Fishing Grounds of the Gulf of Maine

Outer Fall (Jeffreys Bank) The Outer Fall lies S. ½ E. from Matinicus Rock 21 miles. The Outer Fall and the Inner Fall, generally called Monhegan Fall, are the only parts of Jeffreys Bank thought to be of much importance as fishing grounds. Both these formerly furnished excellent fishing but are not now as much resorted to, although vessels from Portland and Rockland often fish here and bring in fair catches.

The bottom is somewhat broken-- mud, sand, gravel. and pebbles, with a great number of small rocky ridges, upon which good fishing is generally to be had, although these spots are quite difficult to find and accommodate but little trawl gear. There is virtually no fishing upon much of the interior parts of the bank between these spots, where the bottom is mostly of mud. Depths over the bank vary from 35 to 70 fathoms.

Cod, haddock, and cusk are time most important species in the fares from this ground, with a lesser amount of pollock and a few halibut, these latter usually being taken on the small ridges above mentioned In the main, this bank is a winter ground; good also in the spring and early summer before the dogfish strike it. It is fished mostly by the smaller vessels-trawlers of from 15 to 70 tons.

The gravelly bottom on the Outer Fall often holds halibut in the spring and early summer (May 1 to July 15) in depths of from 35 to 60 fathoms.