FISHERIES OF THE GREAT LAKES IN 1885. 35 



Sault Ste. Marie. This, at first sight, would seem to be a very primi- 

 tive method, and one would naturally suppose that the catch would be 

 unimportant, but an investigation shows that the Indians have become 

 very expert in the use of these nets, and succeed in landing many tons 

 of fish during the season. Two of them lish together from a small 

 canoe, one remaining in the bow with the dip-net watchiug for lish, 

 which are seen at a considerable depth below the surface of the 

 water, while the other sits in the stern and paddles the canoe about in 

 the rapid current. 



Fishermen. — The fishermen of this lake are mostly French Canadians, 

 with more or less Indian blood, and full blooded Indians, together with 

 a small number of Swedes and Norwegians. Very few Americans are 

 employed, though the dealers are usually of the last-named nationality. 

 At Duluth and Bayfield the apparatus is supplied in large part by the 

 dealers, who take fish in payment. The dealers usually furnish the 

 apparatus to a reliable and energetic fisherman, who in turn makes an 

 agreement with one or two men to assist him, either for definite wages 

 or a share in the catch. Dealers thus look to the captain of the gang 

 for the settlement, and, though they claim to sell the apparatus out- 

 right, it frequently happens that when the catch is small they are obliged 

 to keep control of the gear from season to season and maintain an open 

 account with the fishermen. At Whitefish Bay the entire plant, includ- 

 ing nets, buildings, steamers, and all other apparatus, is owned by a 

 fisherman, who gives his personal attention to superintending and hires 

 men for the work. At other points along the lake most of the appa- 

 ratus is owned by the fishermen themselves, who either sell their catch 

 to dealers or ship by steamer or rail to the larger cities. 



Species taken. — The principal species taken are whitefish, trout, and 

 siscowet. Herring seem to be abundant, but few are taken at any sea- 

 son, except during a few weeks in the fall and occasionally in the early 

 spring. Pike are not taken in any quantities. Suckers are considered 

 worthless, and sturgeon, though often captured, are seldom marketed. 



Season. — The fishing season is shorter than that of any of the other 

 lakes, owing to the severe climate. It seldom begins before May, and 

 . by October most of the apparatus, except that employed in the ice- 

 fishing, mentioned above, is laid aside. At Duluth there is a tendency 

 to continue the fisheries by means of tugs and sail-boats well into the 

 winter, and at Bayfield pound-nets have been set under the ice, but so 

 far no important fishery has been developed during the winter months. 



Trade. — Two Duluth dealers control the entire catch of that locality, 

 and send their collecting steamers to all points along the north shore as 

 far as Isle Royale, a distance of nearly 200 miles, and along the south 

 shore between Duluth and the Apostle Islands. They ship the fish 

 chiefly to St. Paul and Minneapolis, from which centers they are distrib- 

 uted to the interior. The steamers make frequent trips, and a majority 

 of the fish are marketed fresh, the fishermen salting their catch only when 



