The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-06-23
HERE'S YOUR LAMPREYS.
Streams Where They Still Flourish
Jvninl1a Fishing

Streams Where They Still Flourish
Unique Fishing.
A special to the Hartford Courant
from Chester, Conn, says: The lampn-
rey, also called lamper-eel, and rock
suckers were abundant in many Con-
necticut streams twenty or thirty years
ago, In the stream running from girls
wold's bit shop into the Cove they could
be plainly seen as they sucked on the
smaller stones in the gravelly bed Win
their sucker like mouth and made nests
two feet or more square reaching near
ly even with the surface OF the water
In these their eggs were laid safe from
enemies and the tiny cells lived therein
until large enough to care for them-
selves. 1t was claimed they made holes
in the dams, causing them to leak, ana
in time rendering them unsafe SO the
boyg were encouraged to spear them.
AS they were thrown on the banks ana
left there it was the cause of stench
when the hot days came that rendered
the atmosphere in the neighborhood of
the arch bridge very disagreeable.
They have now nearly disappeared
and are considered a curiosity, with the
SIX HoleS OH tdtI SlNG just JUN VI liz
head resembling somewhat flute. Sal
mon river Is still prolific breeding
spot and at Leesville they are an annu-
al income to the residents, who make a
practice of catching them during the
three weeks of their rum The dam OF
the electric light station Is built on a
ledge which shelves Off gradually below
the dam for several rods. 1t is a very
picturesque spot, as the water rushes
through narrow channels with great
force and leaps over the Lodges. 1t Is In
these channels that the humphreys are
found In great numbers, and the meth
cd of catching is strange one to the
uninitiated.
A piece Of wire about the size of a
slate pencil six inches long is sharpened
at one end and bent In the form of a
fish hook, the hook part being two ana
one-half inches long, about three-quar-
tiers of an inch between the point and
the main stem. This is fastened to a
pole five or six feet In length. Armed
with this the fishermen go after dark
without light of any kind, and wad-
ing in where it is several feet deep the
hook Is thrust into the. swiftly running
water and with Il quick movement Is
drawn out again, when If an unlucky
eel is in the way he is either caught on
the point or in the bend of the hook.
The pole is then handed to an assistant
on the rocks who with his mittened
hands takes off the eel, and throws it
into barrel. The next day the cells are
slimed, which is done by putting in
strong solution of I've, and are dressed
and sailed ready for market
Three cells have been captured at one
sweep of the pole, and one night this
spring when four hundred were caught
it Is said that twenty successive thrusts
brought out twenty cells. 1t is hard
and risky work, twenty minutes being
about as long as one can stand 1t with
out change. One who lost his footing
was carried several rods down the rap
ids one night lately, but escaped with
out injury. When dressed they weigh
about a pound each. In the first part
of the seasop they sell at ten cents each
and later at seven cents each, going
mostly to Simsbury and Hartford. The
meat is darker colored and has differ
ent flavor than the common ones. They
lack the back bone common to the fish
tribe, having a gristly spine instead,
and are considered a great delicacy by
some. A change in the wind will cause
the cells to disappear completely, and
should few claps Of thunder be heard
while they are being caught In large
numbers, your luck is gone for the
night. as not vestige Of them can be
found. The first run is of large yellow
ones, followed In about week by large
al II Inc ,x,itt - oil
black specimens. Four hundred fill a
flour barrel when sailed. They retail in
the markets at twenty-five cents a
pound. Jacob Day, who is the principal
one interested in the fishery, was sur
prsed to find q five pound shad tightly
wedged between two rocks as he went
to his nights work short time since.
The Pennington river is the only other
spot where the cells are caught in guam
titles.