178 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
direction the depths increase rapidly with a bottom of green mud. The area of the 
bank, so far as it has been determined, amounts to about 20 square miles, according to 
Capt. Tanner, the bottom consisting of rocks, sand, and shells, intermixed with mud. 
The least depth discovered is 25 fathoms. The tangles were used occasionally, and 
trials with hand lines were made from time to time, but the swell and strong current 
which prevailed rendered it difficult to keep the latter on the bottom. A cod trawl 
was set on the western part of the bank, and was allowed to remain down seven hours, 
the catch comprising 47 red rockfish and 2 cultus-cod. The former averaged 64 pounds 
in weight, while the latter weighed 18 and 20 pounds, respectively. One orange rook- 
fish, 2 yellow-tails, and 2 cultus-cod were taken with hand lines during a drift of about 
three-quarters of an hour. Subsequent trials, however, farther to the south, both 
with hand lines and with the trawl line, proved less successful. 
Mr. Alexander considers that a small vessel with 6 to 8 dories might, under 
favorable conditions, obtain 4,000 or 5,000 pounds of fish a day, but a satisfactory esti- 
mate of the value of the bank can not be based upon the investigations thus far made. 
During the winter months a few large boats from San Francisco fish on Cordell Bank 
for red rockfish and cultus-cod, but the Italian and Greek fishermen who engage in this 
business take little pains to extend their knowledge of the ground beyond the few 
spots with which they have accidentally become acquainted. 
Drake Bay furnishes the first important inshore fishing-ground south of Point 
Reyes. Drag seines only are employed here by the fishermen, who make use of large 
boats, which generally go in companies of three to five, each taking its turn in carrying 
the catch to market. The Albatross visited this locality twice during March and April, 
1890, but met with no success, either in the bay or about Point Reyes. The bottom 
was thoroughly tested with hand lines, and trials were also made with crab nets. A 
cod trawl was set for six hours across a rocky patch of ground on the northern side 
of the bay, but only 2 small flounders were secured. In summer rockfish are said to 
frequent this ridge, but never in great numbers. 
At a beam-trawl station off the entrance to Drake Bay the catch consisted of 100 
flounders, representing several species, half a dozen anchovies, a few herring, and 
several red rockfish and tomcod. 
Ballenas Bay, situated not far northward from the Golden Gate, is a favorite 
locality for fishing with trammel nets. The principal species obtained there are red 
rockfish, sea bass, and cultus-cod. 
Two beam-trawl stations, Nos. 3181 and 3182, were made off the entrance to this 
bay. The former was located 4 miles SW. by W. from Duxbury Point, in 16 fathoms, 
the catch comprising 20 flounders of three species, 50 anchovies, 3 tomcod, 1 smelt, 6 
perch, and a large quantity of other forms. The latter was 1 mile WNW. from the 
northern edge of Four Fathom Bank, in 11 fathoms, flounders, anchovies, soles, and 
shrimps being obtained. The sole inhabiting these shallow waters are smaller than 
those taken farther offshore. 
Coast line south of the Golden Gate . — Directly south of the Golden Gate, between 
Point Lobos and Point San Pedro, a distance of about 11 miles, the waters close 
inshore are said to be comparatively barren of food-fishes. From May to September 
trawl and hand-line fishing is carried on between Point San Pedro and Point Auo 
Nuevo, red rockfish being the species chiefly sought for. The San Francisco fisher- 
men do not venture beyond the latter point, but others, beginning there, follow this 
calling farther to the southward. 
