THE PERCHES 



and neighboring waters, in the State of Minnesota. 

 Holes are cut through the ice over the bars where 

 the pike-perch are known to congregate, from 

 three to ten rods from the shore. The hook is 

 baited with a live minnow. To signify a bite, a 

 very simple device is employed. A piece of lath 

 about two feet long, with a hole in it a little 

 nearer one end than the other, has a cross-bar run 

 loosely through the hole, and placed across the 

 opening in the ice. The line is attached to the 

 short end of the lath. The moment a fish seizes 

 the bait, the end of the lath flies upright, and so 

 remains as long as the fish pulls. It serves as a 

 signal to the fisherman to lift his line and take in 

 the fish. When there are from fifty to one hun- 

 dred lines out, and the fish are biting freely, it is 

 exciting enough sport to rush from one quivering 

 signal to another, for there are often four to six 

 in the air at the same time. One of the Indian 

 plans of taking these fish in winter was described 

 some time ago by a newspaper in St. Paul. A 

 shanty or tepee is erected over an opening in the 

 ice. A decoy minnow is kept in motion until the 

 fish is enticed into sight, and immediately under 

 the hole, when the deadly spear descends and fas- 

 tens its barb firmly in the flesh of the victim. 

 In the regions between Lakes Superior and Win- 



VOL. II. 5 65 



