76 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



set in this depth only a few times during the season, but others, en- 

 gaging exclusively in the capture of blackfius for several months, set 

 their nets regularly in deep water. Those thus fishing begin about 

 the 1st of November, when the fish make their appearance in limited 

 quantities, the number increasing until December, when the business is 

 at its height, the catch throughout the entire month, when the weather 

 will permit, being very large. By this time the ice prevents further 

 operations, but as soon as it breaks up in spring, frequently the 

 last of February or early in March, they again visit the black fin grounds 

 and continue fishing until the middle or last of May, in some instances 

 following the fish as thej r work off into deeper water until 100 or even 

 110 fathoms is reached. This seems to be a limit of depth for the 

 nets, as the floats are considerably distorted by the enormous press- 

 ure of the water and soon become water-logged. Large lifts are oc- 

 casionally made by those fishing for blackfins. Thomas Rudick & Co., 

 of the fishing tug John Smith, of Manistee, report a catch of 4,000 

 pounds out of one lift of thirty nets in the fall of 1884, among these be- 

 ing individual fish weighing 4 and even 5 pounds, the average weight 

 being between 2 and 3 pounds. Among them are fish of similar shape, 

 but without the dark coloring on the fins. These the fishermen style 

 " long jaws." They are usually mixed with the others and sold at the 

 same price, but some consider them of little value, and, occasionally, 

 throw them away. 



The meshes of the nets used in this fishery vary from 3J to 4J inches. 

 One fisherman used nothing smaller than 4J inches, which was very 

 satisfactory. 



In December and January the blackfius gather upon stony bottom to 

 deposit their eggs, but they seem to prefer clay at other seasons of the 

 year. 



The average sail-boat now carries from sixty to a hundred nets, while 

 several times that quantity are fished by the steamers. Steamers were 

 first employed for fishing in this lake in 1869, the first vessels being 

 the Kittle Gaylord, of Washington Island, and the Pottawattomie, owned 

 near Green Bay, though a year or two earlier a fisherman from Kenosha 

 put a small engine in his boat, which he used in running back and forth 

 from the fishing- grounds. There were in 1885 seventy fishing and twelve 

 collecting steamers used on Lake Michigan, the principal centers being 

 at Milwaukee, Cheboygan, Manistique, Frankfort, Grand Haven, and 

 St. Joseph. 



Set-lines. — These have never been extensively employed in the north- 

 ern end of the lake; but are used in large numbers in the southern 

 section, where they are in high favor. Set-lines were formerly used for 

 catching sturgeon at Milwaukee, and are still employed principally for 

 this species at the fishing settlements along the eastern shore. They 

 are also set in great numbers for the capture of trout, and occasionally 

 for whitefish. Several years ago some of the fishermen at Racine and 



