8 COD AND OTHER SALT FISH FOR THE MARKET. 



instance. The men proceed to pull the trawls and take the fish off. 

 After all the dories have been dropped, the vessel again proceeds 

 diagonally across the fishing grounds to the first dory, which by 

 this time has taken her fish. Each dory is picked up in succession 

 and the fish taken aboard the vessel. If this flying set is successful 

 and the weather and fishing conditions are favorable, the vessel is 

 anchored and the fishing proceeds. The position of the trawls with 

 reference to the vessel at anchor is usually one directly forward, one 

 astern; and either three or four radiating spoke-like from either side. 



The direction of the tide always governs the setting of the trawl. 

 On the side of the vessel toward which the tide comes, the dories are 

 rowed out a distance from the vessel equal to the length of the trawl, 

 and the setting is made with the tide and toward the vessel. On the 

 side of the vessel from which the tide is running, the set of the trawl 

 is started at the vessel and proceeds to the outer extremity. The 

 dories which proceed in other directions from the vessel set their 

 trawls as far as possible with the tide. 



In setting the trawl, an anchor is attached at the end of the first 

 line, the anchor rope being 1 fathom in length. At the same time 

 a buoy is also attached, the buoy line being 25 fathoms longer than 

 the water is deep at that point. When all of the trawl has been 

 cast out, an anchor and buoy are attached to the end in the same 

 manner as at the beginning. If the tide is running strong, the set 

 is with the tide to keep it well stretched, otherwise it would become 

 bunched and tangled. 



The trawls are set once a day, and formerly it was the practice to 

 leave them out three hours and then draw them. It is now a com- 

 mon practice to set them at 3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon and leave 

 them out Over night, but many vessels make a day and also a night 

 set. The older method seems to be the better, as the fish are more 

 nearly in the same condition when brought in as when caught by 

 hand lines. 



In hauling the trawl to take the fish off, it is always preferable to 

 haul with the tide. Sometimes in blowy weather, when the water 

 is rough, the dories all start for the outer buoy and haul in toward 

 the vessel. The man in the bow hauls the trawl and takes off the 

 fish or passes the fish along the side of the boat to be gaffed and 

 drawn in by the man who coils the trawl. The line is usually drawn 

 hand over hand, but when it is very rough or the water is very deep 

 a gurdy may be used. Nippers are used to protect the hands from 

 being cut in the drawing of the trawls. 



A dory will carry on an average 1,000 pounds of fish in the bank 

 fishing, but in very smooth water it may be loaded with 2,500 pounds. 

 More than one dory load may be on a trawl at a haul, and if such is 

 the case, a buoy only is attached at the point where the line is cleared 



