FISHERIES OF THE GREAT LAKES. 687 
is fastened a line 16 feet long. The catch is sold to local buyers, who 
drive on the ice among the fishermen while the latter are at work. 
These buyers ship very few fish, but sell to the wholesale dealers in 
Bay City. - 
The most valuable species taken in Lake Huron are, in the order of 
their importance, trout, wall-eyed pike, herring, suckers, yellow perch, 
and white-fish. With the exception of herring and suckers, the greater 
part of which are salted, they are sold mostly in a fresh condition. 
Practically the entire catch of trout, except a few taken in pound nets 
and trap nets, is caught in gill nets at depths ranging from 8 to 100 
fathoms, or an average of about 50 fathoms. The greater part of the 
catch is taken north of Saginaw Bay, where the water is deeper and 
more suitable for them. There is also a profitable trout fishing ground 
off Harbor Beach, but the season there is considerably shorter than in 
the upper part cf the lake. The spawning grounds for trout are so 
far distant from this place that it takes two days to reach them and 
return. The distance is too great for the sailboats, and the one tug in 
this locality seldom visits those grounds. For this reason very few 
trout are takenafter the Ist of August, when they begin moving farther 
out in the lake toward their spawning grounds. The average weight 
of trout in Lake Huron ranges from 3 to 8 pounds, the larger ones 
being taken during the summer in deep water. Trout are usually 
eviscerated when sold, because otherwise they do not keep so long as 
‘ many of the other species. 
Practically the entire catch of wall-eyed pike is taken in the shore 
fisheries and mainly in pound nets. The most prolific fishing grounds 
are in Saginaw Bay, where these fish are taken in large quantities, 
especially during the spring, while on their way to the rivers to spawn. 
The average weight of those taken in Lake Huron is from 2 to 3 pounds 
each. It is said that in some localities the size was greater in 1903 
than for many years. As there is a constant demand for wall-eyed 
pike they are usually sold fresh. 
Herring are very plentiful in Saginaw Bay, and many of the pound- 
net fishermen depend almost entirely upon this fish for their profit. 
As the demand for fresh herring is not great, the catch is usually 
salted and put up by the fishermen in kegs, or half barrels, holding 
about 115 pounds each. After the fish are received by the dealers 
they are often removed from these kegs and repacked in buckets hold- 
ing from 6 to 20 pounds, in kegs holding from 20 to 50 pounds, called 
quarters, and in kegs holding from 70 to 115 pounds, called halves. 
In repacking, a new supply of salt is necessary, for the fish have 
absorbed most of the salt originally used. In the preparation for 
salting the herring are cut either down the back or the belly, but 
usually the former. When cut down the back they are called ‘* flats,” 
and when cut down the belly they are termed ** ciscoes.” The former 
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