Il. APPARATUS AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 
GILL NETS. — 
The gill net is the oldest and most popular form of apparatus in 
use in the salmon fisheries of the Pacific coast. There are two kinds, 
drift and set, these names clearly expressing the difference between 
them. Fine flax or linen twine is generally used in their manufac- 
ture, although in some places cotton twine is employed, and it has 
usually 12 threads and is laid slack. They are hung in the ordinary 
manner—to a rope with cork floats to support the upper portion of the 
gear, and to a line with lead sinkers attached, which keeps the net 
- vertical in the water and all its meshes properly distended. The 
nets are tanned, usually several times each season. 
Drift nets vary, greatly in length and depth, depending upon the 
width of the fishing channels, the depth of water, etc. On the Sac- 
ramento River they average about 300 fathoms in length, are 45 
meshes deep, and have a stretch mesh of from 74 to 94 inches. On 
the coastal rivers of Oregon these nets average about 125 fathoms in 
length, and are about 36 meshes in depth, the mesh varying with 
the species of salmon sought. On the Columbia River the nets aver- 
age about 250 fathoms in length and have a stretch mesh for 
chinooks of 9 to 94 inches. On the Willamette River, the principal 
tributary of the Columbia, they average about 75 fathoms in length, 
with meshes of 8 and 94 inches. On Willapa Harbor drift gill nets 
run from 100 to 250 fathoms in length, are 30 meshes deep, with 
stretch meshes of 7 and 84 inches. On Grays Harbor they average 
100 fathoms in length, the chinook nets run from 24 to 45 meshes in 
depth, with a stretch mesh of 9 inches, while the silver or coho nets 
are 35 meshes in depth, with a stretch mesh of 7 inches. In the 
Puget Sound region the nets average 300 fathoms in length, with 
meshes suitable for the particular species sought. In Alaskan waters 
the nets vary greatly in length and depth, depending upon the places 
where fished. 
Drift gill netting is prosecuted chiefly in the estuaries of the 
rivers in and near the channels. If the water is clear the nets are 
set only at night, but should the water be muddy or discolored with 
glacial silt, fishing can be carried on either night or day. Night fish- 
ing is most common in the States, while day fishing is most common 
in Alaska. When fishing in rivers it is necessary to work in a straight 
stretch of water of fairly uniform depth and free from snags or sharp 
ledges, these being called ‘‘reaches. ” 
76 
a. et OA Pe + 
