FISHEKIES OF THE GEEAT LAKES. 653 



The Apoistle Iwlunds are a group of about 20 islands, 18 of which 

 arc la Ashland County and 2 in Ba3^field County, Wis. The three 

 large fishing firms at Ba}' field, engaged in fishing with steamers and 

 buying fish of the boat fishermen, have fishing camps on Stockton 

 Island or Presque Isle. Other islands also have camps of boat fisher- 

 men. Fishing is carried on around the islands from the breaking up 

 of the ice in the spring until it forms again in the fall, a period of 

 about six or seven months, the length of time varying with the sea- 

 sons. Most of the fishermen live at Ba3'field, and spend the winter at 

 home or at work in the lumber camps. The fishing about the islands 

 is prosecuted with pound nets, haul seines, and gill nets. The pound 

 nets have a lea^der from 5 to 40 rods long with meshes of 5 to 6 inches, 

 and a pot or pound from 24 to 28 feet square with meshes of 83- inches 

 stretched. The pound nets are set in from 10 to 45 feet of water. 

 In 1903 56 pound nets were fished around the Apostle Islands, includ- 

 ing Long Island. Of these, 41 were in Ashland County and 15 in 

 Ba3-field County, Wis. There were 8 haul seines with meshes of 2i 

 to 3 inches. Tliese were owned at Ba^-field and Avere fished at various 

 islands, their location being changed from one island to another as 

 occasion required. G ill nets were used by steamers and small boats, 

 and were to some extent fished under the ice during the winter. 



Isle R03 ale is in the northwestern part of the lake in Keweenaw 

 Count}^, Mich. The fishing grounds of this section are located about 

 this island and the numerous smaller islands in its vicinity, and from 

 10 to 20 miles from the main shore. The fishing season opens as soon 

 as the water is free from ice, and practically closes October 30. In 

 1903 fishing began about the middle of April and in 1904 a month later. 

 The laws of Micliigan provide for a close season from October 30 to 

 December 15. 



Gill nets are the principal form of apparatus employed. Pound 

 nets and also hooks and lines are used to a limited extent. The size 

 of mesh used in gill nets is 4^ inch for white-fish, 3^ inch for bluefin 

 white-fish, and 2f inch for herring. Gill nets for trout and v\^hite-fish 

 are fished b}^ being anchored on the bottom in from T5 to 125 fathoms 

 of water, the best catches being made in May and June. After 

 August 15 the fall catch is taken with gill nets having a 5i to 6 inch 

 mesh, nearl}^ all t'le fall catch being lake trout averaging from 6 to 7 

 pounds each when dressed. These are caught in from 6 to 30 fathoms 

 of water and shipped fresh. The giil nets are chief!}' made of No. 35 

 imported flax thread, 3 pounds being used for a net of Go leads. Deep- 

 water gill nets with 5i-inch mesh are made of No. 40 cotton twine. In 

 shallow AA'ater the fish are more active and the water is rougher, and 

 therefore stronger nets are required than in deep water. 



In the line fisheries set lines are used to some extent until about Julj" 

 15. These have 50 hooks each, the gangings with one hook each being 



