22 HALIBUT FISHING GEOUNDS OF THE PACIFIC COAST. 



It was learned that halibut are not plentiful in tjiese waters at any 

 time. Scattering individuals are caught in x^ugust at the time her- 

 ring put in an appearance. 



It was stated that a considerable body of herring frequently visits 

 Simeon of and Semidi Islands, the first mentioned being one of the 

 Shumagin Group, the second lying about 100 miles to the eastward. 

 A few days previous to our arrival a vessel left Unga fitted with gill 

 nets to engage in the herring fishery at those islands and at other 

 places adjacent where fish were to be found. 



Shumagin Bank. — On July 9 a set was made on Shumagin Bank, 

 19 miles to the southward of Unga, in 40 fathoms of water; char- 

 acter of bottom, sand and pebbles; Mountain Cape, Nagai Island, 

 bearing ENE., distance 16 miles, or latitude 54° 53' N., longitude 

 160° 38' 30" W. One halibut, weighing 3 pounds and 20^ inches in 

 length, 3 cod, and 2 sculpins was the catch in a trial lasting one hour. 

 From a fisherman's point of view this ground would not be consid- 

 ered of sufficient importance to spend much time upon it, although, 

 as previously stated, a trial made at some other season might yield 

 good results. 



The next station occupied was 16 miles farther off shore in 80 

 fathoms of water; sand and gravel bottom; Mountain Cape, 22 miles 

 distant, bearing N. \ E., or latitude 54° 34' N., longitude 160° 24' 

 W. Better results were obtained here than in the preceding trial, 

 3 halibut, 16 cod, and 1 turbot being taken. The halibut averaged 

 10 pounds in weight and 29 inches in length. The cod were of good 

 quality. The catch fell short of expectations, presumably for the 

 reason suggested by ihe, report that a sailing vessel had incidentally 

 caught a considerable number of halibut on this ground while 

 becalmed. 



During the night of the 9th a run of 67 miles was made to the east- 

 ward, and in the morning the ground was tested in 90 fathoms of 

 water 21 miles ENE. from Simeonof Island, latitude 54° 55' N., 

 longitude 158° 34' W. ; character of bottom, mud and sand. It had 

 been reported that a good catch of halibut had been taken here on 

 hand-lines by a passing vessel, but a trial of 1 hour and 20 minutes 

 resulted in only 4 cod and 1 skate. 



Steaming 27 miles on an ENE. course, we arrived at another 

 position where halibut had been reported plentiful and began setting 

 a " string " of four trawls in separate dories. The first trawl was set 

 on rocky bottom, 48 miles ENE. from Simeonof Island, latitude 

 54° 53' N., longitude 157° 48' W. Two others were set 2 miles apart 

 in a SSE. direction, and the fourth 3 miles from the third, a distance 

 of 7 miles from first dory. The depth of water varied from 48 to 

 70 fathoms. They remained down one hour and a half, the aggregate 

 catch amounting to 11 halibut and 97 cod. The average weight of 



