REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 7% 
FISHERIES OF LAKE PEPIN AND LAKE KEOKUKE. 
A statistical canvass of the fisheries of Lakes Pepin and Keokuk 
for 1917 was made during the year, covering the same ground as in 
the canvass of these lakes for the year 1914. Lake Pepin is about 25 
miles long, being an expansion of the Mississippi River between 
Minnesota and Wisconsin. Lake Keokuk, which was called Lake 
Cooper in the returns for 1914, but changed to Lake Keokuk by the 
United States Geographic Board, is formed by the dam across the 
Mississippi River at Keokuk, Iowa, the water backing up for a dis- 
tance of about 50 miles. 
Since the building of the dam, much speculation has been indulged 
in by the fishermen as to its effect on the fishing in the upper river. 
Considerable interest, therefore, attaches to the statistics of the 
fisheries in these lakes for the years mentioned, the first canvass hav- 
ing covered the first calendar year following the closing of the dam. 
Lake Pepin.—In 1917 there were 131 persons engaged in the fish- 
eries of this lake; the value of boats, fishing apparatus, and shore 
and accessory property employed was $59,051; and the products taken 
amounted to 1,212,809 pounds of fish, having a value to the fishermen 
of $78,555. 
The most important forms of fishing apparatus used were fyke 
nets, seines, and anchored gill nets. Fyke nets, known locally as 
hoop nets, took 595,769 pounds of fish, or 49.1 per cent of the total 
catch, valued at $46,333; seines, 459,504 pounds, or 37.8 per cent, 
valued at $21,929; and anchored gill nets, 150,465 pounds, or 12.4 
per cent, valued at $9,991. The remainder of the catch, amounting to 
7,071 pounds, valued at $302, was taken with trap nets and trot lines. 
The principal species taken were buffalofish, catfish, fresh-water 
drum, and Asiatic carp. These species constituted about 94 per cent 
of the total output. A number of other species, including bowfin, 
quillback or white carp, and suckers, were also taken in considerable 
quantities. 
Compared with the returns for 1914, there was a slight decrease in 
the number of persons engaged, but an increase of $15,452, or 35.4 
per cent, in the amount of capital invested, and of 454,139 pounds, or 
59.8 per cent, in the quantity, and $44,836, or 132.9 per cent, in the 
value of the products. There was a large “increase in the catch of 
bowfin or dogfish, buffalofish, catfish, Asiatic carp, and mooneye, 
but a decrease in fresh-water drum, quillback, spoonbill, lake stur- 
geon, and suckers. 
Lake Keokuk.—The number of persons engaged in the fisheries of 
this lake in 1917 was 118, the value of boats, fishing apparatus, and 
shore and accessory property was $21,879; and the products amounted 
to 1,800,986 pounds, valued at $89,117. 
Fyke nets were the most important fishing apparatus used, the 
catch amounting to 1,670,657 pounds of fish, or 92.7 per cent of the 
total output, valued at $82,491. Trammel nets were next in import- 
ance, with a catch of 89,346 pounds, or 4.9 per cent of the total, 
valued at $3,625. The remainder of the products were taken with 
seines, anchored gill nets, trap nets, and trot lines. 
The leading species taken in this lake were buffalofish, catfish, 
fresh-water drum, and Asiatic carp, and constituted about 96 per 
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