The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-06-24
THE SHAD SEASON.
Present Year Has Been a Memorable
 One


 One.
 The shad fishing season of 1901, near the mouth of the Connecticut river, mas drawn to a close the law prohibiting fishing after June 20. The present year has been a memorable one, the shad being captured in large numbers as compared with the past ten years, ana in size being rather above the average. Fifty years ago shad fishing was one of the great industries of Long Island sound and the Connecticut river ana a majority of the older residents or Old Saybrook have been interested In the business. It Is the accepted theory that the great dams at Holyoke have been responsible for the scarcity of shad of late years, bykeeping the fish shad of late years, by keeping the fish from reaching their natural breeding grounds further up the river
 A generation ago the river and sound were dotted with piers erected by companies to land their great haul ing senes and in deeper water pounds were driven to intercept the fish i'll their progress toward the river. This season there are but ten companies dragging on the river between thls place and Middletown and but two pounds driven in the sound. The oid time hauling seine is extinct. Last year the pound fishing brought such small returns that 1t was questioned whether any pounds would be driven this season. but two companies took the>risk with gratifying results. The Bushnell & Kirtland pounds nearest the Saybrook breakwater captured at one haul this spring 1,470 shad. the 1 largest haul since 1882, when 1,Soo fish were taken at once. The aggregate this year will exceed that of any year since 1875. This is especially remark able as the season did not really open before May 1, the weather having been too severe for the appearance of shad in April.
 On the river the dragmen have not been blessed with such success. the seasons aggregate not being much in excess of that of the past two years. This is the cause of much comment by people up the river, some Of whom actually believe that the pounds ex- tend across the mouth of the river, capturing the sha.d in whole schools and preventing their passage north ward. The facts that such a state Of affairs would obstruct navigation, and that no net could withstand the cur rent at the mouth of the river, do not seem to be considered. The two com- panies controlling the pounds this wear are situated west of Saybrook breakwater, a half-mile apart, the leaders running from the shore to the pounds adistance of about sixty-tve j rods.
 Two theories why shad are found | more abundantly in the sound than in the river are given by fishermen. Shad depend largely for food upon shrimps which are found abundantly on the coast. This causes the fish to stay ln the sound until the time for laying their eggs compels them to seek fresh water This fact is emphasized by the poor appearance of the fish caught UT the river contrasted with that of those cantured in the sound. Another req son given why there seems to be nc fish in the river is that the unusually high freshet continuing so late th1: snring has made it difficult for then to proceed against the current. Thf only reason given for appearance ol shad at all is that the shad fry re- leased every year by the government from the Joshuatown ponds in Lyme are returning to their native waters.
 Shad are looked upon as so much o1 delicacy that the fisherman who cap lures the first fish of the season car command a good price. This is in con trast with the old belief. Two hun dred years ago it was considered disgrace to eat shad, the matter being carried to such an extent that shat eaters were separated in church iron neonle of refinement and compelled tt sit by themselves.