Atka Mackerel 



in its movements, and its most eastern record is Belkofski. It 

 is usually found in kelp in 3 to 40 fathoms in spring and early 

 summer, retiring to deeper water later. 



Of all the saltwater fishes found about the Aleutian Islands 

 the Atka mackerel is the most interesting to the angler. It takes 

 the hook readily and makes a good fight. The usual method of 

 taking it is by "jigging." On May 28, 1892, we had excellent 

 sport catching these fish near the mouth of the bay at Attu, 

 the most westerly of the Aleutian Islands. We used 3 hooks 

 tied together in a bunch, just above which was tied a piece of 

 white muslin. The line was weighted so that the hooks would 

 descend quickly. When they had reached the bottom, or near it, 

 they would be jerked up and down and the fish, striking at the 

 muslin, would be hooked or would catch the hooks in their 

 mouths. The lines would be let down through the kelp in 15 

 to 25 feet of water. The fish were in schools and it was easy 

 to get great numbers; in fact, one would be kept very busy 

 hauling in the fish and taking them off the hook. Usually the 

 fish were near the bottom when we began fishing but they soon 

 became excited and would come near the surface where they 

 could be seen swimming about as if greatly disturbed and 

 evidently searching for the piece of white muslin which had 

 attracted their attention. When first hooked they would come 

 up very readily, in fact they seemed to swim upward until near 

 the surface when they would become alarmed and dart back and 

 forth in their efforts to free themselves. Then the sport was very 

 exciting. During 4 hours' fishing 9 persons with 26 lines took 

 585 fish, or 17 fish to each line per hour. And as our ship 

 was out of fresh meat of every kind, all these fish were soon 

 eaten by the officers and crew. 



The average weight of this catch was about 2^- pounds, the 

 maximum being 3^ pounds. The average length was about 18 

 inches. 



The Atka mackerel is one of the most handsome fishes 

 found among the Aleutian Islands. There are 2 patterns of 

 colouration. In one the ground-colour is pale yellowish, the side 

 crossed by 5 nearly jet-black crossbars all continued upon the 

 dorsal fin; anal fin black. In the other the ground-colour is pale 

 chrome-yellow, the vertical base not so dark. Some individuals 

 are dirty gray and the bars are not well defined. 



500 



