BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 427 
why this method has not been more universally adopted, but it may be 
said that the chief reason, so far, has been that the fish taken are some- 
what smaller, on an average, than those caught on trawl lines, and the 
demand for large cod in the American markets has heretofore offset 
some of the advantages to be derived from the less expensive hand-line 
fishery. 
Second. As previously stated, up to the present time salt clams are 
preferred to any other bait that can be carried on a vessel for the bank 
hand line fishery. 
Salt squid have sometimes been used, but these make far less desira- 
ble bait, and I have known of no instance when the fishermen did not 
depend for the successful issue of a voyage upon having a supply of 
salt clams. 
It is unquestionably true that if a full supply of fresh bait, suitable 
to the cod, could be obtained each morning on the bank, direct from the 
water , it would be found far more profitable to use it than it would be 
to use salt clams. And it is a well-known fact that the hand-line fish- 
ermen do use such fresh bait as they can procure on the fishing ground, 
often mixing this with their salt bait, or, if the supply of fresh material 
is sufficient to warrant it, they employ no other lure. Sometimes enough 
squid are caught to furnish all the bait required, and at other times the 
contents of the cod’s stomach (bank clams, lant, and capelin) are care- 
fully secured to use on the next day. Occasionally birds may be caught 
to eke out the supply of bait, or a porpoise may be killed for the same 
purpose. But birds and porpoises are more in favor with that class of 
cod trawlers called 11 shack fishermen” than they are with the hand- 
liners. 
But, though it has generally been found desirable to utilize such sup- 
plies of fresh bait as could be obtained on the fishing grounds, it thus 
far seems that fresh frozen or iced bait — carried out from the land— 
can not be advantageously used by the hand-line fishermen. 
The reason is this: While fish or mollusks taken fresh from the water 
will generally keep in pretty fair condition through the day, so that 
they can be used successfully by the dory fisherman (who, of course, 
has no means of protecting his bait from the effects of exposure to the 
air), bait which has been frozen or iced will speedily deteriorate when 
exposed to atmospheric action in spring or summer. Placed unpro- 
tected in an open boat, as it necessarily must be for the dory fishermen, 
it becomes offensive and worthless before the day’s fishing is fairly 
begun. 
For this reason, and also because the cod on the eastern banks is 
specially fond of mollusks, the salt clam, which always retains its flavor, 
is really far more attractive to the fish and more serviceable to the 
fishermen than fresh bait which has been packed in ice. In a word, it 
is believed that more fish can be caught by a crew of hand-line fisher- 
men who are provided with salt clams than can be taken by a similar 
