FISHERIES OF MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND TRIBUTARIES. 31 
The eastern tributaries of the Missouri are fairly well supplied with 
cat-fish, bullheads, buffalo-fish, suckers, grass pike, fresh-water drum, 
etc. At various points the farmers and other residents occasionally 
fish for their home use, but the fisheries are of no commercial impor- 
tance except near the mouths of the streams. Along the Dakota River 
below Mitchell set lines and seines are employed at times from March 
to October. On the Vermilion River between Centerville and the 
Missouri a number of seines, trammel nets, and set lines are used by 
the farmer-fishermen. Big Sioux River below Canton supports seine 
and trammel-net fisheries. 
The western branches of the Missouri comprise the remaining rivers 
of South Dakota, principal among which are Grand, Owl, Big Chey- 
enne, and White rivers. The fishery resources of these rivers are of 
very limited extent, except in the headwaters of the Big Cheyenne in 
the Black Hills, where several species of fine game fish are numerous. 
There are no commercial fisheries in any of these rivers. 
A number of lakes exist in the eastern half of South Dakota, the 
largest of which are Big Stone and Traverse, which form a part of the 
eastern boundary of the State. The former is 35 miles long and has 
an abundance of game fish. 
Of the great variety of fish in Big Stone Lake, the most abundant 
are black bass, pike perch (wall-eyed), rock bass, and yellow perch. 
In smaller quantities are found crappie, sun-fish, cat-fish, buffalo-fish, 
suckers, pickerel, etc. Formerly sturgeon were quite plentiful and of 
large size, the catch of one weighing 137 pounds being recorded; but 
at present they are scarce and of small size. 
Although Lake Traverse covers about as much space on the map as 
Big Stone Lake, it is far less important than the latter. It is about 
25 miles long and from three-fourths to 1; miles wide. The most 
numerous fish are suckers, and perch. This lake is not used for fish- 
ing, except that the farmers living near the shores may occasionally 
fish for home use. 
The principal lake entirely within South Dakota is Lake Madison, 
about 10 miles long by 14 miles wide. This lake formerly had quite 
a variety of fish, but the species now remaining are buffalo-fish, 
bullheads, and yellow perch. The State interdiction against com- 
mercial fishing is strictly enforced in Lake County, and little market 
fishing exists. For several years Lake Madison has been drying up, 
and the fish are dying, the pickerel apparently having become exter- 
minated. 
Lake Herman is situated in Lake County and is about 2 miles long 
and amile wide. The fish found here are buffalo-fish, bullheads, and 
yellow perch. The vigilance of the fish wardens has prevented com- 
mercial fishing in this lake for several years, but prior to 1895 several 
cheap, home-made seines were surreptitiously employed, the catch 
being sold to the neighboring farmers and in the town of Madison. 
Situated in the southwestern portion of Minnehaha County is Wall 
