FISHERIES OF SOUTHERN DELAWARE. 535 



3. APPARATUS AND METHODS OF FISHING. 



THE BOATS. The boats used in the spot fishery are essentially the same as those used in the 

 trout and other fisheries of the State, being almost wholly of the flat-bottomed sharpie pattern, 

 varying in length from 12 to 20 feet, and almost without exception propelled by oars alone. These 

 boats are simple in construction, and are usually built by the fishermen themselves at little cost. 



SEINES AND NETS. Wade-seines, varying in length from 16 to 25 fathoms, are used by the 

 farmer- fishermen of Milford for the capture of spot. The haul seines used at Millsborough, and 

 in which spot are taken in connection with various other kinds of fish, range in length from 45 

 to 75 fathoms, are 12 feet deep in the bunt and 8 feet deep at the wings, and have a 2^-iuch mesh. 

 The average length is about 50 fathoms, and the average value of nets in use estimated by Mr. 

 G. W. Johnson, of Millsborough about $30 each. The largest seines used at Ocean View for the 

 capture of spot and other fish are from 40 to 50 fathoms in length, while the wade-seines are from 

 15 to 20 fathoms long, 5 feet deep, and 2-inch mesh. The nets used for the capture of spot at 

 Slaughter Beach by the Milton fishermen average 15 fathoms in length and 50 meshes deep, the 

 mesh being 2f inches stretch-measure. We are told by Mr. J. A. Marshall, of Lewes, that during 

 the season in which the fishery is carried on, there are in use at the Beach 250 gill-nets. These, 

 as a rule, are about 15 or 16 fathoms long when hung, though a few of them are 20 fathoms 

 long. The depth varies from 35 to 50 meshes, the latter being 2 inches. The average cost of 

 these is about $3. Mr. C. T. Burton, of Lewes, says : "We use white Northern pine floats on the 

 spot gill-nets, these being placed 6 feet apart on the cork-line; the lead sinkers, which are at- 

 tached to the foot of the nets, average 1 ounce in weight, aud are placed 16 inches apart." The 

 spot fishermen use two nets at a time, but they usually have four nets or more during a season, as 

 one "fleet" of two nets will last only about a month. 



The nets are injured very much at Lewes by crabs during the month of August. These crus- 

 taceans, known locally as the "cushion crabs," are very abundant at that season, and frequently 

 become so badly entangled in the fine twine of which the nets are composed that the latter are 

 often badly damaged and torn in the process of removing the crabs. The fishermen of Blackstone 

 use gill-nets ranging from 15 to 40 fathoms in length, 4 feet deep, and a mesh of 3 inches. Vari- 

 ous species of fish are taken in these, among which is the spot. The gill-nets in use at Williams 

 ville for the capture of the various species of fish taken iu that locality, among which a small 

 quantity of spot are found, are 25 fathoms long, from 3 to 6 feet deep, and have a mesh varying 

 from 3 to 6 inches; only the smaller-meshed nets are used in summer, principally for the capture 

 of mullet and spot. 



METHODS OP FISHING. The methods of fishing with gill-nets for spot at Lewes aud Slaughter 

 Beach, 4| miles farther up the Delaware Bay, are quite novel, aud so far as we have been able to 

 learn are not practiced in any other part of the United States. At Slaughter Beach stakes are 

 driven into the muddy bottom of the bay at a distance of about 65 to 70 yards from low-water 

 mark ; these stakes being long enough so that their tops are above water even at high tide. To 

 the upper end of each stake is fastened a single block through which is rove a line, the ends of 

 the latter being bent together so that it will not unreeve, When the fisherman desires to set his 

 net he bends one end of this line to the outer end of the apparatus and the other end of the rope 

 is made fast to the opposite end of the net. By pulling on the rope the net is hauled out from tln> 

 shore into the water until it reaches the stake, and the line now being hauled taut and fastened 

 the net remains secure and straight in its proper place. When the fisherman desires to take the 

 net on shore he simply slackens away on one part of the rope aud hauls in on the other, thus 



