Evening journal., 1914-04-06
Fishermen AFTER
THE SHAD NOW.
Season at Delaware City
Opens Today With
a Rush
$4,000 INVESTED
IN THE INDUSTRY
Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL.


DELAWARE CITY. Del. April c.
Shad fishermen here started out to
fish regularly for the season this
morning and from now until the last
OF May. the river will be dotted with
small fishing craft. Several boats
were out last week. but made small
catches
This place is one of the centers Of
the fishing industry on the Delaware
side. There Is equipment valued at
$4,000 here during the season. and
about $S5,000 worth OF equipment on
this side of the river In the vicinity of
Duck Creek. Port Penn. New Castle
and here, while at Hope Creek, near
Salem. n. j., about 100000 worth OF
fishing equipment is being used by the
shad fishermen.
Il is estimated that with a good
season the Delaware City fishermen
will catch more than 100000 fish. of
the value Of $4,000. The fishermen
are enthusiastic over the prospects
and believe that this season will sur
pass a catch Of $500 in a single day.
They declare that I'm recent years shad
are being caught in greater quanti-
ties and that they are larger than ever
before
Government protection of the in
dustry and successful propagation of
young fish I'm the hatcheries are
credited with saving the industry. II
is said that the artincially hatched
shad are harder when young and
grow to be larger than those hatched
by natural means.
Years ago It was impossible TO
catch a shad Weighing more than FIVE
pounds. while at the present time one
of that weight is considered small.
Twelve and thirteen and even fifteen
pound fish we're often caught by the
! fishermen last year. Each year brings
more shad fishermen into the waters
OF the lower Delaware and its tribu-
taries The nets are constantly in
creasing in size. and Il is no unusual
sight to see net over 400 fathoms in
length.
Motorboats and launches have su-
! perseded the old sailing skin. and
, these craft enable the fishermen to
cover wider territory, as well as
eliminating much labor Along with
the skin and their back-breaking oars
have passed the wooden "dobs" on the
nets. Cork "dobbers" used now, per-
nit the nets to sink deeper. and they
are more easily handled in windy
weather.
A large steam freighter known as
LAY boat" making a round trip ia
Philadelphia daily. stops at the prin-
cipal fishing points on the river, col
lects the shad from the boats of the
fishermen and delivers the fresh fisf
20 the commission men in Chester anI
Philadelphia. The fishermen receive
from 15c to zoe apiece for their fish
depending upon the market conditions
They receive high prices at the be
ginning OF the season. but after th
season runs a short time the price be
gins to drop The roe shad brini
more money than the melts.
The fishing centers along the shor
of Salem county. across the river, ar
Alloway's Creek, Mill Creek, Salen
Greek and Pennsville.
Herring Fishing.
Herring fishermen have been max
ing small catches in the harbor nea
the locks here, while larger quantitie
have been caught with the haul sein'
5 With warm weather this week the her
ring will soon be running in larg
/. quantities The herring fsherme
e have been receiving 25c a dozen 70
4 their catches. but the price will dro
. before the close of the season, to a
D low as SOC per hundred. The hei
e ring are also used by the farmers fo
I fertilizer. The haul seines at III
+ locks OF the Chesapeake and Delawar
e canal attract hundreds Of visitor
S who watch the daily hauls made
e the locks. In former years as man
= as $1,000 herring we're caught in ON
b. haul at the locks. There are a larg
G number of fishermen, who FISH for tn
= herring in the harbor here, at th
e north OF the locks, where the fish com
T for fresh water. Perch are ais
caught in good quantities by the hel
e ring fishermen.
- After the herring and shad seaso
: the fishermen engage in sturgeon fish
= ing. This industry is followed by a
e the fishermen, as the returns are quit
] high. In some instances sturgeon net
{ ting as high as 5000 apiece have bee
] caught by the fishermen. Followin
E the sturgeon season come carp an
] trout fishing. which mark the close q
the fishing season for the year.
{