The Topeka state journal., 1897-06-04
WONDERFUL HAUL OF FISH
$4,000 Pounds Secured at One Draw
ing of the Net in the Potomac.

Washington.June 4.-Thel largest catch
of fish ever made in the Potomac, or,
perhaps, in the world, was made yes
terday near here by Captain William
Neitzey, who owns the largest seine
in the world.
At the haul nearly 100. 900 herring were
taken and over 500 shad, representing
an aggregate weight of about $4,000
pounds. AS to the herring. this was
considered good haul, being above the
average, while as to the shad it was
somewhat below the average. The
length of the seine is 1000 fathOms or
$500 feet, $50 feet less than two miles
long. Attached to each end are large,
heavy ropes leading to the shore, one
rope being S,1O0 feet long and the other
$500 feet long, a, combined length of
seine and rope of 27,600 feet, or consid-
erably over five miles.
The closing scenes of the big haul
are given:
A few hundred herring are found
gilled in the meshes, and this is the
only indication thus far that any hsh
have been inclOsed in the net which
has swept such a tremendous eXpanse
of water. The two gangs of men which
are about 100 yards apart now peglh
to move slowly toward each other, pull
ing in as they go. This is continued un-
til they have approached within fifty
feet of each other, by which time the
water within the constantly narrowing
limits inclOSed by the seine fa1rly glSJ-
ems with the silvery fins and tails of
the captured fish, which are frantically
endeaVOring to escape. A man folloWs
the back of the seine, beating the water
with an oar, to frighten the fish toward
the center and to relieve the pressure
against the net.
Fifty men are now working with the
seine The water in which those near
est the shore are standing is about
knee deep, while those farthest out are
up above their waists. At this juno
ture a number of board planks are
placed end to end in the water reach-
ing from one side of the opening be
tween the men to the other, the tops OF
the boards extending several lncnes
above the surface. rms eIecIually
closes every possible avenue OF esc5p pc
for the fish The seine is now gradu-
allv worked past the ends OF the poaruS,
the enclosure in which the fish are held
getting smaller and smaller, uhuI the
length of the cork hne sun IN ne ne
wafer about corresponds with the
length of the board Hne-1. e., nIty OF
sixty feet-when the moment Tor the
final maneuverS has arrived 1he leau
line is now moved Slowly tQWaIu ar, ne ne
boards until it touches the bottom OF
them 1t is then carefully secured by
the men. and at a signal from the cap
tain raised out of the water me scene
which follows almost dehes uescrlp tioIl- ION
The fish are all retained between the
cork and lead lines IhlS Delng the
widest part of the seine, the mlddle' OF
course resting on the bottom, Ine men
holding up the sides or walls OF the net
standi1g so close as to almost touch
Zach other. The water, which is about
waist deep, is churned into foam by
the thousands of struggling fsh held
in this comparatively small lncloSure
not over 60 feet long by 20 wide, and it
would seem that surely the climax of
animal activity had been reached
Nearly everything appears TO pc her-
ring. but occasionally larger hsh are
seen pIunging through the mass. These
are shad.