Page 78 - Tuna Fishing in St. Ann's Bay

ISSUE : Issue 56

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1991/1/1

no Gaspereau and so many scal? lop draggers that it hasn't been worth trying. They have even cleaned out the flatfish (we got 2). No swordfish seen and one school Q of dolphin off Wreck Cove & one -' small one caught in nets. We have got 3 salmon, from 4 to 2 lbs. in mackerel nets. The North River became so hot and the sal? mon so sluggish that it was closed.... 1976 As this is supposed to be a Tuna diary, it is indeed sad to record that, up to Aug. 23rd, na Tuna have been sighted on the coast, clear up to Cape North. The swordfish are apparently "coming back" under the "mercury scare" and are being "sold" off the wharves in "chunks" in exchange for a "tip"! Rubbish! The mercury presence has been with us for eons (I'll bet). The only fish left in St. Anns Bay are the mackerel, whteh have been in steady supply all season, ivjo dogfish • or sunfish • or squid, or gaspereau or herring or hake. The salmon mn was good, and the lobster are being over? fished too. The draggers have cleaned out M the scallops and are now doing the same for the few, poor flounder! Save for the macke? rel, there isn't a fish to be had here. Cod have become a scarce thing. 1977 July 5 - Sept. 7 • Weather: same as '76! Fishing better: steady mackerel & better cod up to 15 lbs.... The new 200 mi. limit may help! Commander Hodgson on the porch of the Tuna Camp, looking out toward St. Ann's Harbour 1979 No dogfish or Tuna • a couple of sunfish and one school of over 50 porpoise off the Island • some splashing as though mating. The Ea? gle has come back well • never saw more, actually took mackerel in our wake. Three in sight at one time! Never saw so many birds in the garden • although hardly any trees left, after the bud & ring worms damages.... Only 2 or 3 doilarfish and quite a few squid. Cod were plentiful up N. shore • Little River etc. very few salmon • as elsewhere!... 1983 No Tuna seen for 3 yrs. Took 1 dogfish, 1 smelt, 1 doilarfish & 1 shad • Wet season, no sign of Tuna or swords & v. few Mackerel 1 to 12/ & a few Hake in nets. Only set one net which sufficed. Had one terrif? ic handiining around end of Dolphin towards Fairy Cove 5-6 mackerel every time on feathers.... 1978 ...Dogfish once, jdq larger fish, & that includes the mighty Tuna!... dy.! Good handiining 84 cod & 44 cod & 40 Haddock off church & quite close in. 1 large whale & y. large sunfish. 1984 V. poor fishing all year • the ocean was v. warm! Just enough macke? rel for the house & cod scarce on N. Shore.... Cape Breton Brace 66 Cornwallis Street, Sydney, N. S. 539-5100 Custom made to fit you personally. • Ankle Supports • Wrist Supports • Knee Supports • Insoles • Custom Fit Shoes * Back Braces & Supports //- BY APPOINTMENT ONLY We are a group of citizens concerned with the abuse being done to our harbours by the indiscriminate dumping of sewage, toxic waste, and unauthorized in-filling, 1985 Fine weather ail summer • no storms • no easterfies • poor fishing.... 1986 Quiet weather • few mackerel & 4 small Salmon in nets. 65 Dogfish one day, 12 cod & no other fish at all! Very peculiar! A FIREBALL • 2'-4' in diam. came in the Bay at about 6 p.m. Seen by half a dozen people. It went down Rockyside (S. shore) trailing smoke and plunged down about 80'-i • into the bay • raising a cloud of steam! HELP US DO SOMETHING! Contact us at this number: 1-902-564-6699 Or write: P. O. Box 33, Whitney Pier Postal Station, Sydney, Nova Scotia BIN 3B1 1987 ...the finest summer's weather in any? one's memory • never had my slicker on once! Grass brown and fish later in coming. Plenty mackerel • a few dog? fish. Several reliable people saw 2 or 3 Tuna swimming in W. end of the Bay.... Our thanks to Jackie Smith, Murray Road, for help with the map. For a very different story about a tu? na caught off the North Shore in1988, see "But we went out after mackerel...!" in Issue 47 of Cape Bre? ton's Magazine.

Cape Breton's Magazine