REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [258] 



1854. — Reminiscences of capt. j. w. colllns. 



In July, 1854, I again went on a mackerel trip to the Gulf of Saint 

 Lawrence in the pmkey "Julia Ann." The Gulf mackerel that summer 

 were large, though rather scarce on the greater part of the fishing 

 grounds. A fieet of about fifty sail, of which our vessel was one, did 

 remarkably well in August ou a small spot of shoal ground lying off to 

 the southwest of Cape Gaspe, and known to the local fishermen as 

 Yankee Bank. Instead of fishiug here as in the usual manner, bj' lying 

 to and drifting, the vessels were all brought to anchor at a short dis- 

 tance from each other, and, while fishing, lay sprung up. As a rule the 

 mackerel would take the hook only at night and early in the morning, 

 at which times they would bite, perhaps, for an hour or two, while dur- 

 ing the middle of the day scarcely one could be caught at all. The 

 weather at this season was exceptionally fine, and the fleet lay for some 

 weeks contentedly at anchor.* Each morning more or less mackerel 

 would be taken, and when they ceased biting, these were dressed and 

 salted. In the same manner the fishermen were almost always sure of 

 a "sundown spurt." Many of the vessels did excellently well, catch- 

 ing more than 200 barrels of fine large mackerel, for which they ob- 

 tained a high price, and we, ourselves, succeeded in taking over a hun- 

 dred barrels, with a small crew of nine or ten men. This amount, to- 

 gether with the fish we had previously caught, made us up a tine fare 

 of 150 barrels, for which we obtained a high price. This year the 

 schooner "Game Cock," of Hingham, was provided with a peculiar form 

 of spring seine, by which it was expected that a school of mackerel 

 which had been tolled alongside of the vessel might all be caught at 

 one time in the net. The schooner was provided with long outriggers, 

 from the bow and stern, by means of which the net could be drawn 

 outward from her side, underneath the fish, in such a manner that they 

 might be inclosed in a bag of netting — the edges of which would be at 

 the water's surface — before they would be aware of it. This contrivance 

 did not, however, succeed very well, and no attempts were made to use 

 it, that I am aware of, after this summer in the bay. 



1854. — Poor quality of the mackerel taken in the gulf of 



saint law hence. 



The Gloucester Telegraph says that " in previous years the quality of 

 mackerel taken at the Bay of Saint Lawrence has been mostly large 

 and fat, but this year it has been different. In 1853 Gloucester re- 

 turned over 20,000 barrels of No. 1 mackerel. This year there will be 

 returned scarcely 5,000 of that No. 1" — (Barnstable Patriot, December 

 26, 1854.) 



1855. — Mackerel fishery of cape cod. 



Several mackerel fishermen arrived at different harbors on the Cape 

 last week, having from 150 to 180 barrels each. The prospect of the 

 fishermen is generally very good. — (Barnstable Patriot, August 28, 1855.) 



