THE RIVER FISHERIES OF MAINE. 701 



marked contrast with the Penobscot River, where the principal catch is iu the month of June, and 

 where the number of salmon to be taken after the tirst ten days of July is rarely enough to 

 warrant lie fishermen in keeping their weirs iu working condition. 



PENMAQTJAN RIVER. This little tributary of Cobscook Bay drains a small territory in the 

 towns of Charlotte and Baring, not exceeding 50 square miles iu area, aud affords an outlet to 

 Peniiiaqtiau Lake and several smaller bodies of water. It is naturally well adapted to the growth 

 of alewives, which formerly abounded in it, and tradition also s;iys that there were once a good 

 many salmon here. But very far back in the history of the country dams were built without suit- 

 able provision for the ascent of migratory fish, and the usual result followed. The salmon have 

 entirely disappeared aud very lew alewives remain. 



DENNY'S RIVER. This is the first considerable stream west of the Peumaquau, aud is the 

 principal tributary of Cobscook Bay. It drains a basin of about 150 square miles, including two 

 considerable lakes, Meddybemps arid Cathauce. The character of both the Denny's and its prin- 

 cipal branch, the Cathauce, is favorable for the breeding of salmon, and alewives find a breeding 

 ground of great extent iu Meddybemps Lake. Botli of these species are known to have abounded 

 in the river anciently, and tradition says that shad, too, frequented it. The shad disappeared 

 early, but the salmon aud alewives continued to ascend the river until 184ii. Since the first 

 settlement of the country there has been a dam at Deuuysville, near the mouth of the river, but 

 fish were able to pass it. In 1846 another dam, quite impassable, was built a mile farther up the 

 river. The effect of this was to nearly exterminate the alewives, aud the salmon, though they 

 continued to breed in the river below this dam, were reduced to very small numbers. In 1858 

 this dam was destroyed by a fire which consumed the mill, aud fish were again admitted to the 

 upper waters. The alewives were still shut out from Meddybemps Lake, but iu 1803 a n'shway 

 was constructed there which admitted them to the lake. 



After the reopening of the river the salmon increased but slowly, owing to their persistent 

 persecution at the dams aud the setting of gill-nets at the mouth of the river. The alewives, 

 however, increased very satisfactorily; iu 18G5 the number taken was estimated at 2 barrels; iu 

 1866 at 15 barrels, and in 1867 at 240 barrels (about 125,000 fish). Since then the passage of the 

 river has been a second time obstructed by a difficult dam, and a falling off iu the number of fish 

 resulted. At present the alewives are increasing, and it is estimated that iu 1880 there were 

 taken about 75,000, of which 30,000 were pickled and shipped to New York, and the remainder 

 mostly smoked and consumed at home. The only mode of fishing for alewives employed here is 

 with the dip net. 



Salmon are taken occasionally by spear and dip-net at the dams, now and then with the hook, 

 but mainly in set nets at the mouth of the river in tide-water. In 1&SO there were four of these 

 nets iu use. and the total number of salmon taken is estimated at 200. 



Denny's River is noted as the only river in the United States where fly-fishing for salmon has 

 been practiced. In 1867, aud for some years previous, it was the resort of several gentlemen 

 from Portland, who succeeded fairly well, aud the sport has been continued down to the present 

 time by residents of Deunysville. 



COBSCOOK on ORANGE RIVER. This is a very small river, lying almost wholly in the town 

 of Whiting. It was iu primitive times inhabited by many salmon and alewives, and according to 

 tradition by shad also. Xear the head of the tide three insurmountable dams were built many 

 years ago, utterly exterminating the salmon, and reducing the alewives so that the catch was 

 barely a dozen a year. In 1861, and subsequent years, an ctl'ort was made to restore both ale- 

 wives aud salmon, but it was only partially successful and at present the river is entirely unpro- 

 ductive. 



