The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1922-05-27

SHAD IN CITY
OF NEW YORK
Rows of Poles Across the
Water not There for
Nothing

Shad fishing in the Hudson riv-
er at 125th street where the water
is always amber and frequently
covered with an oily slime, must
appear strange if not absurd to
Doubling Thomases who see it
from the Fort Lee ferrv these days
in ten late afternoon of early
evening. From earl ~ April to the
middle of May a small boat man
ned by three fishermen may be
seen at slack tide moving slowly
along row of poles which stretch
es a third of the way across the
river, the last pole marked with a
piece of a red wooden shirt says M.
Merriman, writing in the New
York Evening Post. Around it the
steamer~churn thier way towards
Albany. Two of the men are al
ways rowing encrgetically down
stream hat making no progress,
while the third, balancing himself
in the stern, slowly drags the wet
mesh into the boat and coils it at
his feet.
But they catch shad. bic shiny
fellows averaging five pounds,
when the run is good, and occas-
sionally reaching six and half or
seven. One day recently 1919 were
taken in one haul; they sell for 32
cents a pound wholesale, and the
hours work melted considerably
more than 5000. And yet the doubt
ers on the Fort Lee ferry wonder
if there aye any fish in the lower
Hudson.
Were it not for the darkness, ob-
servant spectators on Riverside
Drive would see the same operation
repeated every morning when the
tide is turning and the current
again begins to flow up the river
At that time the same three fish
ermen reset the net they took in
at dusk. They return six hours lat
En-, when the tide is again turning
TO take in the net and basket
another catch. Then when the cur
rent once more starts up the river
they appear is their little boat to
set the net.
It's the Last Run of Shad" Now
But they are almost through for
this season already the catch is
falling off. BY May 20 there will be
a $25 reward for every net pole
found in the Hudson, and tie fish
ermen will be down at Cape MAY
catching bluefish.
Shad run upstream and the pro-
cess of catching them is simple
As soon as the ice il out Of the
river the fishermen come-many
from Florida, where they have
been all winter-and drive their
long poles into the mud.
The poles are placed thirty feet
apart, in rows extending 300 yards,
the men standing in big scoWs to
operate the derrick with which the
poles are handled. Across these
poles when the tide is slack and be-
ginning to turn up the river, the
men stretch Il gill net Of fine lin
en- mesh twenty feet deep and 1000
feet long. The top is tied to the
poles and the lower edge kept taut
by the drag Of iron rings weighing
pound each.
The shad, swimming up stream,
catch their gills in the net and re-
main struggling until the tide be-
gins to ebb and the fishermen take
in the net before their catch can be
released by the reversed current.
Years ago, when everything
north Of Eightieth street was pref
ty much open country, Fred Tlu-
ak bought the fishing rights op-
posite 130th street from a Mr..
Scott and also gaind control of
those across from Grants Tomb.
Therefore the string of poles above
the Fort Lee ferry is still known as
the Scott row, while the poles
down stream are known as the
Grant row. With his force of Swed-
ish fishermen, Fred Truax has
worked them every spring since.
The other afternoon | accepted
an invitation to accompany them
in a roWboat when they took in
the net and counted the evenings |
catch. There were three of them
dressed in hip boots, oilskin |
breeches, and "hickory" Jackets !
The current was still flowing to-
wards Albany when we arrived at |
the first pole and wet settled back |
on the board seats to wait for slack |
tide. A gray mist had settled on
the river. The boat tossed easily in |
the swell from the ferry passing |
seventy yards below. Over her rails |
| could Sc Doubling Thomases
leaning, wondering why we vast
ed our time fishing in such dirty |
water.
Then one of the men rose and |
ran an oar down into the water to
test the sped of the current. The |
water was almost still and, loosen
ing one end of the net, he began |
lifting it into the rear of the boat |
as his two companions rowed |
steadily south to keep the net away |
from the poles. 1t was late in the !
season and the catch was beginning |
to fall off; we had taken in half |
the net before seven fish were "
ing in the bottom OF the boat. The |
man in the stern laughed.
81 bet we get twenty more in
the other half of the net" he said |
as he caught hold of one of the |
poles to let the rover rest. The !
youngSter of the oarSmen took the |
bet, and from then on side bets /,
We're made on the number of fish |
to be caught in each thirty foot i
stretch of net between poles.
"Nbilo wa whit ,t-o o,4.L .l.-..., I