BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 385 
The dandy bridle was then taken over the taffrail (through the chock) 
and led to the dandy winch ; when the bridle was hove taut and the 
tra wl beam turned end for end and swung into its proper position, after 
which it was hove up in the usual way. 
The catch of fish was small this morning, amounting only to two 
trunks of plaice, one trunk of mixed fish — cod, small haddock, skate, 
a conger eel— and one or two turbot in number, a little over 300 pounds 
weight in all. The fishermen agree in saying that the catch so far this 
trip is unusually light, though at this season fish are generally scarce 
in this region. They tell of catching 4,000 and 5,000 pounds of fish a 
day, and mention instances when as many as 10,000 pounds have been 
taken at a single haul, the species captured on these occasions being 
chiefly haddock. 
When the trawl was up we “made sail”— that is, got under way — and 
stood along a short distance to join the rest of the fleet now gathered 
around the smack Sobriety , which was the next to sail for Grimsby. 
The morning’s catch of the fleet was put on board of her, and I learned 
that she would sail the next day for market, providing fish enough were 
tflken in the mean time to complete her cargo. 
There was a brisk northerly breeze in the morning with light rain, 
but the wind moderated considerably during the forenoon and it stopped 
raining about 9 a. m. 
At 11 a. m. we shot the trawl around the stern in 19 fathoms of water 
and towed away to the westward on the starboard tack. At 4 p. m. the 
gear was got on board again, and about 200 pounds of fish were found 
in the trawl, most of which were plaice. 
We then stood along by the wind on the starboard tack, heading 
about northwest, until 8 p. in., when the trawl was shot for the night, 
the vessel still heading westerly. On this occasion the trawl- warp was 
taken around the smack’s bow instead of being hauled under her bot- 
tom, as it formerly bad been. This was done to prevent it from being 
chafed, also that it might be in a position to bring the vessel in stays 
in case we met with other smacks during the night towing in an op- 
posite direction. 
Friday , July 2. — A little after midnight — about 12.15 a. m. — I was 
awakened to see the vessel wear around while towing the trawl. 1 The 
object of this maneuver is generally to change the tack with the turn 
of the tide, and thereby tow the trawl back nearly over the same ground 
it passed across during the first of the night. Or, perhaps, as on this 
occasion, it is done to keep clear of rough bottom, which the lead gives 
warning of. A smack can, of course, be tacked around with the trawl 
out, as has been mentioned, and this can be done quicker and easier 
than to wear, but unless the conditions are favorable the trawl is very 
liable to be upset. 
l The manner of “ wearing a trawl around” has been described in the chapter on 
Methods of Fishing. 
Bull. U. S, F, C., 87 
■25 
