70 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AKD FISHERIES. 



their way to the lower lakes through the St. Mary's River, which fre- 

 quently contracts into a narrow stream, and again expands into a wide 

 sheet of water, and branches so as to include numerous islands in its 

 passage. There are extensive fisheries in the vicinity of Detour, situ- 

 ated near its southern extremity, and others in the waters farther 

 north. The first named will be treated with the fisheries of Lake Hu- 

 ron, but the others belong more properly to Lake Superior, and have 

 been included with the statistics of Sault de Ste. Marie. 



For nearly twenty years the pound-net fishermen of Whitefish Bay 

 and the Sault have set their nets in these waters for pike and pickerel 

 during the month of May, removing them later to Lake Superior. This 

 practice is now discontinued, but ten pound-nets are fished through a 

 greater part of the season, being shifted to different localities in Mud 

 Lake, Lake George, and Hay Lake during the year. In addition, 

 four crews of Indians employ gill-nets at intervals during the summer, 

 and follow fishing with considerable regularity in the fall, selling their 

 catch, fresh and salt, in the locality, and to the dealers at Sault de Ste. 

 Marie. 



Statistics. — The number of fishermen at the Sault de Ste. Marie and 

 the adjoining portion of St. Mary's River in 1885 was one hundred and 

 one, besides thirteen shoresmen and preparators. Two steamers and 

 fifty-six sail and row boats were used in fishing ; and twelve hundred 

 aud ten gill-nets and twenty-four pound-nets were employed, the total 

 capital invested, including shore property, amounting to $53,174. Tbe 

 products consisted of 1,000,000 pounds of fresh and 142,000 pounds of 

 salt fish, with a combined value of $48,110. 



