544 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [54] 



crew, one (the skipper) stands aft and uses three lines, the boy amid- 

 ships has two lines and the other man at the bow three lines. 



The lines are " tried" by pulling in a few feet very often, the fisher- 

 man thus determining whether a fish is on or not. If so, he pulls in the 

 line, unhooks the fish, rebaits, and throws out the gear. While the line 

 is running out (the weight of the lead taking it to the bottom), the fish- 

 erman turns his attention to the other lines which he tries and pulls in, 

 or waits for a bite if a fish is not on. 



(17) Float-line fishing. — When fishing with " float-lines," a whole cape- 

 liu is put on a hook which, when baited, is thrown out several fathoms 

 from the boat. The hooks — locally called "floats" — rarely sink more 

 than 3 or 4 feet below the surface before the fish take them. 



As a rule, the boat fishermen prefer to fish during the day and return 

 to harbor at night; but sometimes they remain out over night. In 

 either case a rude attempt at cooking is often made, though little regard 

 is had for neatness. The cooking consists simply of boiling potatoes 

 and fish, and sometimes heating a pot of tea. The arrangements for 

 building a fire and cooking are very primitive. A rude fire-place is 

 made on the ballast amidship. Sometimes this may be only a section 

 of huge kettle that has been broken, or a smaller superannuated pot, 

 or, perhaps, simply a lot of beach gravel spread over the coarser boul- 

 ders to prevent the fire getting through to the planking. 



The boy builds the fire, the man forward cleans the fish that is to be 

 cooked, and the skipper attends to the cooking. When the meal is 

 done, the pot is taken off the fire and its contents turned out onto the 

 rough u gang board" and eaten. 



(18) Bait. — Herring, capelin, and squid are used for bait. Oapelin 

 are taken at Conception Bay about two weeks earlier than at St. John's. 

 The St. John's fishermen employ boats, built especially for the purpose, 

 to obtain bait from Conception Bay or elsewhere. Each cod boat pays 

 a stated sum per season for bait thus secured. 



In some localities it is difficult to get bait until the capelin schools 

 come in, and recourse is had to fishing with a leaden jig cast to resem 

 ble a fish. The lines are then kept in constant motion to give the jign 

 the appearance of small fishes darting up and down, and also that the 

 cod which may thus be attracted will be caught by the hooks, several 

 of which are attached to each jig. 



(19) Gill-net fishing. — The methods employed in the gill-net cod fish- 

 ery are very simple, consisting mainly of setting the nets at night and 

 lifting them next day. 



(20) Cod seining. — In seining cod the boat is slowly rowed along near 

 the shore, the skipper or seine-master watching carefully for the appear- 

 ance of a school of fish by looking through a water telescope or through 

 a glass in the boat's bottom. When fish are seen, and their course 

 noted, one end of the seine is lauded and the boat is rapidly rowed 

 around in a semi-circle so as to inclose the fish and bring the other end 



