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V. -BAG-NETS. 



The stow-net — Description of and mode of working — Sprat season — Large 

 takes of sprats by the stow-net — Trim-nets — Bag-nets in Waterford 

 Harbour — ■ Description of — Whitebait net in the Thames. 



The Stow-net. 



{Plate VI.) 



This gigantic bag-net, exceeding in length the largest 

 trawl, is exclusively employed for catching sprats, and 

 is regularly used for that purpose in winter at the 

 mouth of the Thames, in the Solent, and the Lynn and 

 Boston Deeps. 



The stow-net, as generally used at the mouth of the 

 Thames, where the principal fishing by this method is 

 carried on, is a conical bag, about GO yards long, and 

 is made up of from four to six portions or lengths, 

 according to the expected scarcity or abundance offish. 

 The mouth or entrance of the net is 30 feet deep on 

 each side, and is fastened above and below to two stout 

 pieces of wood called " balks " ; the upper balk (a) 

 being 21 feet long and the lower one (b) 22. The 

 latter is sometimes made of iron for the sake of the 

 weiglit, which, as will be presently shown, is necessary 

 in order to keep the mouth of the net open ; but to 

 avoid the risk of the stout but long iron rod bending or 

 breaking, it is thickly cased with wood in the centre for 

 more than half its length ; if it is made entirely of wood, 

 additional weight is given to it by loading it with lead. 

 The form of the mouth is therefore nearly rectangular, 

 l»ut deeper than it is broad; this difference, however, is 



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