2l6 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF 



fishery and bring in the catch. Some of the men push their sleds themselves. Nearly 

 200 dogs and sleds were used last winter in this fishery. The dogs are of all sizes 

 and breeds, some of them being of considerable value. In some instances dogs are 

 undoubtedly stolen from persons who have no idea of the ultimate use to which 

 their pets are put. After the fishing ceases most of the dogs can be purchased from 

 the fishermen for a mere trifle. 



A fisherman's outfit consists of an axe, shovel, ice-chisel, the " tip-up," or catch- 

 ing apparatus, a bait can, and a small piece of sail cloth with two short poles for 

 forming a wind-break on windy days. The ice-chisel is made by fastening a sharp 

 piece of steel, about 2 inches in width, into the end of a pole 5 feet in length, and is 

 used in keeping the fishing holes clear of ice. 



"The 'tip-up' is constructed of two sticks, 18 and 24 inches long, respectively, 

 I inch wide, and a half inch thick, firmly tied together with twine in the form of a 

 cross, the free end of the line being attached to a hollow lead sinker by means of a 

 loop of copper wire driven through the sinker, the ends of the wire being brought 

 out below and bent at right angles for the attachment of the lines with the hooks 

 appended. Each 'tip-up' has two hooks, which are suspended about 18 inches 

 below the sinker. The hooks are baited with minnows and are lowered through the 

 hole in the ice to within 3 or 4 inches of the bottom. The ends of the short cross 

 stick rest on the ice on either side of the hole, the short end of the long stick being 

 over the center of the hole. The line is caught in a number of turns around this 

 stick so that the weight of the sinker may be just sufficient to make the frame lie 

 flat upon the ice. When the fish is nibbling at the bait it causes the end of the 

 cross to tip tip, whence the name ; and when the fish suddenly seizes the bait the 

 long arm becomes almost perpendicular to the surface of the ice and shows that the 

 fish has been caught. The fish is then drawn to the surface, taken from the hook 

 the latter freshly baited and lowered to its former position."* Each fisherman has 

 from 3 to 5 holes under his care. They are usually about 18 inches in width, with 

 varying lengths. The fishermen insist upon a rigid enforcement of the width rule 

 as otherwise there would be considerable danger of someone falling into the holes. 

 The minnows used for bait consist chiefly of " chubs," " silversides," etc., and are 

 caught in dip nets in the outer harbor and along the Niagara river. 



There are serious dangers in this business. Thaws are apt to occur suddenly and 

 fishermen be carried away by the floating ice or possibly drowned by the collapsing 

 of the ice. Sudden storms are also apt to occur. On February 26, 1887, two 

 fishermen were frozen to death on the ice during a severe storm. 



* Report of U. S. Fish Com. for 1887, p. 290. 



