THE RIVER FISHERIES OF MAINE. 701 



marked contrast with the Penobscot River, where the principal catch is in the month of June, and 

 where tbe number of salmon to be taken after the first ten days of July is rarely enough to 

 warrant *Jie fishermen in keeping their weirs in working condition. 



PENMAQXTAN RIVER. This little tributary of Cobscook Bay drains a small territory in the 

 towns of Charlotte and Baring, not exceeding 50 square miles iu area, and affords an outlet to 

 Peninaquan Lake and several smaller bodies of water. It is naturally well adapted to the growth 

 of alewives, which formerly abounded in it, andjradition also says that there were once a good 

 many salmon here. But very far back in the history of the country dams were built without suit- 

 able provision for the ascent of migratory fish, and the usual result followed. The salmon have 

 entirely disappeared and very few alewives remain. 



DENNY'S RIVER. This is the first considerable stream west of the Peuuiaquan, and is the 

 principal tributary of Cobscook Bay. It drains a basin of about 150 square miles, including two 

 considerable lakes, Meddybeinps and Cathauce. The character of both the Denny's and its prin- 

 cipal branch, the Cathance, is favorable for the breeding of salmon, and alewives find a breeding 

 ground of great extent in Meddybeinps Lake. Both of these species are known to have abounded 

 in the river anciently, and tradition says that shad, too, frequented it. The shad disappeared 

 early, but the salmon and alewives continued to ascend the river until 1843. Since the first 

 settlement of the country there has been a dam at Dennysville, near the mouth of the river, but 

 fish were able to pass it. In 1846 another dam. quite impassable, was built a mile farther up the 

 river. The effect of this was to nearly exterminate the alewives, and the salmon, though they 

 continued to breed in the river below this dam, were reduced to very small numbers. In 1858 

 this dam was destroyed by a fire which consumed the mil!, and fish were again admitted to the 

 upper waters. The alewives were still shut out from Meddybeinps Lake, but in 1863 a fishway 

 was constructed there which admitted them to the lake. 



After the reopening of the river the salmon increased but slowly, owing to their persistent 

 persecution at the dams and the setting of gill-nets at the mouth of the river. The alewives, 

 however, increased very satisfactorily; iu 1865 the number taken was estimated at 2 barrels; iu 

 IsiHi at 15 barrels, and in 1867 at 240 barrels (about 125,000 fish). Since then the passage of the 

 river has been a second time obstructed by a difficult dam, and a falling off iu the number of fish 

 resulted. At present the alewives are increasing, and it is estimated that in 1880 there were 

 taken about 75,000, of which 30,000 were pickled and shipped to New York, and the remainder 

 mostly smoked and consumed at home. The only mode of fishing for alewives emploj ed here is 

 with the dip net. 



Salmon are taken occasionally by spear and dip-net at the dams, now and then with the hook, 

 but mainly in set-nets at the mouth of the river in tide-water. In 1880 there were four of these 

 nets in use, and the total number of salmon taken is estimated at 200. 



Denny's River is noted as the only river iu the United States where fly-fishing for salmon has 

 been practiced. In 1867, and for some years previous, it was the resort of several gentlemen 

 from Portland, who succeeded fairly well, and the sport has been continued down to the present 

 time by residents of Dennysville. 



COBSCOOK OR ORANGE RIVER. This is a very small river, lying almost wholly in the town 

 of Whiting. It was in primitive times inhabited by many salmon and alewives, and according to 

 tradition by shad also. Near the head of the tide three insurmountable dams were built many 

 years ago, utterly exterminating the salmon, and reducing the alewives so that the catch was 

 barely a dozen a year. In 1861, and subsequent years, an effort was made to restore both ale- 

 wives and salmon, but it was only partially successful and at present the river is entirely unpro- 

 ductive. 



