The Salmon Fishery of Penobscot Bay and River in 1895-96 | Page 6

Leader, brush, 6 rods long. Heart, brush or
netting, 40 feet long, 20 feet wide, with 8-foot entrance on each side of
leader. Pockets, netting, 10 feet in diameter, 9-inch entrance, wooden
floor. Value, $50.
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"Upanddown" Salmon weirs, Orland. Constructed of brush except final
compartments, which are of netting with wooden floors. Value of set,
$65
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/ / | x x | x / / | xx | x/-------/----------+ | | | | | | | | |
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Salmon weir, built at Verona in 1889. The most elaborate net used in
the Penobscot region.
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x xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx x | x xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx x x | x x xx | xx | | | |
xx | xx x x | x x xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx x | x xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx x x x x
| x x x x x x x x | x x x x x x x x | x x x x x | x x -------+------- x x | x x x
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xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx x x | x x xx | xx | | | | | | |
| | | ----+----

Salmon at Matinicus and Ragged islands.
Matinicus is a small island located south of Penobscot Bay and about
15 miles southeast of the nearest mainland (Thomaston). It is in the
route of salmon coming in from the sea to ascend the river, and nets set
in favorable positions would naturally be expected to intercept the fish.
On the western side of the island Messrs. R. Crie & Sons have operated
a trap for mackerel and herring for four years, and during that time
have incidentally taken a number of salmon. Between May 20 and July
10 marketable fish are caught, while in August and September salmon
too small to utilize are taken in considerable quantities; in the opinion
of the Messrs. Crie these small fish were on their way to sea from the
Penobscot River. It has been observed that when an easterly wind is
blowing very few salmon are taken, but during a westerly wind salmon
are always obtained in the months named, and the quantity of salmon
secured in any given year bears a close relation to the direction of the
prevailing winds. In 1895 the number of marketable salmon caught was

65; in 1896 the catch was 167. The largest fish taken in the two years
weighed 30 pounds, the smallest 1/2 pound. The largest daily catch was
31 salmon, in 1896; the next largest, 27, in 1894.
Mr. W. B. Young, of Matinicus Island, has a herring weir on the
southwestern part of Ragged Island, which lies a short distance south of
Matinicus Island. In 1896 this weir during June and July caught 15
salmon with an aggregate weight of 200 pounds. The largest weighed
24 1/2 pounds. No small, unmarketable ones were obtained.

Salmon at the Cranberry Isles.
The Cranberry Isles lie a few miles south of Mount Desert Island and
about 25 miles east of Penobscot Bay. They are in the track of
migrating salmon, as a few herring weirs set around the islands have for
several years taken one or more salmon almost annually. [3] Mr. W.