Fishing Grounds of the Gulf of Maine | Page 8

bottom being the same as on the former ground. Virtually all
taking of ground fish on these grounds is done by hand-lining, though
the practice of trawl fishing has come more and more into use in recent
years.
Head and Horns. A shoal of 68 fathoms, about 2 miles long in a NNE
and SSW direction by 1 mile wide, lies due north from the Boars Head
of Long Island. Here is a hard bottom where good cod fishing is had
during the spring and summer. Hand-lining from the bottom is carried
on in summer for pollock. Haddock are few here, these appearing
mostly in the summer. Depths about the ground average 80 fathoms
over mud and stones.
Sandy Cove Ground. Lies offshore NNE about 7 miles from West
Sandy Cove. It has from 40 to 50 fathoms of water over a sandy bottom,
lying parallel with the coast, about 4 miles long by 2 miles wide. Cod
are abundant on this ground from May to July, hake coming somewhat
later. As were most of the grounds of this vicinity, this ground was
mainly a hand-line spot, but in recent years fishing here has been done
mostly by the trawl method.
Inner Sandy Cove Grounds. About 2 miles NNW. from West Sandy
Cove. These are 3 miles long NNE. and SSW. by ½ mile wide. Both
hand-lining and trawling methods of fishing are in use here, but the
trawl is fast displacing the older gear. Depths are about 35 fathoms over
a sandy bottom and 50 fathoms all about it. Species and their seasons of
abundance are as on the Outer Sandy Cove Ground. Almost anywhere
between Spencer Island and Cape Split there is good haddock fishing in
June and July and cod fishing in May and June. Depths are from 16 to
40 fathoms: the bottom is generally stony, with considerable areas of

gravel. The fishing is done principally by trawling, rather short "sets"
being made. Off Cape Split are considerable whirlpools, which, with
spring tides, are very dangerous. These sometimes run 9 knots an hour.
Spencer Island. Almost anywhere between Spencer Island and Cape
Split there is good haddock fishing in June and July and cod fishing in
May and June. Depths are from 16 to 40 fathoms: the bottom is
generally stony, with considerable areas of gravel. The fishing is done
principally by trawling, rather short "sets" being made. Off Cape Split
are considerable whirlpools, which, with spring tides, are very
dangerous. These sometimes run 9 knots an hour.
Isle au Haute. Lies far up within the bay 9 miles W. ½ S. from Cape
Chignecto. All about this island are good summer haddock grounds
with fair cod fishing. The latter are taken by trawling principally.
Depths about the island are from 9 to 14 fathoms, deepening offshore
to 35, the average depths being 22 to 27 fathoms. North of the island
the bottom is generally sandy; elsewhere much of the ground is rocky
or stony, with here and there a small patch of gravelly ground. To the S.
of this ground, toward the Nova Scotia shore and to within 2 miles of
the coast, the bottom is mainly muddy and of little account as a fishing
ground. Tides are very heavy on all the inner grounds of the Bay of
Fundy.
Quaco Ledges. This ground lies about 10 miles SE, from Quaco Head
and is out at low tide, the water about the ledges having depths from 14
to 30 fathoms over a bottom of stones and gravel, There is a heavy tide
rip over these ledges when covered, These furnish good pollock fishing
in the summer months, and cod fishing is carried on here by
hand-lining from May to July.
Salmon Netting Ground. A salmon-netting ground lies off about the
Mouth Harbour and St, John Harbour, where these fish are netted, for
the most part during June and July, when they are en route to the St,
John River, where are their spawning grounds.
Ingalls Shoal. This is the name given by some of the fishermen of the
vicinity to a shoal lying about midway between Digby, Nova Scotia,
and Point Lepreau, New Brunswick. This ground is about 9 miles long.
NE. and SW., by about 5 miles wide. It lies about 22 miles NW. from
Digby and 18 or 20 miles from Point Lepreau. The depths are from 35
fathoms on the shoalest area (where is a piece of ground some 4 miles

long by 1 mile wide near the center of the bank, lying in a NE. and SW.
direction), the bottom sloping away from this on all sides to 47 or even
55 fathoms in a few places. The bottom is mostly of sand and gravel or
of small stones over much of the