530 GEOGRAPHICAL KEVIEW OF THE FISHERIES. 



Rivers. The village is near a narrow portion of the river, locally known as "The Devil's Elbow," 

 which is one of the best points for the capture of shad and mullet in this part of the State. 



The first fishing of importance at this place was by Capt. 0. B. Smith, of Connecticut, in the 

 winter of 1871-'72. He was remarkably successful, and shipped large numbers of shad to the 

 Northern markets, and also sent a considerable number of mullet to Jacksonville. From that 

 date he came yearly to Palatka with an increased number of men, and it is said that during the 

 season of 1874-'7o he caught 55,000 shad with six nets. Up to 1876 he had the fishing all to 

 himself, but at this time the inhabitants, seeing the value of the fishery, made preparations to 

 take part in it. In the season of 1S79-'80 there were ten nets, with twenty men, engaged exclu- 

 sively in the shad fisheries, landing about 12,000 fish. There is considerable fishing with hook and 

 line for fresh-water trout, and several tons are brought to Palatka for market each winter. Mullet 

 are very abundant during the greater part of the year, and especially so between July and 

 September, though little attention is paid to their capture, and almost none are shipped. 



WELAKA AND LAKE GEORGE. Welaka is a small river lauding, with two stores, in the 

 heart of a fruit-growing region, 25 miles above Palatka. It is situated on a narrow part of the 

 river, a few miles below the point where it ef pands to form Little Lake George. This is a shoal- 

 water lake, 4 miles wide by 7 long. A few miles farther up the stream is Lake George, the 

 prettiest and clearest sheet of water on the entire river. This lake is 12 miles wide by 16 to 20 

 miles long, and abounds in fish of various species, being seemingly the summer home of large 

 numbers of mullet. There are several salt springs in various parts of the lake, and the fishermen 

 claim that many of the mullet spawn there instead of taking the long trip to the sea. 



Between Welaka and Lake George there is a limited fishery for shad, mullet, and "foul-fish,'' 

 employing twelve men during a portion of the year; but the fishing, with the exception of that 

 during the shad season, is very irregular, and the chief aim is to catch "foul-fish" (including 

 catfish, gizzard-shad, and gar-fish, and other worthless species), which are sold as a fertilizer at $8 

 a ton. The fishing for mullet and foul-fish is not confined to any particular locality, the nets being- 

 set either in the lake or river; but the shad are principally taken in the narrower places along the 

 stream. 



In 1879 there were three shad-nets, six mullet-nets, and one haul-seine fished in this section. 

 The catch was about 4,500 shad, 20,000 mullet, and 600 barrels of foul-fish, the whole having a 

 value of $1,800. 



Probably no point on the Saint John's River affords better facilities for an extensive mullet 

 fishery than Lake George. Fish of large size are reported to be remarkably abundant during the 

 entire year, and it is said that they can be taken in any quantity desired. At present, as has been 

 stated, there are but six small nets, and these are fished only occasionally, a few mullet being sent 

 fresh to Palatka, the others being consumed locally. The distance from a suitable market might 

 interfere with any extensive shipping of fresh mullet, but it seems probable that any party familiar 

 with the proper methods of salting and curing fish could establish a very profitable business in 

 the salting and shipping of mullet to other States, especially to those of North and South Carolina. 



LAKE MONEOE. Lake Monroe, a sheet of water 5 miles wide by 10 long, is simply another 

 expansion of the Saint John's River, 240 miles above its mouth. On the banks of this lake are 

 the settlements of Melonville, Sanford, and Enterprise, all villages of small size, although among 

 the largest in this portion of the State. They are coming into favor as winter resorts, and several 

 good hotels have been recently built. 



The first fishery of importance in this region was in 1874, when parties from Palatka estab- 

 lished a shad fishery on the bar at the upper end of the lake, salting their catch or shipping it to 



