Full audio file. Tape 2, Side 1, Part 1 - Introduction. Tape 2, Side 1, Part 2 - Floats. Wooden--(no. 6) Dipped in hot linseed oil, strung on twine and hung to dry. Usually sealed with 3 coats. Aluminum--First ones had ridge at each end to fasten twine. Later added more ridges for reinforcement (no. 8). Bought from Chicago or Manitowoc. Could boil them-an advantage. Plastic--Don't have to boil floats or nets. Won't rot if left in box in summer. Tape 2, Side 1, Part 3 - Twine--name for nets. Plastic today; lighter, cheaper. Tape 2, Side 1, Part 4 - Awls. (no. 9) Made themselves by rounding wood. Drove nail in, cut off and burned. Still in use today. Tape 2, Side 1, Part 5 - Similarities to today; tools. Awls, shuttles, leads. Buy lead sinkers today or use old ones. Tape 2, Side 1, Part 6 - Nets. They bought the mesh. Mended holes with shuttle, knots. Tape 2, Side 1, Part 7 - Tarring nets (hoop--also called fyke or drop--and pound). Heated water in large kettle; had to be at right temperature or burned cotton twine. Today don't tar because use plastic. Tape 2, Side 1, Part 8 - Fishermen choose either pound or gill nets unless had larger crews. He fished with gill nets. Tape 2, Side 1, Part 9 - Weight of twine. Mesh is fine thread on gill net (see gill net in Collection). Less fish sees it, they 'gill.' Larger, they 'lead' (pound net). Tape 2, Side 1, Part 10 - Regulations on size of mesh (holes) only. Thinks no regulations in his grandfather's time. They caught more varieties of fish. Tape 2, Side 1, Part 11 - Pound net. (See diagram in Collection). Describe how fish trapped in. Heart--made of heavy seaming twine. Have to 'stand the weather,' close to surface, especially in summer. Lead--looks like gill net but made of seaming twine. 400-500 ft. at most. Pot--same mesh as heart. Tape 2, Side 1, Part 12 - Changes in mesh size. Tape 2, Side 1, Part 13 - Dip nets. 2 ft. diameter. Made themselves. Tape 2, Side 1, Part 14 - Where they set pound nets. Usually went back to 'old spot.' Knew where people's spots were; all local. Tape 2, Side 1, Part 15 - 'All fisherman pretty much alike.' Doesn't feel anyone much better than anyone else. Helped each other; for example, in pulling out nets in spring, a risky job. Tape 2, Side 1, Part 16 - Taking nets out in spring. Can't remove until ice 'pretty well rotted.' Describes how the net is caught in ice, how they get the fish out. Tape 2, Side 1, Part 17 - Why chose gill nets. Set them 'blind'--nets stayed in place. With pound nets, lost money if ice moved. Tape 2, Side 1, Part 18 - Wooden floats (slats-no. 7). Cedar. Describes drying process. Tape 2, Side 1, Part 19 - Feelings about fishing. Loved doing it. His own relationship to fishing today. Tape 2, Side 1, Part 20 - No fight nets in area today; 'no fish.' Tape 2, Side 1, Part 21 - Hired help. All nationalities. 50 cents/day plus room and board. Boys from large families; 'you couldn't buy a job.' Apprenticeships; all started that way. He worked with an older man as 17-year-old. Helped LaViolette later. Discusses languages used.
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