332 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
Referen.ee lias elsewhere been made to a method followed in this State of setting 
simple fykes at each end of a leader. Such an arrangement is found in the James 
and York rivers and elsewhere. In the lower James River fykes thus placed are fished 
for striped bass in the fall. In the York River they are set from September 1 to May 1, 
and are taken up three times a week. The leader or hedging varies from 10 to 40 
fathoms in length and is 3 to 8 feet deep. The first hoop is 4 to 6 feet in diameter, 
and the last 1£ to 3 feet; the number of hoops is 3 to 5. The value of two such nets, 
with the connecting leader, is $30 to $50. 
An unique style of trap, apparently peculiar to this State, is illustrated in plate 
lxxvii, fig. 3; it consists in the substitution of a tyke for the usual form of entrance 
to the pot of a pound net. Capt. N. Raynor, of Hampton, Va., in a recent personal 
communication to the writer regarding the fykes employed in that part of the Chesa- 
peake, refers as follows to this form of net : 
In addition to the regular fykes, some of the fishermen use what they term a funnel-mouth pound ; 
that is to say, a pound with a square head, but with the regular fyke funnels instead of the perpendicu- 
lar [square] mouth usual to pounds. This style prevails in Back River. The size is much smaller 
than the pound net for shad, etc. The fishermen claim it will hold the fish much better. The cost 
of this trap, “rock” size, is from $30 to $50. 
The three tables which follow indicate the extent to which the various counties 
were interested in the fyke-net fishery in 1891 : 
Fishermen. 
Counties. 
Number. 
Accomac 
2 
Elizabeth City 
2 
Essex 
3 
Fairfax 
8 
Gloucester 
11 
Isle of Wight 
14 
James City 
21 
King ami Queen 
3 
Nansemond 
6 
New Kent 
6 
Northampton 
8 
Prince William 
2 
Richmond 
3 
York 
9 
Total 
98 
Nets and boats. 
Counties. 
Fyke nets. 
Boats. 
No. 
Value. 
No. 
Value. 
Accomac 
3 
$60 
$15 
Elizabeth City 
4 
200 
2 
30 
Essex 
18 
270 
3 
50 
Fairfax 
32 
128 
4 
100 
Gloucester 
38 
475 
9 
100 
Isle of Wight 
28 
420 
14 
195 
James City 
66 
675 
12 
175 
King and Queen 
18 
225 
3 
60 
Nansemond 
8 
400 
3 
75 
New Kent 
10 
125 
3 
60 
Northampton 
16 
7 
280 
Prince William 
8 
32 
1 
25 
Richmond 
6 
90 
3 
25 
York 
1 124 
1, 550 
8 
140 
Total 
379 
5, 930 
■73 
1,330 
