80 FOKT CONFIDENCE. 



The fish hang themselves in the meshes, being 

 unable,' from the form of the gill-plates, to with- 

 draw their heads after having once passed them 

 through. Trout of 15 lbs. weight may be taken 

 in the white-fish nets, and also inconnu (Salmo 

 mackenzii) weighing 25 lbs. ; but the meshes will 

 not admit the heads of the larger trouts (namay- 

 cush), which weigh from 30 lbs. to 50 lbs. These 

 are caught with cod-hooks. 



In winter the nets are set under the ice. The 

 first step is to make a series of holes, about fifteen 

 feet apart. A pole is then introduced, and con- 

 ducted along the surface of the water from hole to 

 hole, carrying with it a line, which serves to haul 

 in a string of nets, properly buoyed and loaded, 

 but seldom exceeding five in number. The rope 

 is then detached, and each end of the net is fastened 

 to a piece of wood, laid across its respective hole, 

 or to a stake driven into the ice. On visiting the 

 nets next day only the extreme holes are opened, 

 the rope is attached anew at one end, and is 

 veered away as the nets are withdrawn by the 

 opposite hole. The fish that have been caught 

 being removed, the nets are drawn back to their 

 places by the line. A line of nets reaches about 

 400 yards, and the fisherman generally endeavours 

 to carry it entirely across a strait or pass in the 

 lake which fish are known to frequent. 



