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caplin n also capelan, capellin, capeling, caplain, capline, capling,
capon*, ceaplin [phonetics unavailable]. OED capelin (Nfld: 1620-),
DAE capelin 1 (Nfld: 1620-), DC ~ (Nf1d: 1620-), and cp Trésor de
la langue française capelan, from Prov (1558-) for sense 1: for combs. in
sense 2: Fisheries of U S (1887), p. 184 ~ seine, p. 141 ~ sick, DC ~
weather (1869). DAE kib(b)lings is a rare variant: see [1843] quot.
1 A small, iridescent deep-water fish (Mallotus
villosus) like a smelt which, followed by the cod, appears inshore during June and
July to spawn along the beaches, and is netted for bait, for manuring the fields, or
dried, salted, smoked or frozen for eating; freq in coastal place-names.
[1600 HAKLUYT iii, 133 (Hakluyt's note) (a fish like a Smelt)
Called by the Spaniards Anchovas, and by the Portugals Capelinas.] 1620WHITBOURNE 10 The
Rivers also and Harbours are generally stored with delicate Fish, as Salmons, Peales,
Eeles, Herring, Mackerell, Flounders, Launce, Capelin, Cod, and Troutes. [1663] 1963
YONGE 60 The middle or end of June come the capling, a small sweet fish and the best
bait. [1766] 1971 BANKS 137 But their greatest Delicacy in the fish way is a small Fish
calld here Capelin in appearance not unlike a smelt tho scarce half as Large they Come in
Very Large Shoals From the southward to Deposite their spawn. [1770] 1976 HEAD 168 [Three
vessels sailed] with Caplain for the shoals [fishing]. [1810] 1971 ANSPACH 20 About the
latter end of June, the Capelines make their appearance, going up the Bay along
the south Shore, and down again along the north shore, in such abundance as almost to
exceed credibility. 1839 TUCKER 85 There is no prey of which the cod seems to be so fond
as the capling... According to the plenty or scarcity of those capling do the fishermen
prognosticate the result of their labors. 1842 BONNYCASTLE i, 266 This fish, the capelin,
rarely exceeds seven inches in length; its colour is a very pale green, with a tinge of
brown above the abdomen, and its sides are silvery. [1843] 1887 Fisheries of U S
160-1 On these a small cork is placed at every 12 feet [by the French] ... while
metal hooks, baited with parts of small fish (by us called kiblings) [capelins are no
doubt meant], are alternately fastened by snoods of 3 feet long, 6 feet apart. [1907]
1912 Nfld Law Reports 296 No person shall (4) take, ship, or put or haul on board
... any herring, caplin, squid or other bait-fishes. 1912 CABOT 84 Dense schools of
caplin (cápe-lin) sometimes wrinkled the surface. They are much like smelts, and
may be dipped up readily with a hand net. Cod disgorge them on the stage and in the
boats, and so do sea trout. 1953 Nfld & Lab Pilot ii, 342 Capelan bay indents
the eastern side of North-East island. 1969 HORWOOD 165 [Caplin] are smoked not only in
smoke houses or smokers improvised out of barrels or puncheons, but even in the tops of
chimneys. C 71-105 When the taties came up through the ground we used to put caplin on
for fertilizer. 1979 TIZZARD 285 Everyone in the area kept dogs, therefore everyone must
dry a certain amount of caplin for dog food ... during the winter.
2 Attrib, comb caplin bait: caplin netted for use as
bait, esp in trawl-fishing for cod; see BAIT (FISH).
[1953] 1978
Evening Telegram 1 Aug, p. 5 The bait depot at Grand Bank has a good supply of
caplin bait.
1976 CASHIN 65 Fishermen with their own caplin seines
generally hauled the caplin bait and it was our business to sell them the necessary ice.
caplin baiting: (a) in the Bank fishery, a quantity of
caplin taken aboard a vessel in port at one time; (b) a fishing voyage to the Banks, the
duration of which is fixed by the supply of caplin bait aboard; see BAITING.
1960 FUDGE 17, 19 After about three caplin baitings we returned to
Belleoram... After using three caplin baitings we had secured a fair trip. P 34-74
Another of our scheduled jobs was to give ice to the Banking Vessels to ice down their
caplin or squid baiting. P 113-74 ~ a voyage to the Banks.
caplin bunting: grade of net, with very fine mesh, for
catching caplin.
1957 Evening Telegram 28 Sep, p. 11 [The
Colonial Cordage Co] manufactures all types of netting, one of which is Caplin Bunting.
caplin cart: two-wheeled, horse-drawn cart used to carry
caplin from the shore to the fields for fertilizer; CAR (P 148-61).
caplin fishery: the organized catching of caplin on a large
scale for processing.
1965 Evening Telegram 3 Nov, p. 4 At
the present time the caplin fishery is carried out in a limited way on the Southern
Shore.
caplin mesh: small mesh of the 'cast-net' used to
catch caplin.
T 66/7--64 That needle's too big for [making] a
caplin mash.
caplin pit: hole in the ground into which
caplin are thrown to be used as fertilizer.
1975 GUY 9 The caplin
pit, moving with little white maggots, or the fishes guts pit in a like condition, was a
useful source of nutrient for the potatoes.
caplin run:
migration of caplin to the shore to spawn; see RUN n.
1967
HORWOOD 42-3 With the dawn of July came the annual miracle of the caplin run, when any
meat-eater could pick up his fill on almost any Newfoundland beach.
caplin scull: see CAPLIN SCULL.
caplin season: June-July, when caplin appear inshore.
1842 BONNYCASTLE 1, 267 [The caplin] migrates to Newfoundland about
the middle of June, when it is so numerous as to cause the week or two after the 20th of
that month to be called the 'caplin season,' the wind being then easterly.
caplin seine: vertical net with small meshes, the ends being
hauled together to catch caplin; see SEINE.
[1742] 1954 INNIS 182
[inventory] Ceaplin Sean 30 foot deep and 40 fathom Long. [1775] 1792 CARTWRIGHT ii, 89 A
skiff came up from our stage, which was built since I left this place on Great Caribou,
for a caplin-sein, and reported that there was plenty of caplin, but no cod. 1866 WILSON
209 The caplin is sometimes taken by hand with a dip-net; at other times, it is hauled in
a caplin seine. 1936 SMITH 16 We had the arm of a caplin seine for a leader. T 80/3-64
You've seen a caplin seine used, well the cod seine was the same thing, only he was that
much bigger.
caplin sick: of cod-fish, glutted with caplin.
[1820] 1897 Fisheries of U S 141 After the capelan had
finished spawning the fish slacked off, and we used to say the cod were 'capelan sick.'
caplin spawn.
[1778] 1792 CARTWRIGHT
ii, 318 On opening the ground, I observed that the kelp which I laid on the garden last
year, had now bred an infinite number of those small worms, which I saw among the
caplin-spawn. [1889]1897 Nfld Law Reports 380 The rail and side of the schooner
were covered with caplin spawn, quite fresh, and caplin and salt were scattered about the
deck.
caplin time: see caplin season above.
[cl945] TOBIN 16 "Caplin and Lilacs": He was an old man nigh past
his toil / ... He said he was born in caplin time. 1977 Nfld Qtly Dec, p. 37 One
time of the year would be hard to forget was caplin time around the first week in July.
caplin trap: type of fixed fishing-gear used in inshore
waters to take caplin; see TRAP1.
M 70-18 Each June
month saw the same activity. Large caplin traps decked along the beach showed the black
contrast to the sandy bottom as boat loads of caplin were trapped inside. Several boats
would then haul it and fill each [craft]. 1974 SQUIRES 21 A caplin trap patterned after
the cod-trap was also devised.
caplin trip: in the Bank
fishery, a voyage using caplin as bait; TRIP.
1960 FUDGE 25 The
caplin trip came next, and on June 12th we were baiting caplin for the Grand Banks. After
using three baitings of Caplin, we secured a fair trip, returned home around the first
week in August, stored it all and washed out all our medium and small fish.
caplin voyage: in the inshore fishery, the taking of cod in
traps during the period June to July when the fish follow caplin inshore; cp VOYAGE.
T 396-67 The caplin voyage [is] when the traps would be in use.
After caplin voyage over [it would] be all trawls or hook and line.
caplin weather: foggy, wet, and sometimes cold weather which
usu coincides with the appearance inshore of caplin to spawn in early summer;
CAPLIN-SCULL WEATHER.
1933 GREENE 297 'Caplin weather' is
generally warm and humid, with Southerly winds and sea-fog as the accompaniment. 1957
Evening Telegram 2 May, p. 3 The ice is back along most of Newfoundland's east
coast, and the 'caplin weather' which has settled over St John's and its vicinity will
probably remain until it moves off. C 66-3 If the weather during the month of June is
foggy, dull and damp, this is a sign that the caplin are in and this is said to be caplin
weather. 1979 Evening Telegram 3 May, p. 3 Foggy weather, often referred to as
caplin weather in Newfoundland, grounded all flights in and out of St John's Wednesday.
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