164 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



use. Prior to 1855 there were but two gill-net fishermen in Waukegan. 

 During that year five crews were organized, and in 1859 there were 

 thirteen gangs. The next year, however, all but one of the crews had 

 left, and the fishery was practically discontinued, although after the 

 date named there was a little irregular fishing for two or three years. 

 In 1884 a steamer with a gaug of nets was used at Waukegan, but the 

 crew were inexperienced men and caught nothing. With the decline 

 of the gill-net fishery the pound-nets came into use, and although not 

 very successful when first introduced (about 1867) have been continu- 

 ously employed up to the present time, the fishery reaching its height 

 between 1874 and 1878, when as many as 47 pounds were operated. 



Gill-net fishery. — The first nets fished were from 330 to 400 feet in 

 length, 4 J feet in depth, with a 4^-iuch mesh ; they cost $5 each, and 

 were made in Chicago. Twenty nets constituted a gang, and eighty 

 nets a full outfit for four men, this nuuiber of fishermen usually work- 

 ing together as partners, and keeping two gangs of nets in the water 

 all the time. One gang was hauled daily, and the nets were taken 

 ashore to be dried and mended, while another lot was put in their 

 place. Buoys surmounted by Hags 8 or 10 feet high were attached to 

 the ends of each gang. Cedar floats 2 J feet long and 1 inch square were 

 placed at intervals of 9 feet along the top line. A stone sinker weigh- 

 ing a pound was attached to the bottom of a net directly beneath each 

 float. 



Fishing began in the latter part of March or early in April, and con- 

 tinued till about the middle of November. The season of greatest yield 

 was for two months in the spring, and again in August. Fishing was 

 prosecuted three and one- half days in each week. The nets were set 

 about 20 miles from shore in 35 fathoms of water, on a sticky blue clay 

 bottom. 



From one-fourth to one-third of the fish taken at that time were trout, 

 and a large part of the remainder were whitefish. The trout were most 

 plentiful in May and June, and again late in fall. The largest specimen 

 caught in that early period weighed 63 pounds after the removal of the 

 viscera; the average weight was 10 pounds dressed. Whitefish some- 

 times weighed as much as 15 pounds dressed, 3 pounds being the aver- 

 age. The daily catch did not vary much from 1,200 pounds of trout, 

 whitefish, and minor species. The average stock in a season for four 

 men was from $1,000 to $1,100. 



About three-fourths of the catch was shipped fresh to Chicago, which 

 at that time had but two firms in the fish trade. The price received 

 was 3 cents a pound, dressed, delivered at the train in Waukegan. All 

 the fish ranked as No. 1. 



Pound-net fishery. — As already stated, this fishery was most exten- 

 sive between 1874 and 1878. From the latter year there was a gradual 

 decline, and in 1884 and 1885 only thirteen pound-nets were set. These 

 were operated by the same number of men. The fishery deteriorated 



