598 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES 



All of them except the trout and possibly the lawyer thrive best on 

 the western flat and are taken chiefly in traps. 



The trout frequents the deeper waters at the eastern end of the 

 lake, and is caught in gill nets. Catfish, bullheads, and white bass 

 at one time or another held an important place in the fisheries, but 

 though they still bring good prices their numbers have been much 

 reduced. The trout is one of the most valuable species in the lake 

 and also one of the rarest. It was never as abundant in Lake Erie 

 as in the other Great Lakes, and in late years has become so rare that 

 almost no efl^ort is made to take it. None of the species mentioned 

 are protected by a closed season and none of them are propagated. 



INTRODUCED SPECIES 



CARP 



The carp is now one of the most abundant species on the American 

 shore of Lake Erie and has become quite popular with the fish dealers. 

 The principal catches are made west of Sandusky, where they are 

 taken in the marshes at certain seasons by means of seines. Thev 

 are often kept alive in ponds and sold during the winter when fish 

 are scarce and prices are hio;her. New York City is the most im- 

 portant market for carp. These fish were not originally planted in 

 Lake Erie but are said to have escaped into the lake from private 

 ponds about 1883. They increased rapidly, and 10 years later were 

 abundant enough to be mentioned in the census. In the last 5 years 

 carp have decreased significantly everywhere in the lake. 



GOLDFISH 



Goldfish are reported to be very abundant in Maumee Bay, where 

 they are taken in traps in the spring. It has been estimated that 

 from 10 to 15 tons are taken annually in the bay, but they have no 

 market value and are therefore liberated. Carl L. Hubbs, of the 

 Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, informed me that 

 individuals of the species are not uncommonly caught in the nets at 

 Monroe, and fishermen report occasional specimens on the north 

 shore. 



GIZZARD SHAD 



The gizzard shad, or sawbelly, is one of the commercially insig- 

 nificant species of the lake. It is said to have entered the lake througJa 

 canals from the southward, and has now spread even into Lake 

 Huron. 



FISHING REGULATIONS 



Fishing laws on Lake Erie are administered by the States of New 

 York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan, and the Province of 

 Ontario. These laws are compared in the following sections. 



APPARATUS 



Gill nets. — Michigan and Ontario do not permit the use of gill 

 nets of smaller mesh than 43^ inches for taking whitefish, and in 

 New York nothing smaller than 4^-inch netting may be used. Ohio 

 and Pennsylvania do not regulate the size of the mesh for taking 



