Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1911-05-04
Fishing For Pearls in the CIinch.
Mrs. Sara Savage Muller, Brooklyn, N.
Y. in The Guide IN Nature

Fishing for fresh water pearls NAV
be made an interesting recreation. 1t
Is mild exercise, 1t has the advantage of
keeping one out of doors and the hours
slip by unnoticed. The pearls are found
In mussels which abound in many of the
streams and lakes of our country, and
which live at the bottom of the water,
there forming what are known as mus
sells beds. When the mussels are hatch
ed, being incapable of taking care of
themselves, they fasten themselves to
tree swimming fishes, and remain at
tached for several months. In time,
they fall to the bottom of the stream,
and begin an independent life. This to
some extent accounts for their wide
distribution.
Men who make business of fresh
water pearl fishing, usually fish in deep
waters, using drag for the purpose.
This consists of many four-pronged
hooks, fastened to a number of lines,
which are attached to an iron bar This
Is let down into the water and dragged
across the bottom of the stream.
Pearl fishing for sport, is quite an
other thing. A canoe is useful for the
purpose, because it can float in shallow
water. 1t is easy to reach over the side
of the boat and gather the mussels from
the mud. Large mussel beds are often
found IN water too shallow for a canoe,
and then pair of rubber boots help in
the quest, and add to the sport, but un-
til one has learned to distinguish be-
tween favorable and unfavorable beds,
ones first experiences are apt to be dis
coursging.
1t is useless to fish in beds which con-
tain large and perfect mussels; but in
those in which the shells are stunted or
imperfectly formed, pearls are often
found.
When visiting new stream or lake,
the first thing to do is to locate the ia
vorable beds. This is done by gather
ing number of mussels and examining
them. If they appear to be imperfect
ly formed or stunted, and the interior
pearly surface is blistered or otherwise
marred, the bed may be considered ia
vorable; but if the mussels are well
formed, and the interior lining of the
shell is smooth and lustrous, the bed is
u healthy one, and, therefore, unfavor-
able for pearl fishing.
One summer the writer fished in the
mountain lakes of Vermont, after a
long drought, when the water was low
and clear. Conditions were just right.
After several days of exploring, a IA
after five days of fishing, seventy-four
beautiful little pearls. They were all
otunusual violet color, with brilliant
luster.
The following year the writer was To-
Gated on New Jersey stream, in which
there were many mussels, and most of
them apparently unhealthy-their inte-
rlor Innings being greatly marred, but
the pearl fishing was poor. After a
summers work, only two pearls of any
account were found. One was button
pearl, found half imbedded in the stom-
ach OF the mussel. 1t was creamy white
with soft luster. The interior lining
of the shell was almost entirely de-
stroyed, and the shell itself was decided
iy stunted. The other pearl was a pur-
pie baroque. 1t was taken from the
same bed, and was found under the
mantle of the mussel. The interior
lining, in this case, was slightly marred
aud the shell was stunted. Only one
healthy bed was found in this stream
In it, the musseIs were large and per-
fectly formed, and the interior Innings
were smooth and lustrous. On exami-
nation they yielded no peasls.
The writer went to st. Paul, Va and
fished on the Clinch River. Some OF
the mussels in this river are as large as
dessert plates. The mother-of pearl
lining is heavy, and beautiful in color,
sometimes pink, purple or salmon, but
more often white. This river has been
visited by the professional pearl fisher,
and is consequently almost exhausted
found few pearls here, all of which
came from apparently unhealthy mus
sells, with the exception of a small
oth-shaped specimen of excellent quail
ity, which was taken from an apparent
ly healthy mussel
Those pearls that are easily found are
generally worthless. Those of fine
quality are usually difficult to find.