FISHERIES OF THE GREAT LAKES. 687 



is fastened a Hue 10 feet long. The catch is sold to local buyers, who 

 drive on the ice among the tishermen while tiie latter are at work. 

 These buyers ship ver}' few fis-h, but sell to the wholesale dealers in 

 Bay City.' 



The most valuable species taken in Lake Huron are, in the order of 

 their importance, trout, wall-eyed pike, herriiio-, suckers, yellow perch, 

 and white-fish. With the exception of herring and suckers, the greater 

 part of which are salted, they are sold mostly in a fresh condition. 

 Practical!}' the entire catch of trout, except a few taken in pound nets 

 and trap nets, is caught in gill nets at depths rang'ing from 8 to 100 

 fathoms, or an average of about 50 fathoms. The greater part of the 

 catch is taken north of Saginaw Bay, where the water is deeper and 

 more suitable for them. There is also a profitable trout fishing ground 

 oil Harbor Beach, but the season there is considerably shorter than in 

 the upper part of the lake. The spawning grounds for trout are so 

 far distant from this place that it takes two days to reach them and 

 return. The distance is too great for the sailboats, and the one tug in 

 this locality' seldom visits those grounds. For this reason very few 

 trout are taken after the 1st of August, when they begin moving farther 

 out in the lake toward their spawning grounds. The average weight 

 of trout in Lake Huron ranges from 3 to 8 pounds, the larger ones 

 l)eing taken during the summer in deep water. Trout are usually 

 eviscerated when sold, because otherwise they do not keep so long as 

 many of the other species. 



Practically the entire catch of wall-eyed pike is taken in the shore 

 fisheries and mainl}' in pound nets. The most prolific fishing grounds 

 are in Saginaw Bay, where these fish are taken in large quantities, 

 especial!}' during the spring, while on their way to the rivers to spawn. 

 The average weight of those taken in Lake Huron is from 2 to 3 pounds 

 each. It is said that in some localities tlie size was greater in 1903 

 than for many years. As there is a constant demand for wall-eyed 

 pike they are usually sold fresh. 



Herring are very plentiful in Saginaw Bay, and many of the pound- 

 net fisliermen depend almost entire!}' upon this fish for their profit. 

 As the demand for fresh herring is not great, the catch is usually 

 salted and put up by the fishermen in kegs, or half barrels, holding 

 about 115 pounds each. After the fish are received by the dealers 

 they are often removed from these kegs and repacked in buckets hold- 

 ing from 6 to 20 pounds, in kegs holding from 20 to 50 pounds, called 

 quarters, and in kegs holding from 70 to 115 pounds, called halves. 

 In repacking, a new supply of salt is necessary, for the fish have 

 absorbed most of tlie salt originally used. In the preparation for 

 salting the herring are cut either dov/n the back or the belly, but 

 usually the former. When cut down the back they are called "fiats," 

 and Avhen cut down the bellv thev are termed '' ciscoes." The former 



