A few of them were adapted for use in the Chesapeake Bay Menhaden fishery during the 1970s and 80s but have since been retired, and some were used to haul seed oysters to replenish oyster reefs in Virginia and Maryland into the early 2000s.
After a drop in the supply of menhaden, Smith closed the plant in 1969 along with plants at Lewes, Delaware, and Crab Island, New Jersey.
It is named for Captain Elijah W. Reed (1827-1888), who is credited with bringing the menhaden fishing industry and the tremendous wealth that resulted from it to Reedville –– and Northumberland County in general.
Menhaden, once caught, are cooked in large mass and processed for further use in various applications including as a protein additive for poultry feed; Tyson Foods is a large customer.
Striped bass can be caught using a number of baits including: clams, eels, anchovies, bloodworms, nightcrawlers, chicken livers, menhaden, herring, shad, and sandworms.