686 HISTORY AND METHODS OF THE FISHERIES. 
channel a single boat will sometimes put out 3 of these nets joined together. At Georgetown, on 
the lower Kennebec, they are 30 fathoms (180 feet) long and fifty-five meshes deep. In early times, 
when the large river shad were alone taken, a much larger mesh was used, 54 inches being the rule 
on the Penobscot. Drifting for shad is done only at night. In the rivers the ebb-tide is chosen, 
but in Casco Bay the state of tide is considered a matter of indifference. 
Dip-nets.—Before the original abundance of shad had been much affected by the operations of 
man, productive dip-net fisheries for them existed at many points on the rivers where natural 
obstructions existed, which were nevertheless not impassable. Among these stations may be 
mentioned Waterville and Skowhegan Falls, on the Kennebec, and Salmon Falls, on the Saint 
Croix. At the latter point there was in use, in 1825, “a large dip-net attached to a long swinging 
pole like a well-pole. It was heavily leaded to make it sink in the swift water; it was then swung 
round, and it was not at all uncommon to take two or three barrels of shad at a single dip 
of the net.’”* 
The only instance of a dip-net fishery for shad in recent times is in Nonsuch River, a very 
small stream, not over 20 miles in extreme length, in the town of Scarborough. The nets here 
used are about 9 feet deep and hung on wooden bows, 3 to 5 feet in diameter, with a long and 
heavy pole. When in use the bow rests on the bottom of tite stream in the middle of the channel, 
which is very narrow, and the pole is supported by a crotched stake planted on the bank. The 
stake serves as a fuleram ov which to lift the net out of the water when the striking of a 
fish is felt. 
METHODS OF CURING SHAD.—Three-quarters of all the shad now caught in Maine are 
marketed fresh. The rest are pickled. The proportion pickled has been constantly diminishing 
since about 1840 or 1845, at which date it embraced substantially the entire catch of the Kennebec 
and other shad rivers beyond those used in the local markets. 
PROCESS OF PICKLING.—The inspection laws of Maine require pickled shad to be assorted in 
three grades, denominated “ mess,” “No, 1,” and “No. 2.” For the highest grade the fish is opened 
along the belly, the entrails removed, the body split so as to lay it out fat_on its back, and the 
anterior two-thirds of the backbone cut out. As fast as dressed the fish are thrown into a tub 
with water, from which they are shortly removed to another tub of clean water (eitber fresh or sea 
water) in which they are laid, flesh side down, to facilitate the escape of blood. After lying here 
about two hours and being swashed about to wash off the blood and gurry, they are salted down 
in a hogshead tub to “ strike.” They are first thrown upon salt in a shallow box, rubbed in it, and, 
with the salt sticking to them, are placed in the tub flesh side up. If the crew is working fast and 
there is any danger of not getting on salt enough, more is thrown on as the filling progresses. 
There is no danger of getting too much salt. The “striking” takes one bushel to a hundred fish. 
The length of time required for this process depends upon the weather. If warm, three days is 
enough ; if cool, four to six days may be necessary. If necessary the shad may be left in the 
striking-tub a month without harm. They are packed 4 inches above the top of the tub, but as 
the pickle makes they settle down to Linch below the top. As soon as they reach a certain 
point in the process of striking, commonly in two or three days, the fish rise in the pickle. The 
upper layer is then turned flesh side down, two or three quarts of salt spread on top and a mod- 
erate weight put on, just enough to keep them under the pickle. When the striking is completed 
the salt is rinsed off in the pickle, and 200 pounds of fish are weighed off for a barrel. As they are 
placed in the barrel salt is thrown on occasionally, half a bushel being thus employed for a barrel. 
* Perley’s Report on Sea and River Fisheries of New Brunswick, 1852, p. 125, 
