Some dip net fishing is carried on from bridges and piers whero there 

 is a current. 



Bridge Nets . — Bridp:e nets are used almost exclusively on 

 bridges connecting the numerous Florida Keys. They consist of cotton 

 webbing hung on a lozenge-shaped frame. The frame is attached by a 

 bridle to a long line tied to the bridge railing. The net is held in 

 the outgoing tide with up to 6 inches of the frame above the water sur- 

 face. Fishing with bridge nets is confined to the outgoing night tides. 



Bait Fishing Methods 



\men shrtop are fished for bait puiposes in small quantity. 

 It is recommended that the shrmp be attracted to a chosen fishing sjot 

 by means of minced clams or, as is sometimes done in New Orleans, Louis- 

 iana, by paste-lLke dog food which is packed in empty clam shells. After 

 allowing the shrimp time to congregate, a oast net is used for fishing. 



+4*4 4 f" excellent method of catching live shrimp in larger quan- 

 tities is to drag slowly a snail otter trawl of about 10-foot spread 

 at the mouth, or a small beam trawl of about 6-foot spread, behind a 

 powered boat or skiff for about 15 minutes. 



Spars and Rigging 



A4. . X. ^"^^^^ ^"^ rigging on a sample of shrimp vessels in the south 

 Atlantic and Gulf srea were studied by First Research Corporation of 

 i-lorida. The following practices were observed: 



rr^. ^1 • -'^^side from minor variations, the rigging on all of the fishing 

 vessels included in the survey was standardized. Innovations were en- 

 countered nere and there j no single improvement, however, had been 

 accepted by a majority of the vessels. 



The mst was generally stepped on the centerline close to 

 amidsnip or slightly aft. Until recently wooden masts were used but 

 at present all of the newer vessels are equipped with masts constructed 

 oi steel pipe. 



«h^.,-h K e '^i^ 1°"^ T^ ^^^'^^d *° ^hQ "^5t by a goose neck at a point 

 about 5 feet above deck. It was of sufficient length to bring its 

 outDoard end over the afterdeck several feet forward of the transom 

 and was steadied in position by fixed or adjustable topping lifts 

 ana preventers leading to the port and starboard bulwark. On recently 

 built vessels, the booms were made of iron pipe. 



Outriggers, port and starboard, extended athwartship from the 

 mast and were of sufficient length to make sure that their outboard ends 



91 



