LAKE MICHIGAN. 125 



South Chicago to Sal'gatuck. — There are no fisbiDg-gromuls at the head of Lake 

 Michigan, between South Chicago aiul Michigan City. Between Michigan City and Saint Joseph 

 the gill-net grounds are situated a long distance from shore. In summer the fishermen 

 commoidy go seven to fifteen miles from shore, and in winter much farther. The water, however, 

 on these grounds is comi^aratively shallow, at a distance of twenty miles being not more than 

 twenty-eight fathoms. The bottom is principally sandy, but clay and gravel jiredominate in some 

 places. From New IJuflalo northward the grounds curve gradually outward, the outer limit 

 opposite Saint Joseph being from eight to twelve miles in summer, and in winter from fourteen 

 to twenty miles. Beyond Saint Joseph the outer boundary curves iuward again, until at South 

 Haven it is quite near shore. Although the distance to which the boats go is very great, the 

 water is not deep at the outer limit, being scarcely more than sixty fathoms. A few miles south 

 of Saugatnck and comi^aratively near shore there is a whitefish spawning-ground, which for a 

 long tjme has been very productive. In 1879 the fishing at this point proved almost a failure. 

 With the exception of this ledge, the bottom is generally sandy or clayey, and the fishermen set 

 their nets almost anywhere in certain depths with equally good success. One fisherman stated 

 that he had fished with his boat to a distance of twenty-five miles due west from Saint Joseph, 

 but it is certainly dangerous for the fishermen to go such distances in small boats, although the 

 steam-tugs, of course, can safely go much farther. 



Hook-fishing is carried on on the same grounds opposite Saint Joseph. 



In former years seining was carried ou to a considerable extent on this coast, but at the 

 present time the fish do not come inshore. It is supposed that the foulness of the rivers has 

 driven them into deeper water. 



The pound-net grounds of this section extend from a few miles south of Michigan City to New 

 Buffalo. All the nets are set close inshore, in water from twenty-five to fifty-two feet deep. 

 The bottom consists of hard saud, and is very suitable for the driving of stakes. 



Satjgatuck to Manistee. — From Saugatuck northward the grounds gradually extend 

 outward, and at Grand Haven it is not an unusual occurrence for a boat to go out thirty miles. 

 North of Grand Haven the outer boundaiy again bends inward, and at AVhitehall boats usually 

 fish not further than from two to four miles from shore. The most productive parts of this ground 

 are said to be at Whitehall and Muskegon, but as there are no good shipping facilities at these 

 points, very little fishing is done. No particular kind of bottom is sought for by the gill-netters, 

 the depth of water appearing to be a more important consideration. It is supposed that in cold 

 weather the fish pass out into deeper water, as it is found necessary in winter to go a much longer 

 distance from shore than in summer iu order to find profitable giounds. 



At Peutwater most of the gill-net fishing is prosecuted iu about forty fathoms of water, 

 though the fishermen occasionally go as far as fifteen miles from shore, where the water is 

 seventy or seventy-five fathoms iu depth. These grounds are considered to be less productive 

 and to have been greatly damaged by mill refuse. At Ludington most of the fish are taken at 

 a distance of about ten miles from shore, but northward the outer limit of the ground gradually 

 comes nearer and nearer shore. The most productive portion of this ground is at Big Point 

 Sable, although even here fish are much less abundant than formerly. In 1875 the firm of 

 Wilson & Brothers had a line of gill-nets iu use here, which was about eight miles in length. 



But little gillnet fishing is carried on at Manistee. A few boats fish here in from nine to 

 forty fathoms of water, the outer limit of the ground being about eight miles from the shore. 



