FISHERIES OF THE GREAT LAKES IN 1885. 285 



land towns visit the place at times and fish for bass. The fishing 

 grounds are from 1 to 10 miles from the shore. 



Fisheries of Ripley. — Ripley, a small village about 2 miles from the 

 state line and 1J miles inland, is the only other fishing center in this 

 section that need be mentioned ; its inhabitants are largely engaged in 

 farming pursuits, and its few fishermen follow their occupation near the 

 state line, off Twenty-mile Creek. There is a little pleasure hand-line 

 fishing for bass and perch on the shore adjacent to this place. 



Species and season, — Herring is the most abundant species found in 

 these waters. It is taken in gill- nets at all times when there is no ice. 

 Next in abundance are blue pike, which are caught on set lines in the 

 spring and fall. Whitefish are fairly common, but were not so numer- 

 ous iu 1885 as in the previous year. Trout are scarce, and are taken in 

 gill-nets at all seasons. Bass and bull-heads are caught on set-lines and 

 hand-lines in paying quantities. No sturgeon occur on this shore. 



Disposition of the products. — A few of the fish are shipped to Buffalo 

 and New York, but the great bulk are disposed of locally. None are 

 salted for home use. 



Statistics, — In 1885 the fishermen numbered 19, 9 being professionals 

 and 10 semi-professionals. The apparatus they used consisted of 11 

 boats, 270 whitefish and trout gill-nets, G0,750 feet in length; 152 

 herring gill-nets, 33,300 feet in length ; and 8,000 feet of lines, with 

 800 hooks. The boats were valued at $449, the gill- nets at $1,367.50, 

 other apparatus at $158, and shore property at $365 ; the total value 

 of the fishing investment being $2,339.50. 



The following are the products from the year's fishing : 59,000 pounds 

 of herring, 18,700 pounds of pike, 7,980 pounds of bass, 2,900 pounds of 

 whitefish, 2,367 pounds of bull-heads, 1,000 pounds of mullets, 800 

 pounds of perch, and 700 pounds of trout. The total value of the fish 

 was $2,397. 



96. DUNKIRK, CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, NEW YORK, AND VICINITY. 



Description of the town, — Dunkirk is on a bay of the same name, 

 about midway between Erie and Buffalo. The neighboring shore on 

 either side is rough and rocky. The town has a population of about 

 7,500. It is a port of entry, with large piers and warehouses ; and has 

 extensive locomotive works and factories, giving employment to a con- 

 siderable number of people. 



Apparatus and species. — In 1879 it was stated of Dunkirk that only 

 gill-nets were used in taking fish, the amount of which product was 

 40,000 pounds. Since then, however, there has been some changes 

 which have tended to advance the fishery interests of the place. 



The fishing grounds are in Dunkirk Bay and in the lake to the dis- 

 tance of 10 or 12 miles. It is thought by the fishermen that no spawn- 

 ing grounds of the whitefish exist in this vicinity, as it is observed that 



