CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME. 119 



determined on, the other throws out the gear, a few feet at a time. 

 When the end of the line is reached, the line is hauled taut for a few 

 seconds in order to make it lie straight on the bottom of the ocean. An 

 anchor is bent on and, with a buoy line attached, is lowered to the bot- 

 tom ; a buoy, fastened to this second buoy line, is heaved overboard. 

 This act completes the setting of the gear. For any but trial sets, gen- 

 erally three skates of gear, or, not infrequently, more than that, to a 

 dory, are used. In that event they are usually fastened end-to-end, 

 although occasionally they are set separately. 



The gear is allowed to remain down — to "soak" is the technical term 

 — for at least two hours; but a "soak" of three or four hours is advo- 

 cated by many fishermen. The length of time is regulated somewhat 

 by the kind of bait used; fresh herring is not left down much over an 

 hour and a half, because it tears off easily; salt herring is given a soak 

 of three, four, or even six, hours, to allow time for the salt to dissolve 

 out of it ; fresh salmon will stand a three-hour soak well. However, 

 no definite rules can be laid down, and each fisherman is guided by 

 circumstances and by his own experience. At the end of the alloted 

 time, one man busies himself with hauling in the line; the other disen- 

 tangles any snarls, removes fish and bait from the hooks, and coils 

 down the line in the dory. This done, the boat is signaled for; she 

 having come alongside, the fish are taken aboard in a sling, and then 

 the dory is hoisted. All hands immediately turn-to, to dress the fish, 

 which are iced down in the hold. A catch of 500 pounds of halibut to 

 the dory is considered "good fishing." 



When ten or twelve dories are operated, they are spaced from half a 

 mile to a mile apart, and the lines are set parallel to each other. Con- 

 sequently, a considerable area of ground is fished over. It is estimated 

 that, in one "set." a boat running twelve dories can cover thirty-six 

 square miles of fishing ground. And commonly two sets are made in 

 a day. 



Several trips are made during the season, which, because of the 

 severe winter storms, lasts only from spring to early fall. Operations 

 are continued, either until the boat contains all the fish she can carry, or 

 until supplies are needed ; thereupon the boat returns to port and dis- 

 poses of her catch, which is either distributed to local dealers, or 

 .shipped in ice to more distant markets. 



PUBLIC FISHING vs. PRIVATE HUNTING. 



By F. M. Newbert. President California Fish and Game Commission. 



The state legislature, in 1911, enacted section 40854 of the Politi- 

 cal Code, which grants to the county boards of supervisors the right 

 to condenui a public highway for the purpose of fishing along the 

 banks of any stream stocked by the state which does not run through 

 cultivated land. Prior to the passage of this act there was much 

 determined opposition offered to the bill by certain people who held 

 that such a law would have the effect of breaking down the powerful 

 trespass law in force in the state. It was also argued that the bill 

 meant confiscation of property rights and was in direct conflict with 

 the constitution. However, the bill was passed and signed by the 

 governor. 



