, 590 suckers, 185 bullheads, 1,925 roach.
Gilbert Johnson, Essex Fish caught. 1,500 alewives, 42 striped bass, 145 pickerel, 290 perch, 3,600 suckers, 55 bullheads, 295 roach, 3,250 eels, 1 German carp.
Elliott W. Ely, Hadlyme Fish caught. 40 shad, 8000 pickerel, 900 perch, 2,000 suckers, 1,200 bullheads, 2,400 roach, 300 eels
By 1911-12, the fyke net fishery had greatly expanded on the Connecticut River and elsewhere. The Rivers and coves of the Connecticut shoreline made setting of fykes ideal, shallow and semi protected areas with firm and shelly bottoms made them very effective. Hugh M. Smith – writing in the US Fish Commission reports (1890) mentions the significance of the Connecticut on pg 319 – The Fyke Nets and Fyke Net Fisheries of the United States. “As already shown, the fyke net fishery of Connecticut is more important than that of any other New England state” and our Connecticut fyke net fishery expanded into shad. Shad was no longer the neglected fish of the coast but now commanded the highest prices, a Fulton Market New York report; March 5 to March 10th, 1915 has some surprises. Lobsters “Prime” at 32 cents/lb, large Cod at 10 cents but Shad “Roe” from Georgia, So. Carolina, and Virginia priced for $1.20. The Oysterman and Fisherman newsletter by 1912 listed the roe shad being more valued for the roe delicacy and looked apart from the flesh. As shad catches increased from 1870s so and the fyke net fishery, 1901 saw a record 124,947 Shad caught in Connecticut. (The Connecticut River Museum in Essex, CT continues to make available a documentary CD titled “A passion for Shad” it includes rare video footage of the fyke nets and some of the last known haul seine operation in Middletown, CT from the 1930s.)
Where Were Fyke Nets Set
The 1911-12 Shad Report of the Connecticut Department of Fish & Game now includes location of fykes of three large firms, L.A. Champion of Old Saybrook, G. B. Hayden of Essex and Jared S. Daniels, Lyme, registered nearly 60 fyke nets from Hamburg Cove to the Connecticut River mouth. It was by far the largest fyke net fishery of the Connecticut River.
The 1911-1912 Biennial Report State of Connecticut Fisheries and Game mentions the following. (Some area residents will recognize some fishing locations but many no doubt have faded when they were abandoned for fishing areas).
G. B. Hayden, Essex, Connecticut licensed for 20 fyke nets
171 Mathers Meadow, Conn. River
173 Foxburough Grove, North Cove
174 Walters Point, North Cove
175 Point of Reeds, North Cove
176 Burying Ground Point, North Cove
177 Pratts Meadow, North Cove
178 Camp Ground, Conn, River
179 Woodchuck Pier, Conn, River
180 Thatch Bed Island, Conn, River
181 Notts Island, Conn, River
182 Broad Bill Point, Lords Cove
183 High Point, Lords Cove
184 Stump Meadow, Lords Cove
185 Nobles Meadow, Lords Cove
186 Low Point, Lords Cove
187 Goose Point, Lords Cove
188 Mink Island, Lords Cove
189 Harding Meadow, Lords Cove
190 Goose Island, Lords Cove
191 LaPlace Meadow, Lords Cove
and Jared S. Daniels, Lyme – registered for 22 fykes for these fishing sites
192 West Side, Hamburg Cove
193 Watsons Side, Hamburg Cove
194 West Side, Hamburg Cove
195 Elys Meadow, Conn. River
196 Elys Meadow, Conn. River
197 Elys Meadow, Conn. River
198 Seldens Meadow, Conn. River
199 Seldens Meadow, Conn. River
200 Pine Woods, Conn. River
201 Brockways Island, Conn. River
202 Below Mikes Point, Conn. River
203 Pettipaugh Meadow, Conn. River
204 Pettipaugh Meadow, Conn. River
205 Pettipaugh Meadow, Conn. River
206 Pettipaugh Meadow, Conn. River
207 Pettipaugh Meadow, Conn. River
208 Chester Meadow, Conn. River
209 Chester Meadow, Conn. River
210 Seldens Meadow, Conn. River
298 East Side Notts Island, Conn. River
299 East Side Notts Island, Conn. River
258 Seldens, Conn. River
Some area residents may recognize some of these locations while others no longer appear on modern maps. For a particular habitat history and current study the North Cove sites are significant as an alewife restoration project is now planned for the Falls River. Fyke nets continue to 