24 AMERICAN CATFISHES. 



pounds, with a value of $531,529' and a price by the pound of nearly 

 4| cents (4.18). The census returns for 1908 give for the United 

 States, exclusive of Alaska (where there are no catfish), 18,386,900 

 pounds, valued at $792,830, which indicates an average price by the 

 pound of nearly 4| cents (4.31). These figures indicate an increased 

 catch since the last previous figures for the respective sections of 

 5,667,897 pounds, with an increased value of $26,130 and an increase 

 of price by the pound of only about | of a cent (0.13). The calcula- 

 tions, however, are for obvious reasons not entirely satisfactory. 



FISHERY METHODS. 



The principal methods of the catfish fishery vary somewhat in the 

 different localities owing to the difference in the conditions. It is 

 doubtless a fact that the catches of some of the apparatus credited 

 with catfish in many of the states are incidental, as suggested by the 

 great disparity in the quantity. But from the statistics it is not 

 possible in every instance to decide which, if any, are used exclu- 

 sively or principally for catfish. It is reasonable, however, to assume 

 that the apparatus that takes the largest amount is the principal 

 one employed. 



Great Lakes. — The fishery in the Great Lakes varies more or less 

 in its methods in the different lakes. According to the report of the 

 Commissioner of Fisheries for 1903, the small fishery in Lake Supe- 

 rior was by fyke nets only. In Lake Michigan pound nets, fyke nets, 

 and seines were used. In Lake Huron pound nets, trap nets, gill 

 nets, fyke nets, seines, and lines were employed. The largest catch 

 was by pound nets, and was nearly twice that of the next in order, 

 the trap nets. The smallest catch was by seines. In Lake Erie 

 pound nets, trap nets, gill nets, fyke nets, seines, and lines were 

 employed. The largest catch was by pound nets, the lowest by lines. 



The line fishery in early years seems to have been, at least locally, 

 more important. The Bureau of Fisheries report upon the Great 

 Lakes in 1885 makes the following statement under the heading of 

 "Catfish hooking around the islands:" 



A large number of men and boys on the islands take catfish with set lines in 15 to 30 

 feet of water, between June and September, or, in some localities, from May 15 till 

 late in October. Some of them are professional fishermen, while others are farmers 

 living along the coast. There are two varieties of catfish caught, known to the fish- 

 ermen as blue or black catfish and yellow catfish. The blue species varies in weight 

 from one-half pound to 40 pounds, but generally weighs between 5 and 15 pounds. 

 The yellow fish weigh from 4 to 6 pounds, or, in occasional instances, 8 or 10 pounds. 

 The fishermen consider the yellow variety more palatable than the blue, though they 

 have the same price in the market. The catfish caught in the pound nets in the 

 spring and fall are shipped in the "rough" or undressed state to the dealers, who 

 have them dressed before supplying them to the retail trade; but those taken in 

 summer with hook and line are dressed by the fishermen, though about half of their 

 weight is lost in the process. This species is always in demand and brings a good price. 



