Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-13
EARLY SHAD SEASON
PREDICTION BASED UPON THE
PRESENT MInD WEATHER.
Only Protract7d Gold Snap Will In
Extraordinarily Of Potomac =,
Shad ands Herring.

NUN erOuS rains which are calculated to
moderate the tempenature of the water
suggest an early opening Of the shad and
herring season. While 1t Is yet a little
early for these fish, two punches OF herring
have already been caught in the Potomac
river Not single shad has yet been
caught this season in the Potomac. While
it-is believed by fishermen that the season
will open earlier than usual, there is no
certainty that such will be the case.
Nobody can tell what the season will
be-" said Gwynne Harris, inspector Of ma
rine products, to Star reporter today.
-While everything indicates an early open
Ing, something may occur that will cause
delay. A protracted spell of cold weather
or blizzard may come to interfere and
make the conditions as unfavorable as
they now seem to be favorable. 1t is yet
early in the season for shad, although a
continued warm spell may bring them TO
this river in a short time"
discussing the fishing season, the inspec-
tor said that fish are being taken from the
river In and out of season. and what the
winter trap nets do not catch they de-
stroy. The shad and herring season closes
the 10th of June, he stated, but the fish are
caught after that time and shipped to
other markets. The same, he said, is true
of other fish. Shad, the inspector stated,
are always in good demand, and the prices
are much higher than they were years ago
when the fish were more plentiful.
Potomac Shad Popular.
While it is true that the shad caught in
the Potomac are nothing like as plentiful
as they were years ago, the supply in the
local market Is made even more scarce be-
cause Of the demand, and the advanced
prices paid in other cities for Potomac
stock, which is considered Throughout. the
country to be the best.
What shad there are in the market at this
time are from Florida, Georgia and the
Carolinas Very few are yet in the market
from the Carolinas. Those from the south
are in better condition this year than usual
for so early In the season, and the prices
are higher than usual. They are selling at
from 40 cents to rs cents each wholesale. As
soon as the early run of shad and herring APP
pear the residents Of "Fishtown' will begin
the work Of preparation for q busy season
OF three months, to end the 10Th OF June.
After that time the shad caught In the
waters of the Potomac will be sent direct
to other markets where there are not the
legal restrictions that are thrown about
the dealers here. During the shad and
herring season "Fishtown" will be livelier
than it has been at any time since last year.
In short time the oyster supply will be-
gin to decrease, and the boatmen will get
ready for the fishing season
Shad bring more money to the fishermen
and bay. with the exception of oysters.
During the past twenty years fishermen
have complained that shad have been
scarce, but some Of the fishermen say just
as many fish as ever3are being caught, but
that they are distributed among more fish
ermen. 1t is claimed that there are more
men In the business now than ever before,
and that the pound nets at the mouths of
the rivers make the heavy catches There
are also more devices for catching fish now
than there were twenty years ago, and
some of them, it is stated, are very de-
structive. Surprise is expressed by some
OF the fishermen that the shad supply was
not exhausted long ago, as the fish are
caught in such great numbers while on
their way to the spawning grounds or after
they have actually reached the grounds
where they drop their spawn. The female
shad drops from 10000 to 100, 900 eggs but
thousands of them are destroyed. Most Of
the time of thekshad Is. spent in the deep
sea, the fish only making their way to
fresh watersfn time for the spawning sea-
son. 1t Is atfthiS time, when the tempera-
ture OF the waiter isi from SO to co degrees
that the fishermen are able to make the big
catches. In some of the big haul seines
operated by steam power several thousand
fish are sometimes landed at single haul.
The Early Supply.
Washington dealers depend almost wholly
upon the Potomac shad for their supply.
although early in the season the fish from
the south have to be depended upon. These
flsh do not find ready sale, they say, for
they are not regarded as Of the same quail
ty as the fish caught in the Potomac river.
and for the additional reason that they
bring larger prices because they come at a
time when they are not so plentiful Most
of the local fishermen have their nets and
other paraphernalia in readiness for the
spring harvest, and they will be put over
board as soon as the early shad make their
appearance Then the scenes of activity
In F1shtown' will be renewed and the
odor of fish will fill the atmosphere along
the river front.