FISHERIES OF TIIE PACIFIC COAST. 
131 
Americans, who are unfamiliar with its European origin and name, it is 
called u flounder net,” u drag net,” u drag seine,” u bag seine,” u deep- 
water drag seine,” etc., the name in each case having an allusion to some 
peculiarity of form, operation, or species taken in it. The size com- 
monly used for flounder fishing in San Francisco Bay and contiguous 
waters has a conical bag in the middle (at the bunt), 18 feet deep and 5 
feet wide across its mouth. The wings are each about 150 feet long, 15 
feet deep where they adjoin the bag, and taper to 12 feet in depth at the 
extreme ends. The mesh at the wing ends is from 2J to 3 inches, but 
grows smaller towards the bunt, where it is only 1 inch, while the bag 
has a J-inch mesh ; the cost is $125. These nets are often, if not generally, 
operated like a drag seine, being hauled over the bottom by men stand- 
ing on the shore or in shallow water near the shore. 
Alexander states that “ drag nets that are hauled ou shore are from 
360 to 420 feet long, 18 to 24 feet deep, bag 18 feet long, mesh of wings 
4J inches, of bag 2J inches.” Those used in deep water have a bag 30 
or 40 feet deep. This extra length prevents the escape of fish. When 
the paranzella is operated by boats the method is essentially the same 
as at Santa Cruz. Fishing with this is perhaps most common in the 
bays where the water is shallow. 
The steam tug TJ, S. Grant operates a paranzella on sandy patches in 
deep water off Point Reyes and the Farallones. Her catch is chiefly 
flatfish, but other species are also sometimes taken. She carries a crew 
of seven men all told, namely, captain, engineer, one fireman, four fish- 
ermen or deck hands.* The following account of a trip on the Grant 
is extracted from the San Francisco Call of April 4, 1887 : 
Near the stern of the boat * * * two booms, 45 feet in length, project over the 
sides and water, which contain ropes attached to the mouth of the net. The nets are 
100 feet long by 40 feet wide, and there are always two of them aboard. The fish- 
ing is done by trolling. When the vessel arrives at the fishing ground she moves 
along very slowly with the net trailing at the bottom of the ocean. The nets to the 
fish appear stationary, and the piscatorial idiots swim through the mouth and are 
thus easily caught. No bait is used. Heavy sinkers are employed to hold the net 
down to the bottom. Off Point Reyes, the usual fishing ground of the vessel, the 
bottom is at 40 fathoms. The Call reporter, who was courteously permitted to enjoy 
a trip on the steamer, arose at 3 o’clock last Friday morning, and at 4 o’clock found 
himself at Green street wharf, off which the U . S. Grant lay. * * * 
It was yet far from dawn when the little vessel cast off her moorings at the wharf 
and picked her way carefully through the shipping out into the stream. The morn- 
ing was a mild and pleasant one, and the stars overhead afforded sufficient light to 
steer by. Once out into the stream the little steamer puffed away and made rapid 
progress toward the Heads. The jutting hills on either shore and in the water looked 
black and ominous, but the electric and other lights blazing everywhere relieved the 
prospect considerably. A fresh and invigorating breeze was blowing iu from the 
ocean, but it was too cold for comfort. Soon the vessel began to roll ; * * * she 
had passed through the Golden Gate, and before the sun had risen very high she was 
off Point Bolinas. By half past 7 she had arrived off Point Reyes, the fishing ground, 
* The captain receives $100 per month, the engineer $100, the fireman $50, and the 
fishermen $40 each. 
