The Common Whitefish 



to 30 fathoms, and the bottom consisting of clay and mud. There 

 is greater or less movement of the fish within these limits, of 

 which the fishermen have cognizance, and which seems to be 

 influenced by changes in the season and weather. In the early 

 spring the best fishing is said generally to be obtained eastward 

 of Dunkirk, in relatively shallow water, the body of fish working 

 westward and into deeper water as the season advances, and again 

 returning to the deeper water as the winter comes on. It is 

 probable, however, that the early spring distribution in abundance 

 is more widespread than the above would indicate, judging from 

 the extent of territory which the fishermen may then occupy. 

 The extent of the gillnet catch varies greatly with the season, 

 caused partly by the condition of the water and partly by the with- 

 drawal of a portion of the fish, as explained further on. The sea- 

 son opens with a large catch, which continues into May, but 

 then falls away into June, when scarcely any fish can be obtained. 

 This circumstance is attributed by the fishermen chiefly to the 

 formation of a slime on the bottom, which also covers the nets 

 and makes it difficult to handle them. These conditions may 

 persist for a week or two in July, when ' good fishing revives, 

 especially in the deeper waters, in which the best catches of the 

 year are made, during August and September. The remainder of 

 the season affords much poorer return as a whole than the sum- 

 mer, due, undoubtedly, to the spawning run, which takes a large 

 proportion of the fish away from this region. 



The two seasonal movements above referred to are both 

 shoreward and toward the western end of the lake, and it is 

 during their continuance that the poundnet catch is made. The 

 spring movement occurs mainly during the latter half of April and 

 in May, although a few stragglers may be found in June. It is 

 felt along both shores as far as the Bass Islands and Kingsville, 

 Ontario, but on the south side of the lake it is most pronounced 

 east of Ashtabula. It extends but a short distance onto the 

 western platform, where only small and irregular catches are now 

 obtained about the Bass Islands and Kelleys Island, although for- 

 merly they were more abundant there. 



The fall movement is much heavier and much more wide- 

 spread than the spring, and is actuated by the breeding instinct, 

 which leads the fish to seek spawning grounds, to a large extent, 

 at a great distance from their normal habitat. It begins on a 



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