ABSTRACT 



The chub fishery of Lake Michigan is based on 7 deep-water species of coregonines . Small - 

 mesh gill nets are the principal means of capture, and almost the entire production enters the 

 smoked-fish trade. Statistics before 1926 were incomplete and scattered but are sufficient to in- 

 dicate that the annual catch sometimes ran into millions of pounds as early as the 1890' s. The take 

 in 1926-1953 ranged from 1, 630, 000 pounds in 1941 to 11, 151, 000 pounds in 1953 . Percentages 

 contributed by the states averaged: Wisconsin 60.4; Michigan 22.9; Illinois 14.0; Indiana 2.7. The 

 catch increased annually from 1941 to 1953 . 



Statistics on production, fishing intensity, and catch per unit effort for Michigan (1929-1953), 

 Illinois (1950-1953), and Wisconsin (1953) are used for the description of fluctuations and for com- 

 parisons of local areas (statistical districts). Trends of fishing intensity and availability, as well 

 as of take were strongly upward in most State of Michigan districts, and probably in Illinois and 

 Wisconsin as well, from the early 1940's through 1953. 



Three factors make for a progressive deterioration in the quality of chubs available to Lake 

 Michigan fishermen: a rise in fishing intensity brought about by the diversion to chubs of fishing 

 pressure formerly directed against lake trout; an increase in the abundance of the largely unsalable 

 bloater which followed the disappearance of the predatory trout; the selective destruction of the 

 larger chubs by the sea lamprey. The presently difficult situation of the chub fishery threatens to 

 become critical. 



Statistics for 1954 are given in an appendix. 



CONTENTS 



Page 



Material and methods 4 



Production of chubs in Lake Michigan by state, 1890-1953 4 



Production in 1890-1925 4 



Production in 1926-1953 7 



Production of chubs in statistical districts, 1929-1953 12 



State of Michigan, 1929-1953 12 



State of Wisconsin, 1953 23 



Abundance of chubs in Lake Michigan, 1929-1953 23 



State of Michigan, 1929-1953 26 



States of Illinois, 1950-1953, and Wisconsin, 1953 32 



Intensity of chub fishery in Lake Michigan, 1929-1953 34 



State of Michigan, 1929-1953 34 



States of Illinois, 1950-1953, and Wisconsin, 1953 43 



Summary 43 



Literature cited 45 



Appendix: Lake Michigan chub fishery in 1954 46 



