194 HISTOEY AND METHODS OF THE FISHEE1ES. 



ten years. When fish are plenty the hardiest of the crew will fish night and day for three and four 

 days, being ambitious to be "high line," or to catch more than any of their mates; and when fish 

 will bite freely the men on watch at night usually pass their time in fishing. The greater part of 

 the work is, however, done in the day-time. The day's labor begins at daylight and lasts until 

 dark, the fish usually being dressed in the evening. When the tides run too strong for fishing 

 the fish are dressed in the day-time. The monotony of fishing is broken by breakfast at daylight, 

 dinner at 9.30 to 11 a. m., supper at 3 to 4 p. m., and a lunch in the evening. 



The strong tides which prevail upon George's Bank and other grounds visited by these vessels 

 have necessitated the adoption of peculiar methods, such as are not practiced in any other fishery. 

 It is only by the use of extremely heavy leads that it is possible to keep the hooks near the bottom. 

 Fishing with these leads and the long lines is extremely laborious. As the vessel rides at anchor 

 the helm is put down and she sheers across the tide, so that the lines stray out from tbe side at a 

 considerable angle with the rail. The men take their position at the rail all upon the side opposite 

 to that upon which the tide current strikes. When the tide is running dead to leeward, or in the 

 same direction with the wind, it is impossible to sheer the vessel, and then the lines all stray out 

 directly astern. While they are fishing the course of the tide is constantly changing and the vessel 

 is veering in every direction, and it is frequently necessary to change from one side of the vessel 

 to the other in order to keep the lines clear from the side. 



The best opportunity for fishing is on the slack tides. While the tides are running at the 

 greatest speed, or at the rate of about two miles or more an hour, the lines with their heavy weights 

 are carried out so that it is impossible to keep the hooks on the bottom. When fishing at slack- 

 water only a small portion of the line is used, while on the strength of the tide it is sometimes 

 necessary to use the whole 900 feet of tbe line. The fishing is then carried on by " sounding." 

 The line is slacked out as rapidly as possible until the lead touches the bottom ; it is then held for 

 a few minutes until the force of the current has raised it, and then it is again slacked out and 

 allowed to touch, and this operation is continued until a bite is felt. This is called "tending the 

 bottom." When the tide is flowing at a moderate rate, and there is no reason to believe that the 

 bait has been lost, the whole length of the line is let out before being pulled in on deck; and when 

 the tide is running moderately sometimes from seven to ten "sounds" are made. When the fish 

 are not biting and the tide is at half slack or running at a comparatively moderate rate, as happens 

 in the low course of tides, fishing in water 30 to 35 fathoms deep, it takes about twenty to thirty 

 minutes to run out the whole line, and fifteen or twenty minutes to haul it in if there is no fish on 

 it. Pulling up a pair of cod at the end of a whole line takes five or ten minutes longer, while to 

 pull up a halibut usually takes much longer still. In fishing with the tide running at a rapid 

 rate, making one or two sounds, the line will run out in ten or fifteen minutes. 



When fish are very plenty it is a common occurrence to catch a pair, one on each hook, and 

 the men will catch from one hundred to one hundred and fifty, and sometimes nearly two hundred 

 cod, in a day ; at other times a man may fish all day long and only get three or four. When fish 

 are plenty a man may throw out and haul his line over the side seventy-five or one hundred times 

 in the course of the day; when scarce, not nearly so often, perhaps not more than ten or twelve 

 times. 



The bite of the fish is quickly detected by the practiced hand of the fishermen, and he, when haul- 

 ing in, can usually tell whether he has hooked one or a pair. Expert fishermen often know when 

 they begin to haul in that there is only one, and they haul slowly, in order to give another a chance 

 to bite at the free hook. When the heads of the fish appear at the surface, if they are not well 

 hooked or are too large to lift over the rail with the ganging, the gaff is used ; when brought on 



