678 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 
At some of the towns on the river fishing is the principal if not the 
sole industry. Grafton is situated at the confluence of the Mississippi 
and Illinois rivers, and fishing from this point is conducted about 
equally in both rivers. A large number of fyke nets are employed 
here and are usually called ** bait nets,” as it was formerly the custom 
of the fishermen to use bait in them. Each outfit, which, as a rule, is 
fished by two men and often consists of more than 100 nets, is pro- 
vided with a vat for tarring the nets. Each net is provided with a 
line 60 to 75 feet lone and a large stone for an anchor. The depth of 
these nets at the front or largest hoop is generally about 4 feet 8 inches. 
They are set with the mouth downstream, the stone anchor at the end 
of the line holding them securely, while the current keeps them in 
position. The total number of fyke nets credited to Grafton and fished 
in both rivers was 1,675, valued at $5,234. 
Some of the fishermen operate in ‘‘ lakes” that occur at intervals 
along the river’s course, which, while connected with the river, are 
under private control. The exclusive right to fish in such lakes is 
sometimes quite valuable. In some cases payment is made in cash; 
in others a part of the catch is given for this privilege. A great many 
fish are also caught in sloughs. The catch from the lakes and sloughs 
is quite large. 
Mussel shells.—The mussel-shell industry, which is of comparatively 
recent origin, has within the last year or two assumed considerable 
importance in this State. In addition to the fishermen engaged in 
gathering the mussels from the natural beds, the button-blank factories 
in 1899 gave employment to 295 persons. 
The large increase in the quantity of products for the Mississippi 
River in this State, from 4,030,531 pounds in 1894 to 18,371,928 
pounds in 1899, is due principally to the great advance in the mussel 
fishery, the yield of shells being 8,910,000 pounds, valued at $43,468, 
including $1,425 worth of pearls. The mussel-shell industry is rapidly 
extending, and in 1900 mussels were gathered as far down the Missis- 
sippias Grafton and even below that point. Button-blank factories 
are increasing with the extension of the fishery. 
Shells from northern waters turn out more blanks than those from 
lower down the river. In dressing, the niggerheads lose about 20 per 
cent and sand shells about 40 per cent. Some of the boats are pro- 
vided with two drags or dredges, and others with four and even six. 
Each drag carries about 120 crowfoot hooks, or 30 lines with 4 hooks 
each. The crowfoot lines are attached to a hollow iron pipe, the 
dimensions of which are usually } to ? inch in diameter and from 12 
to 15 feet long. Mussels spawn early in the spring. A mussel shell 5 
months old measures } of an inch in diameter. A shell 23 to 3 years 
old will measure about 14 inches. The shells are soaked in water a 
week or ten days before they are cut, to soften the back of the shell 
and prevent brittleness in cutting. 
