528 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 
with shores sloping gradually down to the water of the bay. The slope is so gradual in many 
cases, as, for instance, at Bowers’ Beach, that the depth of water does not exceed 6 feet even at a 
distance of a mile from the shore. The different species of fish found in this locality approach 
close to these beaches in the spring, and can easily be taken by the fishermen, who set their haul- 
seines and gill-nets in depths of 6 to 8 feet of water. 
The most important of the upper fishing stations are Kitt’s Hammock, 25 miles northwest of 
Cape Henlopen (and 44 miles south from Mahone’s Creek light), and Bowers’ Beach, situated 
between Murderkill and Jones’ Creeks, some 24 miles farther down the bay. Between Murderkill 
and Mispillion Creeks are the fishing stations of Shirley’s Bar, the “Pier” and “ Big Stone,” while 
near the mouth of Broadkiln Creek is Slaughter Beach, another excellent fishing ground, 43 miles 
distant from Lewes. The beach at Lewes, though secondary in importance as a fishing ground, 
so far as trout-fishing is concerned, is, nevertheless, taken altogether, the principal station along 
the bay, since the fisheries are carried on during the entire summer and autumn for the various 
species which can be found in this locality. The fishermen usually resort to the beaches nearest 
to their homes, all other things being equal. Thus, Kitt’s Hammock is the favorite place for the 
Dover fishermen, as well as a portion of those from Lebanon and Magnolia. A few men from the 
two last-mentioned places, however, generally go to Bowers’ Beach in the fishing season, which is 
also resorted to by the fishermen from Frederica; these, together with the local residents at the 
beach, making up the sum total of men employed in trout-fishing at that point. The residents of 
Milford Neck divide themselves between the two stations of Shirley’s Bar and the “ Pier.” Some 
of them formerly carried on fishing at the “ Big Stone,” but so few fish have been caught in late 
years at this station that it was abandoned in 1880, no seines being set from the beach. The chief 
part of the fishermen from the village of Milford resurt to Slaughter Beach, where also may be 
found, in the fishing season, the men who belong at Milton; the residents of Lewes, of course, being 
near one of the best fishing grounds in the State, have no occasion to go elsewhere to pursue their 
work. By this arrangement the men are enabled to go to their homes during the “slack spells,” 
and when the weather is unfavorable for fishing operations. As a rule, they visit their homes at 
least once a week. After the trout leave the shoal water bordering the beaches and strike off into 
the bay, on Oyster Rock, so-called, the outlying shoals are the fishing grounds, where a limited 
number of this species is taken with hook and line, though it is but fair to say that no systematic 
fishery is carried on after the end of the seining season. 
2. THE FISHERMEN. 
The fishermen of Delaware are principally men who engage in other pursuits during a large 
portion of the year. Among their other employments agriculture may be reckoned as the chief. 
They engage in fishing, as arule, only when it offers better returns than can be obtained elsewhere ; 
but when the fish grow scarce, or the market dull, they return to their farms; or if they have no 
farms of their own they hire out with some one else, unless, indeed, they may be mechanics, in 
which case they seek such employment as they are best fitted for. Many farmers of this section 
own boats and fishing apparatus with which they procure supplies for their own tables, and fre- 
quently secure a surplus, which they sell; others belong to crews or gangs regularly organized 
for seining.. These are the men who manage the large drag-nets. During the fishing season it is 
not at all an uncommon thing for the farmers to hire colored men to work on their land while they 
themselves engage in fishing. We are told by Mr. Hill, of Milford Neck, that many farmer-fisher- 
men of that section make it a rule to do their planting first, after which they engage in fishing for 
trout, thus filling up the time which otherwise might be unoccupied. According to Mr. M. 8. Van 
