PACIFIC COD FISHERIES. 51 
to the ring of the anchor, is attached to the small line close to the 
stone. When thus set there is sufficient distance between the anchor 
on the buoy line and the stone on the small line to permit of the trawl] 
being lifted without disturbing the anchor. In hauling, the buoy 
line is pulled up until the small line running to the anchor is reached, 
the stone is hauled up, and the end of the trawl is passed over the 
dory. One man unhooks the fish and the other baits the hooks. In 
this way the dory passes under the entire length of the trawl, the 
fish taken from it and the hooks baited in a single operation. The 
object of operating trawls in the manner described is for the purpose 
of keeping them in one position during the time fish are plentiful. 
On sandy bottom the fish are sometimes eaten by sand fleas, and 
to prevent this glass balls attached to the ground line at frequent 
intervals keep the fish clear of the bottom, where the fleas are most 
numerous. 
While the use of trawls by the Vega’s crew was found to be quite 
successful, so far as catching fish was concerned, the difficulty of 
pairing off congenial fishermen and the finding of men who were 
familiar with the operation of trawl lines proved too much of a 
handicap, and in the latter part of the season hand-lining was 
resorted to. 
A very important advantage in the use of trawl lines is that the 
men will fish with them in much deeper water than they will with 
hand-lines. The largest and best cod are found in the deeper waters, 
and it is from these that the owners would like the bulk of the catch 
to come, but the men when hand-lining either refuse openly to work 
in the deeper waters, or else secretly neglect the fishing and bring in 
but few fish when the captain insists upon anchoring on the deeper 
portions of the banks. 
The experience of the Union Jack in trawling is described under 
the section devoted to shore stations. 
For some years trawl lines were in general use by the station 
fishermen, but were eventually given up because large quantities of 
gear and fish were lost through the men being unable to get out to 
the banks in stormy weather and because the fishing required more 
skill than was possessed by most of the green hands available. 
As the ground upon which they could fish was somewhat limited 
for trawl lines, the fishermen would first agree amongst themselves 
as to how the ground should be apportioned out. In setting the trawl 
line two men would go in a dory, but in fishing it the work would be 
done by one man, as the trawl would be allowed to remain on the 
ground for at least a week, and sometimes longer. Before setting the 
trawl the bottom would be carefully sounded with a hand line in 
order to be sure of getting the right spot for fishing. An anchor and 
