24 HALIBUT FISHING GROUNDS OP THE PACIFIC COAST. 



dead sliells which came up on the hooks indicates, as a rule, poor 

 fishing ground. , 



Western entrance to Shelikof Strait. — During the night the Alba- 

 tross steamed to the north and eastward, and on the morning of 

 July 12, the weather being foggy, sounded in 114 fathoms of water 

 some 8 or 10 miles to the westward of Seal Kocks, which lie close to 

 the western end of Kodiak Island. Stood inshore 3 miles and 

 sounded in 98 fathoms and later got a depth of 58 fathoms, at which 

 time the fog lifted, Cape Ikulik bearing N. by W. 6 miles distant. 

 In this position a skate of trawl was set baited with salted herring 

 and fresh cod, chiefly the former. After 1 hour and 40 minutes the 

 haul resulted in 7 halibut, IG cod, 6 skates, and 2 turbot. The halibut 

 were taken on the hooks baited with salted herring and were small, 

 the largest weighing 11 pounds, the smallest 6 pounds. There was 

 a considerable quantity of mud, sand, and small rocks on the trawl 

 anchor. ^Miales were very plentiful. The number of halibut taken 

 here does not compare favorably with trials of equal length on most 

 gi'ounds in southeast Alaska, although it might be possible for a 

 vessel operating a quantity of trawls to secure a trip in a com- 

 paratively short time. 



A run of 12| miles in a southeast direction brought the ship in the 

 vicinity of Low Cape, situated close to the southwest end of Kodiak 

 Island, in 34 fathoms of water, rocky bottom, the cape 8 miles distant, 

 bearing E. by N. At 12.30 p. m. a second trawl was set 1 mile S. by 

 E. f E. from the first, in 52 fathoms, the character of the bottom 

 the same as at the first station. 



The first trawl remained set one hour, and from it were taken 13 

 halibut, 9 cod, 1 skate, 4 sculpin, and 1 octopus; from the second, 

 8 halibut, 13 cod, 1 skate, and 1 sculpin. The halibut taken by the 

 first dory averaged llf pounds, and that by the second 14 pounds, a 

 higher average than for any previous catch during the cruise. 



It is very evident that a considerable body of halibut inhabit this 

 gTOund. In the opinion of Capt. Joyce, and also the four practical 

 fishermen on board, a halibut steamer well equipped with trawls 

 would take 50,000 pounds of halibut in one day's fishing. The indi- 

 cations here are as good as in many places on southeast Alaska and 

 Queen Charlotte Island grounds, where fishing has been carried on 

 for the last 18 years and millions of pounds of halibut caught. 



Cape Alitak. — The dories having been hoisted, a course was shaped 

 for Cape Alitak, and at 4.55 p. m. a set was made with one skate of 

 trawl in 27 fathoms; bottom, shells and small rocks, the cape bearing 

 NE. by N. 10 miles distant, Cape Trinity 14| miles distant and bear- 

 ing ENE. The trawl was baited with salt herring and fresh cod; 

 trial, 1 hour and 15 minutes. Here the catch consisted of 4 halibut, 



