LAKE MICHIGAK. 125 



South Chicago to Saugatuok. — There are no fishiDg-grounds at the head of Lake 

 Michigan, between South Chicago and Michigan City. Between Michigan City and Saint Joseph 

 the gill-net grounds are situated a long distance from shore. In summer the fishermen 

 commonly go seven to fifteen miles from shore, and in winter much farther. The water, however, 

 on these grounds is comparatively shallow, at a distance of twenty miles being not more than 

 twenty-eight fathoms. The bottom is principally sandy, but clay and gravel predominate in some 

 places. From New Buffalo northward the grounds curve gradually outward, the outer limit 

 opposite Saint Joseph being from eight to twelve miles in summer, and in winter from fourteen 

 to twenty miles. Beyond Saint Joseph the outer boundary curves inward again, until at South 

 Haven it is quite near shore. Although the distance to which the boats go is very great, the 

 water is not deep at the outer limit, being scarcely more than sixty fathoms. A few miles south 

 of Saugatuck and comparatively near shore there is a whiteflsh spawning-ground, which for a 

 long time has been very productive. In 1879 the fishing at this point proved almost a failure. 

 With the exception of this ledge, the bottom is generally sandy or clayey, and the fishermen set 

 their nets almost anywhere in certain depths with equally good success. One fisherman stated 

 that he had fished with his boat to a distance of twenty-five miles due west from Saint Joseph, 

 but it is certainly dangerous for the fishermen to go such distances in small boats, although the 

 steam-tugs, of course, can safely go much farther. 



Hook-fishing is carried on on the same grounds opposite Saint Joseph. 



In former years seining was carried on to a considerable extent on this coast, but at the 

 present time the fish do not come inshore. It is supposed that the foulness of the rivers has 

 driven them into deeper water. 



The pound-net grounds of this section extend from a few miles south of Michigan City to ifew ' 

 Buffalo. All the nets are set close inshore, in water from twenty-five to fifty-two feet deep. 

 The bottom consists of hard sand, and is very suitable for the driving of stakes. 



Satjgattjck to Manistee. — Prom Saugatuck northward the grounds gradually extend 

 outward, and at Grand Haven it is not an unusual occurrence for a boat to go out thirty miles. 

 North of Grand Haven the outer boundary again bends inward, and at Whitehall boats usually 

 fish not further than from two to four miles from shore. The most i)roductive part^ of this ground 

 are said to be at Whitehall and Muskegon, but as there are no good shipping facilities at these 

 points, very little fishing is done. No particular kind of bottom is sought for by the gill-nettcrs, 

 the depth of water appearing to be a more important consideration. It is supposed that in cold 

 weather the fish pass out into deeper water, as it is found necessary in winter to go a much longer 

 distance from shore than in summer in order to find profitable grounds. 



At Pentwater most of the gill-net fishing is prosecuted in about forty fathoms of water, 

 though the fishermen occasionally go as far as fifteen miles from shore, where the water is 

 seventy or seventy-five fathoms in depth. These grounds are considered to be less productive 

 and to have been greatly damaged by mill refuse. At Ludington most of the fish are taken at 

 a distance of about ten miles from shore, but northward the outer limit of the ground gradually 

 comes nearer and nearer shore. The most productive portion of this ground is at Big Point 

 Sable, although even here fish are much less abundant than formerly. In 1875 the firm of 

 Wilson & Brothers had a line of gill-nets in use here, which was about eight miles in length. 



But little gill-net fishing is carried on at Manistee. A few boats fish here in from nine to 

 forty fathoms of water, the outer limit of the ground being about eight miles from the shore. 



