Daily Kennebec journal., 1900-08-13
Daily kennebec Journal
AUGUSTA LOCALS.
WONDERFUL TRANSPORTATION.
How the Common Maine Eel Bscomss q Rare
New York Delicacy.

Not the least among the industries
at the mouth of the Kennebec and
other Maine rivers is the eel fishing.
And unless there is break in the mar
ket some of the men engaged in the
business may lay up a store that will
provide for their old age.
The results of the catches are not
used for home consumption but are
sent to Boston and New York markets
where the eels are considered a great
delicacy, price that seems almost
fabulous being paid.
The apparatus needed for catching
the eels is every simple and mex
pensive In fact the hardest part of
the industry is that of caring for
the eels. All that is needed for the
foundation of a trap is simply an or
binary flour barrel One head is
knocked out and a tunnel shaped ar
rangement, made of Stats is built in
the opening of the trap. This at the
lower end or the part inside the bar
rel is not more than 21s inches in di-
ameter. A trap door is arranged in the
bottom of the barrel. through which
the eels may be taken out. When the
barrel has been bored so full of half
inch holes that it is a wonder how it
stays together, and line with buoys
is attached, the trap is ready for use.
Several of these traps, or eel pots as
they are called, are prepared and the
fisherman is ready to go to work.
The best time for catching eels is
when flood tide comes the first part of
the evening. But fair success is had at
almost any time in the evening. Pill
ing as many of these pots in and onto
his dory as the boat will carry, the
fisherman starts out. His costume is
not one which he would attend 400
society function for reasons that will
shortly be made patent.
Long experience and a careful study
of the river decides the best place for
locating the traps and the fisherman.
garbed in hip rubber boots. a pair of
trousers that long ago We're discarded
as being unfit for fourth best. and a
sweater, the fisherman starts out.
The barrels are partially filled
with blue backs or other small fish
just large enough to be unable to es-
cape through the holes, as the eels have
as much of liking for the live bait as
the New Workers have for the eels
After the traps have been sunk for
about an hour or just long enough for
it to accomplish its work it is taken up.
Were it allowed to remain longer the
eels would have eaten the bait and be-
gin to thing of framing parting
speech after a very pleasant call and
delightful entertainment.
Then the fisherman begins to haul
his traps. BY the time the barrel is in
81 a. Z. T,,lI LII.
squirming mass Of eels These are
dumped into the bottom Of the boat and
by the time the last trap Is hauled in
and the contents emptied the doryis load
ed to the gunwales. The man at the oars
then begins the row home with a load
of literal live ballast. No more un-
comfortable position could be imagined
for the rover sits to his knees in eels
that are constantly on the move, now
winding themselves around his legs.
now struggling TO escape from the
weight above it. now struggling t1 get
over the side OF the boat
The eels are then taken to the cars
where they are kept until they are
wanted for market. or until enough
have been caught to make up a ship
ment. The experienced fisherman is
careful, however, not to allow the eels
to remain in the car too long for If
this should occur even the monster as
large as a mans wrist would soon
grow so thin that he might easily slip
between the Stats and again be free in
the sea 1t is not the confinement that
makes the eel loose his plumpness but
his constant motion. From the time
he is put into the car until he is re-
leased. he Is one ceaseless bit of motion,
and with no food he soon wears him
self out. But with the enormous
catches that are made it takes but a
short time before the car is filled.
Then the dories are brought along
side and the eels are taken ashore.
tive. To person not an adept in the
work it would be an imDossibility to
handle the fish. When once on shore
they are placed in hogshead and then
a part of barrel of lime is poured in.
Not only does this stop all motion for
it kills the eels almost instantly, but it
takes off the slime.
Then the skinning is commenced.
Carefully circling the eel back of the
fin next to the head, the skin is started
and with the head in one hand and the
skin in the other pair of strong arms
working in opposite directions soon
brings out firm mass of blueish white
fish flesh as eatable as the finest brook
trout and of fully as appetizing an ap-
pearance.
The eels are then packed in barrels
of ice and by the next morning they
are on the boat for Boston or New
York where they are sold to the COM
mission merchants. In the rivers of
Maine the fish are hardly considered
worth catching. No one who has not
been educated up to the delicacy con-
siders the fish worth eating, but in New
York they are sold at price ranging
from 20 to 25 cents pound.
They are much sought after by people
giving lunches. After they have passed
through the hands OF chef they are
served up with tartar luce, have been
nicely Drowned, and the ugly squirm-
ing mass of fish-like snake that wound
itself around the rubber boot on
fisherman's leg. has become the tooth
some morsel at which some society
woman looks at with ill-concealed i'm
patience.
The fisherman receives from $40 to
$12 barrel for his fish, and as several