630 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 



a "shore-line," 75 to 100 fathoms long, and a " water-line," 200 fathoms in length. The average 

 length of the seines used by the Dover fishermen is 75 fathoms, and the average value $50. We are 

 told by Mr. Samuel Wyatt that the large seines used at Bowers' Beach are 150 fathoms in length, 100 

 meshes deep, the mesh being 2 inches in length, and that they cost about $150 each. For the man- 

 agement of these a crew of seven men is required. A smaller net is used in the trout fishery, 

 averaging about 50 fathoms in length, and costing from $50 to $60; these have a crew of four 

 men. At Milford the large seines average 100 fathoms in length. There are, however, here, fifty 

 small seines, averaging 30 fathoms in length, and requiring from two to four men to handle them. 

 Many of these are of the kind known as " wade-seines," and are owned chiefly by the farmers who 

 use them to procure a supply of fish for themselves, selling any surplus they may obtain. The 

 trout-fishermen of Milton, however, we are told by Mr. James D. Morris, of that place, rarely use a 

 net larger than 60 fathoms in length, 100 meshes deep, the mesh being 2 inches, while the small 

 seines are 25 fathoms long, 80 meshes deep, and cost $20, and the larger ones are valued at 

 $60. The swiftness of the current at the lower end of Slaughter Beach, near the mouth of Broad- 

 kiln Creek, where the men from Milton carry on their fisheries, prevents them from using so 

 large a seine as is employed by the fishermen farther up the bay. The largest haul-seines used at 

 Lewes, according to Mr. J. A. Marsh, a fisherman of that port, are 65 fathoms long, 100 meshes 

 deep, the mesh being 2 inches in length. The average value of these nets is $40, the small nets 

 varying in length from 20 to 30 fathoms, and are worth about $40 each. 



Gill-nets are used for the capture of trout along the shores of Delaware Bay, though very 

 much less so than drag-seines. Mr. Tomlinson tells us that the Dover fishermen have (stake) gill- 

 nets for the capture of trout, pike, mullet, catfish, perch, and rock. These nets are 25 fathoms 

 long, on the average, about 6 feet deep, the mesh varying in size from 2J to 3 inches. At Lewes, 

 gill-nets are used quite extensively during the first weeks of the trout fishery. These are the same 

 kind as those employed for the capture of spot, being from 13 to 20 fathoms in length (mostly 15 or 

 16 fathoms long), 15 to 40 meshes deep, the mesh measuring 2J inches. A more detailed descrip- 

 tion of these gill-nets is given in the chapter on the spot fishery. 



It has been stated that trout are only taken incidentally south of Cape Henlopen, principally 

 in gill-nets. These nets, which are used chiefly for the capture of perch, bluefish, menhaden, spot, 

 and other species, are from 15 to 40 fathoms long, about 4 feet deep, and usually a mesh of 3 inches. 

 The hand-lines used in Delaware Bay for the capture of trout are exceedingly simple in construc- 

 tion. A small sinker of 2 to 4 ounces in weight is fastened to the end of a small line of suitable 

 length ; above the sinker are attached to the main line, at distances varying from 8 to 10 inches 

 apart, two or three gangings about a foot in length ; fastened to their outer ends are small-sized 

 hooks similar to those used for catching mackerel. 



METHODS OF FISHING. The appearance of the trout is the signal for the assembling of the 

 fishermen at the different fishing-stations to engage in the capture of this species of fish. This 

 fishery, beginning, as has been mentioned, about the first of May, is actively prosecuted until the 

 end of June, and in some localities continues until August. It has been stated that from four to 

 seven men are required to manage a large seine. When the seine is to be set one of these men 

 stands on the shore holding the end of a rope the "shore-line" which is attached to the end of 

 the net that is first thrown overboard. The remainder of the crew go out in the boat with the 

 seine to a distance equal to the length of the line, which may vary from 50 to 100 fathoms. They 

 then set the seine in a semicircle, working down stream and gradually keeping farther away from 

 the land. By this means the end of the seine farthest down stream is gradually reached. From 

 this lower end a rope is run ashore and then the men land on the beach, dividing themselves into 



