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Page 35
This was considered one of the very best fishing grounds for cod and
haddock in the Gulf of Maine, but the haddock catch here has fallen off
recently. Hake also are very abundant during the summer months and often
during October on the muddy bottom near the edge. Inside 100 fathoms, on
a "punkin" bottom of rocks and gravel, near the mud, haddock are found
from December to March. Cod, pollock, and cusk occur from May to
October, the former on the rocky and gravelly portions, the latter on
the deep soundings, with the Northeast Peak the best summer ground. This
is also an especially good fall and winter ground for haddock. Halibut
are often found in 35 fathoms (small fish) from September through
November; also In spring and early summer. This ground is fished by
vessels from Cape Cod, Mass., to Cutler, Me., mainly by trawling, some
hand-lining, but no gill netting of importance as yet.
Jeffreys Ledge. Jeffreys Ledge may be considered one of the best
fishing grounds in the Gulf of Maine, although of comparatively small
size. It appears to be an extension of the shoal ground that makes off
in an easterly direction from Cape Ann, it is about 20 miles long in a
NE. and SW. direction and about 4 miles wide. Its southern limits is 42�
54' and its northern limit 43� north latitude; its eastern and western
boundaries may be placed at 69� 58' and 70� 18' west longitude. The
bottom is rocky on the shoaler parts, with gravel and pebbles on the
edges. Depths on the bank are from 27 to 35 fathoms, falling off to 40
or 50 on the edges. The shoalest water lies from 4 to 5 miles N. by E.
from the buoy, where there is 22 fathoms. Ordinarily there is little or
no tide, with an occasional current SW. There are, however, strong
westerly currents with the heavy easterly winds, and often after a
period of mild weather with no strong tides there will suddenly develop
a heavy SW. flow, indicating the approach of a strong northwester. This
seems a general rule in the Gulf of Maine and is, perhaps, prevalent
over much of our North Atlantic coast.
Jeffreys Ledge bears S. � W. from the lightship off Portland, 19 miles
to the northern edge and 22 miles S. from the buoy on the Hue and Cry to
the edge of the shoal.
A small cove makes for a short distance into the western side of
Jeffreys Ledge at about 20 miles from Boon Island in a SE. by S. � S.
direction. The bottom in the cove is broken and muddy, with depths of
about 60 fathoms. Thence, the ground slopes away to the mouth, where the
edges about the entrance are rocky and have 70 and 75 fathom depths.
These rocky areas are cusk grounds in January, February, and March,
during which months the cove itself usually furnishes good haddock
fishing. Outside these depths the water deepens westward over a muddy
bottom, where are from 80 to 90 and even 100 fathoms of water. Fishing
here is mainly by trawl and gill nets.
Lying about SE. by S. � 5. from the Isle of Shoals 20 miles, 13 miles S.
by W. from the whistling buoy on Jeffreys, and 43 miles S. by W. from
Cape Elizabeth is a broken piece of bottom having from 75 to 85 fathoms
of water over it, which is a haddock ground from January to April and a
cusk and hake ground all the year.
A small shoal in the western part of the Cove of Jeffreys, having 50
fathoms over a bottom of blue clay and rocks and rising from the 60 and
70 fathom soundings about it, is about 1� miles long by about 3/4 mile
wide. This shoal is SSE. from Boon Island 15 miles. It is a winter
ground for cod and haddock.
Clay Ridge. At various points about the edges of Jeffreys Ledge are
small detached ridges, which in their season are good fishing grounds.
The present piece of ground lies 26 miles S. by W. from the lightship at
Portland, which course and distance bring us to the northern edge. There
is a 50-fathom shoal of small size upon it, but elsewhere soundings
average from 65 to 70 fathoms over a bottom of hard clay. The length of
the ground is about 4 miles NNE. and SSW., and the breadth about 1 mile.
This furnishes good haddocking in January, February. and March. the
latter month showing the best fishing.
Jerry Yorks Ridge. This lies just inside and paralleling Jeffreys
Ledge WNW. from its shoal water and about 5 miles distant from the ledge
and about 18 miles SE. by S. � S. from Cape Porpoise. This ground has
from 45 to 48 fathoms of water on a rocky broken bottom. It is about 5
miles long, NNE. and SSW., and averages 1� miles wide. This is a good
cod and haddock ground In the fall and up to January, these fish
returning here in the spring months.
Howard Nunans Ridge. Of similar nature to the last, this rises 4 miles
inside of and parallel to it, lying 14 miles from Cape Porpoise on the
same bearings (SE. by S. � S.). This appears to be made up of two
shoals, the northern rising to 50 fathoms of water over a rocky, broken
bottom about 3 miles long by 1 mile wide, deepening southwesterly to a
narrow, muddy gully, where are 80 fathoms, and rising again to 60
fathoms over rocks and broken ground. The whole ground is about 8 miles
long with average widths of from 1 to 1� miles. This ground furnishes
good cod fishing and haddocking in the fall and early winter and again
in the spring months.
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