmer waters of the bay.
The first Potomac shad OF this season
We're brought into the market the early
part of last week, but there were only
few of them. What is needed for Il good
run of shad is brief period OF bright
sunshine and pleasant weather, then the
nets and seincs will he alive with fish.
Fishermen, the vast ma jority OF whom
are idle during the winter months, eagerly
await the appearance OF spring. and a soon
as there is the first indication OF the open
ing of the season they begin overhauling
their ,paraphernalia and making ready for
three or four mCnthS siege down he
river. From the time the first line is
cast into I he water until long into June
they scarce know what it is to place foot
on terra firma.
LIVE ON THEIR BOATS.
With the exception of some rough board
huts, which are temporarily constructed
along the shore, the fishermen live eX-
clusvcly on their boats. They work both
day and night, hauling in the seine and
loading the fish into the shipping vessels to
be transported to Washington.
Hundreds OF men are each year engaged
in this pursuit, but not more than one
half have begun operations. There are a
number OF small nets now stretched out,
but not many of the larger seins have been
spread as yet.
The best fishing points are principally
al
80 to 100 miles below Alexandria. where
the fishing vessels appear like a vast
squadron OF small ships when seen from
the boats which ply between this city and
Norfolk.
Potomac shad has an enviable reputa-
tion in many OF the northern cities, and
IN the height OF the season large quanti-
ties of this aquatic product are sent to
Philadelphia, New York and Boston.
Shad has been upon the market here
for a couple OF weeks. but the greater
part OF them have come from North Caro-
lima waters, and are said 10 be inferior
10 the Potomac variety.
Indications now point so the old fish
crmen say, 10 a prosperous season. and
owing to the mildness OF the past winter
the quantity promises 10 be large and
the quality of the best.
Old hands at the business say there is
is never good big catch until after the
six weeks of bad wca ther has passed
from the tine the old ground hog sees his
shadow on the I'd day OF February.
WANT PLEASANT WEATHER.
Yesterday the time was up. and to make
good for few plea SAINT days allowed last
month the elements eXerted themselves TO
crowd as much storm into one day as pos
sibe.
Favorable conditions are looked for from
this time on, and the first day the Weather
Bureau provides nice. warm sunshine will
be followed by an abundance Of shad and
other fish in the Washington ma rkei.
AT present the fiShmongers cannot pro-
care enough 10 supply the demand. Aside
from few herring, and still less shad. that
are being brought up. are small quantities
OF perch, carp and catfish.
The wharfmen are praying for fair tenn
perature before the close of the Lenten sea
son, as after that time the price usually
falls. They expect Ia give the ground hog
a few days of grace. and then the season
viii be formally opened by the big plank
shad bakes a. the river resorts.