The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-29
THE SHAD SEASON
ON Lower JAMES
Most Delicious Fish That
SWims the Waters of
Old Virginia.
BIG BUSINESS ON
THE NOBLE RIVER
Many Men Make Good Living
With seines and Boats-season !,
Being Short, They Must
Work Night and Day
While the Fish
Run.
BY !. M. nEI,1..

fishing Is a fairly renumerative bust
ness to the numbers OF men who
pursue that time-honored calling each
spring In the waters OF James River.
The season generally begins about the
middle OF March, to end about tha
first OF June But from the time in
late winter when the bluebirds come
to the great day when the seines ara
first put out, the James River fisher
men are in a state of Joyous expec-
tation, and the chief topics Of con-
versation are regarding the building
OF the new boats or repairing the
older ones. the knitting and hanging
of the new seines and the overhauline
Of last years ones.
From sentimental standpoint.
there is something fascinating in
the thought OF the shad season in
this historic section OF the old COM
monwealth. The fishermen. mostly
darkies. have been fishing the we'll
known reaches" for generations. One
sees grizzled old fellows following
the calling each spring. Drawing all
weathers putting out their long seines
at slack water. whether 1t comes at
early noon or when the shadows OF
evening are making objects indistinct
on the broad surface OF tho turbid
waters. Young men and even boys,
whose fathers. grandfathers and
great-grandfathers cast their nets In
the long ago in the familiar reaches.
follow the calling as their forefathers
did. some becoming adept in putting
out or drawing in seine or in
handling the strong home-built fish
Ing boats, which are redolent OF the
scent OF tar and later on OF fresh
fish.
The Land Ships.
In connection with the shad season,
and. In fact, inseparable from It, are
the two wheeled canvas-covered trad
Ing carts that are used to haul the
luscious shad from the many fishing
shores to market. They have long
been familiar sight In Richmond.
where they can be seen lined up on
Eighteenth street, near the First Mar
ket.
These trading carts have been the
fish to market from the north shore
of the river for so many years that
the memory Of man runneth not to the
contrary" about three hundred shad
are hauled at a load. The carts
usually make the trip at night. cali
culating to be at the market for the
early morning sales. The fish are
handled by the various dealers of the
city.
make nightly trips. One travelling the
county roads after dark often meets
the -tradin' cyarts'' on their way to
or from the city. A lantern lit and
tied under one shaft throws the mule
and cart into sharp relief against the
surrounding darkness. The sagacious
mule or horse, with probably years
of experience, needs little guiding. but
plods along over stretches of good. bad
or Indifferent road. while the driver.
wrapped up in bed quilt. doses in
the front OF the vehicle. No weather
stops the nightly trips II the shad
are running strong Through rain or
the furry of a belated March or April
snow squall the faithful mules haul
the fish to market.
On the Lower James.
On many of the historic plantations
along the lower James there are fish
ing shores. and also the little huts or
"shacks" In which the fishermen camp
during the season.
The owners receive the shore rent"
us it is called, and the dining table
of many an ancestral home is graced
with shad prepared in the many de-
lightful ways known to the house
wives of these same old mansions.
To the housekeepers in the shad
country the advent of these juicy,
we'll Favored fish is hailed with de-
light, coming as they do when fresh
meats are more or less scarce, when
even the sugar-cured ham las pallcd
on the palate; when the dish of scram-
bled egss and bacon has become al
most too familiar a sight at the break
fast table: when fried or poached eggs
have begun to cloy, and when even
the soft billed" egg is no longer de-
youred with gusto:: when the spring
chickens are still little too downy,
and when the spring lambs are too
Young to grace anything but the land
scape.
Drcnl< fast, Dinner and Supper,
With fine baked shad for dinner,
broiled or fried shad for breakfast or
supper, with occasional dishes OF
deiectable shad roe forthe morning or
evening meal, the hospitable house
wife welcomes the guest with q
serenity of manner that is reassurins
to say the least.
The Disguised shad.
Following the arrival OF spring
chicken, dueklings and spring lambs.
the royal shad leaves the waters OF
the noble sTsems," Too proud to
occupy any but the place OF honor
on tho table. they disappear. or. at
least. make themselves exceedingly
scarce. as these lesser delicacies arrive 4
OH the scene
In summing up, IL may bs safely
said that the shad season the Lower
lanes rs a lime of pleasure. combined
with profjt, to large numbers OF It's
l.,,b{ 10 a nd cntnrHh