166 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
The investigations on this bank were resumed on June 7, 1889, the day being spent 
in dredging and fishing trials. Stations 3046, 3047, and 3048, in 48 to 52 fathoms, were 
made with the beam trawl, the bottom consisting of rocks in some places and in others 
of fine gray sand, and flounders, tomcod, and shrimps being thus secured. A trawl 
line was set for two hours at the last station, one end being in 52 fathoms, the other 
extending into 60 fathoms, but on being hauled only 4 red rockfish, 4 dogfish, 2 skates, 
and several starfish were found upon the hooks. The tide was running too strong to 
employ hand lines successfully from the small boat, but a few rockfish were taken by 
that means from the steamer. 
Beam-trawl station 3049 was in 43 fathoms, fine sandy bottom, about 1 3 miles to 
the southwestward of the entrance to Willapa Bay, the catch comprising flounders, 
tomcod, and shrimps, as on the bank farther north. On June 13, 1889, the beam trawl 
(No. 3066) was again used about 7 miles south of the above station in a depth of 55 
fathoms, sand and mud, flounders and skates being the only fishes taken. 
OREGON. 
Columbia River . — The fisheries of the Columbia River have been discussed in the 
Fish Commission Report and Bulletin for 1888 (F. C. 7, 8, 16). 
Off the Columbia River . — The region off the mouth of the Columbia River was 
examined chiefly in October, 1888. On the 13th of that month three nearly parallel 
lines of soundings were made between the latitude of Cape Disappointment and that 
of Tillamook Rock, extending offshore distances of 32 to 36 miles, and into an 
extreme depth of 601 fathoms. The northernmost line, which was directly off the 
mouth of the Columbia River, showed depths two or three times greater than in corre- 
sponding positions on adjacent lines 7 or 8 miles distant, both to the north and south, 
the submarine trough thus indicated being probably the ancient bed of the Colum 
bia River. Trials were made with the beam trawl and trawl line at station No. 2882, 
about 27 miles off - the mouth of the river, in a depth of 68 fathoms, gray sandy bot- 
tom. By means of the former a number of flounders, red rockfish, and black-cod were 
secured, but only 1 black-cod and 4 dogfish were taken upon the latter. Southwest 
of Cape Disappointment station 3065 was occupied on June 13, 1889, the depth being 
27 fathoms and the bottom consisting of fine black sand. Flounders, tomcod, and 
shrimps were captured in the beam trawl, but nothing was obtained by the use of 
hand lines. 
The existence of fishing-banks from 50 to 60 miles off this part of the coast, 
which had been reported in Astoria, was entirely disproved by the investigations of 
the Albatross , very deep water occurring in the positions indicated. It is possible that 
this rumor had its origin in Heceta Bank, which, however, is located very much 
farther south. 
According to Capt. Tanner : 
The sea fisheries off the Columbia were commenced a few years since with a small schooner, 
which operated a 40-foot beam trawl over the ground between Cape Disappointment and Shoalwater 
Bay. The vessel being found unfit for the purpose, the steamer Dolphin was built and made 40 
trips between April and October, 1887, but she also proved a failure. Her catch was fairly good, and 
had she been able to market her fish promptly the venture would have turned out profitably. The 
various fish taken by the Dolphin were classified as sole, flounders, hake, cod, rock-cod, and halibut. 
The “ cod” mentioned were probably not the Gadus morrhua. 
