FISHING INDUSTRY OF THE GREAT LAKES 569 



the surface in waters of not less than 10 fathoms depth. Wisconsin 

 has special laws for Green Bay, effective since January 1, 1925, which 

 differ from those in force on Lake Michigan in that the minimum 

 mesh for general use shall be 2^/8 inches, but that 2J/8-inch nets may 

 be used to catch herring from December 1 until the ice goes out. In 

 Wisconsin nets used for catching bait for the trout hooks are of 1 ^- 

 inch mesh, and in Indiana and Michigan they measure 1 3/^ to 2 inches. 



Seines. — In Wisconsin seines may have a mesh of not less than 3 

 inches, in Illinois not less than 5 inches, and in Michigan not less than 

 4 inches in the wings and 2 ^4 inches in the bag. The length of seines 

 is restricted to 1,000 yards in Illinois, and their use is prohibited from 

 April 15 to July 31, inclusive. Michigan laws prohibit the seining 

 of whitefish and trout, but Indiana has no laws regulating seining in 

 Lake Michigan. 



Pounds and traps. — A pound or trap in Wisconsin may not have a 

 pot of mesh larger than 2 inches; in Illinois the pot mesh may not 

 measure less than 43/^ inches for trout and whitefish or less than 2J^ 

 inches for other species; in Indiana the mesh of the back may not be 

 smaller than 2 inches, as manufactured, and of the rest of the pot not 

 smaller than 2}/^ inches. In Michigan pound-net pots for whitefish 

 ^nd trout may not have a back of net measuring more than 2 inches, 

 as manufactured, for at least 15 feet below the surface of the water, 

 and not less than 33^2 inches on the bottom and sides, as used; or, if 

 the mesh of the pot does not measure less than 4 inches, as fished, the 

 net need not have a sma]l-meshed back. For use in taking other fish 

 Michigan laws further provide for a pound with a pot having a back 

 made of mesh no larger than 2 inches and sides and bottom not less 

 than 23^ inches. For the taking of herring alone between the dates 

 of October 1 and June 15, a pound, the pot of which is constructed of 

 netting with a mesh of not less than 2 inches thoughout, as manu- 

 factured, may be used where such nets do not take immature white- 

 fish and trout as well. 



SIZE LIMITS 



t 



Indiana does not limit the size of any Great Lakes species taken 

 except wall-eyed pike, which may not be less than 12 inches long. 

 Wisconsin has established the minimum legal size of trout as 12 

 inches; of whitefish, 13 inches; suckers, 12 inches; perch, 7 inches; 

 wall-eyed pike, 16 inches; catfish, 20 inches; buffalofish, 18 inches; 

 and all others, 8 inches. In Illinois a minimum weight oil}4 pounds, 

 dressed, obtains for trout and whitefish; a minimum length of 15 

 inches for buffalofish; 8 inches for bullheads; 10 inches for white 

 bass; 7 inches for perch; and 13 inches for catfish. Pike and wall- 

 eyed pike may not be taken in nets in the Illinois waters of Lake Michi- 

 gan. The mmima provided by Micliigan laws are as follows: Trout, 

 13^ pounds round or 1 34 pounds dressed; whitefish, 2 pounds round or 

 1 pound 10 ounces dressed; sturgeon, 20 pounds round; suckers, 1 

 pound round; wall-eyed pike, 134 pounds round; catfish and pike, 2 

 pounds round; bullheads, 8 ounces; perch, 9 inches. 



CLOSED SEASONS 



Indiana has no closed season for the Great Lakes. Wisconsin 

 provides a closed season for trout from October 15 to November 21; 

 for whitefish from October 15 to December 1; pike and wall-eyed 



