274 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



the same quality here as off Cape Flattery and the Queen Charlotte 

 Islands. The water is shallow and the bottom sufficiently smooth to 

 render fishing easy, and while the tide runs rapidly at times, it Is not 

 strong enough to carry a trawl buoy below the surface. 



Running down the coast 48 miles, work was resumed off Heceta 

 Head. Between this point and Coquille River, a distance of 03 miles, 

 trials wT.re made witli hand lines in 15 different places. The bottom is 

 not unlike that found fartlicr north, and on many spots and ridges red 

 rockfish were fairly abundiint. In other localities, however, the bottom 

 seemed to be more or less destitute of life. 



Some time Avas occupied in hand-line fishing off Tsiltcoos River, in 13 

 fathoms, the mouth of the river bearing SE. by E. (magnetic), distant 

 13.7 miles, but without success. Better results were obtained during a 

 ten minute trial off Unipqua River, 12 miles south of Tsiltcoos River, 

 27 red rockfish being taken. The character of the bottom in these two 

 places did not differ materially. 



The ground adjacent to Cape Gregorj^ was carefully examined in 

 depths of 11 to 40 fathoms. The best fishing was found in the last- 

 mentioned depth, Cape Gregory light bearing S. | E. (magnetic), 14.5 

 miles distant. The catch consisted of 22 red rockfish. In six subse- 

 quent trials nearer the shore, in depths of 11 to 25 fathoms, no bites 

 were obtained, notwithstanding the fact that the same kind of bait was 

 used. At times, however, fish may be more abundant in this locality. 



At hydrographic station No. 20G6, lat. 43° 03' 30" N., long. 124° 33' 30" 

 W., 44 fathoms, the ship lay to, drifting for an hour and twenty minutes, 

 with twelve hand lines in use, but not a single fish Avas taken. As we 

 worked fiirther southward fish became exceedingly scarce, and the 

 ground in the immediate vicinity of Cape Orford proved as unproduct- 

 ive as that off Caiie Gregory. Not a fish was obtained in the course of 

 seven trials, while with the beam trawl, 11 miles from the cape, only a 

 few shells, 1 starfish, and a small crab were secured. 



Many trials were made in the vicinity of Orford Reef by means of the 

 dory, fitted with hand lines of different sizes. This reef consists of sev- 

 eral rough ledges, rising abrui)tly and in some places perpendicularly 

 from the sea, and is inhabited by many sea lions. Unlike other similar 

 localities, however, where the presence of sea lions seems to cause a 

 great scarcity of other aquatic life, food-fishes of several species are 

 abundant here. By far the best fishing was obtained on the south side 

 of the reef, in to 8 fathoms of water, hard, irregular bottom. In the 

 beginning an anchorage w^as made for each trial, but as it proved very 

 difficult to raise the anchor at times, it was found expedient to lay to 

 and drift with the wind and tide. The hooks frequently caught on the 

 rocks, causing the dory to bring up suddenlj^, but notwithstanding these 

 difficulties a very good colh'ction of fishes was made. Among these 

 w^ere red, orange, and vermilion lockfishes, the cultus cod, Idack-cod, 

 and several large sculpins. The cultuscod were unusually abundant. 



During the progress of this investigation the ship was engaged in 



