YARROW — ON SHAD RIVERS SOUTH OF THE POTOMAC. 397 



Mr. J. Higg's, of No. 8 Ellis street, an intelligent fisherman, informed 

 me that it was his belief that there were not one-eighth as many shad in 

 the Savannah River at the present time as formerly. He attribntes the 

 decrease to the numerous traps and nets used since the war, and the 

 offal from the gas-works and paper-mills near the city of Savannah. He 

 further informed nie that shad running up the river and meeting, from 

 the sources mentioned, impurities in the water, would retreat to Broad 

 River, below the city. His statements were corroborated by Mr. Powell 

 of the city marshal's office, and other persons of intelligence. I do not 

 doubt the correctness of the views of Mr. Higgs to a certain extent, but 

 consider the chief offending cause to be the numerous traps and nets 

 which cover the face of the river from its mouth to Augusta. At this 

 date there are perhaps 150 nets between Savannah and Augusta, while 

 the average daily haul per net is not more than twenty shad. 



By invitation, I visited Mr. Powell's fishery, and found it to be an 

 admirable location for hatching purposes on account of the natural ad- 

 vantages surrounding it, and the fact that here more fish are taken 

 than at any other point on the river, except, it may be, at the traps of 

 Mr. Thos. Heckle, about five miles above the city. The nets used by 

 Mr. Powell are of ordinary gilling twine, with 5^-inch mesh, and are 85 

 yards in length and 18 feet deep. When fished the nets are drifted a 

 mile or so down the river at intervals during the day and night. Mr. 

 Powell estimates the decrease in the supply of shad in the last five 

 years at one-half, and considers 20 fish a fair daily average during the 

 season. At this date, April 6, 24 hours' fishing with three nets has re. 

 suited in the capture of 74 shad. This, however, is far above the num- 

 ber ordinarily taken in the time mentioned. According to this gentle- 

 man, shad make their appearance in the Savannah near Augusta early 

 in March. This year, however, owing to the backwardness of spring, 

 they did not appear until three weeks later than the usual time. They 

 are taken until late in May. 



Mr. Thos. Heckle, who also owns a valuable fishery five miles above 

 Augusta, as stated, does not use nets, but secures the shad by means of 

 traps formed of stakes of wood. Mr. Heckle takes in these traps not 

 more, perhaps, than ten fish per day on an average during the shad 

 season ; but notwithstanding the limited catch, I have no hesitation in 

 recommending his fishery as favorable for a hatching-house, since in 

 the traps the fish remain alive until the moment of their removal, 

 whereas in the drift-nets they are frequently drowned, and thereby ren- 

 dered useless so far as their spawn is concerned. Mr. Heckle informed 

 me that he had fished the Savannah for a number of years, and that 

 eight years ago 1,500 shad were taken at a single haul. At present a 

 haul of over 40 seldom occurs. They sell readily at from 75 cents to 

 $1.25 per pair, while formerly they brought but from 5 cents to 12 cents 

 each. The shad-spawn will be ripe in about ten days hence. 



Rock-fish are quite numerous in the Savannah River later in the season, 



