46 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Minnesota and Canada, and they have been employed to a limited ex- 

 tent in different localities since that time. In 1884 there were ten nets 

 owned by Duluth fishermen, and two additional ones owned in Su- 

 perior. The next year there were twenty nets, six of which were owned 

 at Superior and the remainder at Duluth. A majority of them were set 

 along the outer shore, just east of Superior ; but a few, fished by a man 

 residing at Iron Eiver, were located as far west as that point. The 

 nets were set in water from 20 to 50 feet in depth, having leaders GO 

 yards long and pots 20 to 30 feet square, the cost, complete, varying 

 from $250 to $450. They are put in the water by the middle of May, 

 and fished until the 1st of August, when they are usually taken out, 

 though a few are reset in October and fished for five or six weeks. The 

 catch in 1884 was the largest ever known, one man, who operated seven 

 pounds, stocking $9,000, although one-third of his catch was salted. 

 In 1885 the same person, with nine nets, stocked only $1,200, the 

 yield of all the nets being unusually light. A small steamer is em- 

 ployed exclusively in transporting the catch for pound-nets during the 

 season, but fishes with gill-nets at other times. 



Seining. — Seine-fishing has been followed on a small scale along the 

 north shore and about Duluth and Superior from the earliest settlement 

 of the country, short seines being usually employed. A large one was 

 operated, with excellent success, on the north side of Pigeon Point, near 

 the Canadian line, as early as 1873, and for a number of years subse- 

 quently large quantities of whitefish were caught for salting. Between 

 1875 and 1880 there was a considerable amount of seining at Fond du 

 Lac, about 10 miles above Duluth, on the St. Louis Eiver, the catch be- 

 ing chiefly pike, with a few whitefish and herring, but of late the busi- 

 ness has been of little importance. The principal seining grounds 

 about Duluth are along the sandy beaches in the vicinity of Superior, 

 and in 1885 five seines were operated, three of which were owned in 

 Duluth and the others in Superior. These are fished for about five 

 weeks in the spring, beginning about the middle of May, and they are 

 occasionally hauled during the first two or three weeks of November. 

 About three-fourths of the catch are whitefish, the remainder being 

 chiefly herring, with a few sturgeon. 



Hand-line fishing. — Hook-fishing through the ice has been practiced 

 by the Duluth fishermen for some years, and, though not yet impor- 

 tant, seems to be increasing. Twelve men fished in this way during 

 the winter of 1884-'85. The fishing begins early in January and lasts 

 till the ice breaks up. Hooks are set separately through holes in the 

 ice, which are arranged in rows and cut 300 or 400 feet apart. One 

 man usually tends about one hundred of these holes. He visits them 

 every day when the weather is suitable, and makes from $1 to $1.50 daily 

 in this way. The catch is chiefly trout, which at this season will bring 

 5 or 6 cents per pound, although siscowet also are caught. Whole her- 



