530 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 
sinall 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 smal] 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 24 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 24 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 rum ashore and then the men land on the beach, dividing themselves inte 
