FISHERIES OF THE GREAT LAKES. 6538 
The Apostle Islands are a group of about 20 islands, 18 of which 
are in Ashland County and 2 in Bayfield County, Wis. The three 
large fishing firms at Bayfield, engaged in fishing with steamers and 
buying fish of the boat fishermen, have fishing camps on Stockton 
Island or Presque Isle. Other islands also have camps of boat fisher- 
men. Fishing is carried on around the islands from the breaking up 
of the ice in the spring until it forms again in the fall, a period of 
about six or seven months, the length of time ee ing with the sea- 
sons. Most of the fishermen live at Bayfield, and apend the winter at 
home or at work in the denier camps. ‘The fishing about the islands 
is prosecuted with pound nets, haui seines, and gill nets. The pound 
nets have a leader from 5 to 40 rods long with meshes of 5 to 6 inches, 
and a pot or pound from 24 to 28 feet square with meshes of 3} inches 
stretched. The pound nets are set in from 10 to 45 feet of water. 
In 1903 56 pound nets were fished around the Apostle Islands, ineclud- 
ing Long Island. Of these, 41 were in Ashland County and 15 in 
Bayfield County, Wis. There were 8 haul seines witi meshes of 23 
to 3 inches. These were owned at Bayfield and were fished at various 
islands, their location being changed from one island to another as 
occasion required. Gill nets were used by steamers and small boats, 
and were to some extent fished under the ice during the winter. 
Isle Royale is in the northwestern part of the lake in Keweenaw 
County, Mich. The fishing grounds of this section are located about 
this island and the numerous smaller islands in its vicinity, and from 
10 to 20 miles from the main shore. The fishing season opens as soon 
as the water is free from ice, and practically closes October 30. In 
1903 fishing began about the middle of Apri! and in 1904.a month later. 
The laws of Michigan provide for a close season from October 30 to 
December 15. 
Gill nets are the principal form of apparatus employed. Pound 
nets and also hooks and lines are used toa limited extent. The size 
of mesh used in gill nets is 44 inch for white-fish, 3} inch for bluefin 
white-fish, and 2? inch for Hi si Gill nets for trout and white-fish 
re g-nened by being anchored on the bottom in from 75 to 125 fathoms 
of water, the best oe shes ae made in May and June. After 
aie 15 the fall catch is taken with gill nets having a 53 to 6 inch 
mesh, nearly all the fall catch being lake trout averaging from 6 to 7 
pounds each when dressed. These are caught in from 6 to: 30 fathoms 
of water and shipped fresh. The gill nets are chiefly made of No. 35 
imported flax thread, 3 pounds being used fora net of 65 leads. Deep- 
water gill nets with 54-inch mesh are made of No. 40 cotton twine. In 
shallow water the fish are more active and the water is rougher, and 
therefore stronger nets are required than in deep water. 
Tn the line fisheries’set lines are used to some extent until about July 
15. ‘These have 50 hooks each, the gangings with one hook each being 
