28 
_ They grow to a large size, have large heads, which are cut off when 
the fish are sent to the markets, and the fish are sold for headless, ‘or 
steak trout. They spawn on honey-comb rock in from six to twenty- 
five fathoms of water, feed on all other fish, and have a decided prefer- 
ence for white fish. 
The deep water trout is mostly found in the south half of Lake Mich- 
igan, in from twenty-five to sixty fathoms of water, and is smaller than 
the Mackinaw trout. Its average weight ig about three pounds. Years 
ago when the waters were crowded with white fish, some of these fellows 
would feed on these fish solely, and from the rich food grow to enor- 
mous size. It was nothing uncommon for the fishermen to bring in 
with their catches trout weighing forty and even sixty pounds each. 
For at least six months each year very few trout are caught. ‘They 
rise from the bottom, feed and roam all over the lake. Like its brother, 
the Mackinaw, the deep water trout is very voracious and will snap at 
any thing that swims or moves, even swallowing bones thrown over- 
board from steam boats and vessels, which are indigestible, and are 
found in them after being caught. ‘Trout is considered one of our finest 
food fish, stands shipping well and- millions of pounds are distributed 
over our western states, and as far east as the city of New York. Both 
the Mackinaw and deep water trout spawn from about the 20th of. 
October until along the forepart of December, but instead of depositing 
their eggs on honey comb rocks like the Mackinaw go far out in the 
lake in deep water, from forty-five to sixty fathoms, and deposit their 
* eggs on clay bottom. Rough weather and storms never drive these fish 
from their spawning grounds and undoubtedly a large percentage of 
eges fertilize. | 
The females have about eight thousand eggs each and the way they 
have been taken out of the lake in the last twenty-five years we can - 
safely figure that at least one-tenth of the egos fertilize, and come to 
life. Whereas the white fish spawn in the most stormy period of the 
season on boulder rock, commonly called round-heads, and in very shoal 
water, in from two to ten fathoms. ‘They gather around the edges of 
these reefs on sandy bottom from about the tenth of October on, and — 
from about the fifteenth to the twenty-fifth of November will rush on 
the rocks all at once. If the weather is fair they will deposit their eggs, 
which takes from three to four weeks, but if a sudden and heavy storm 
sets in, which happens very often, these fish will leave at once, and will 
not return again until another year, and the eggs are a total loss, as not 
one in twenty thousand will be fertilized. 
It has been proved, and is a known fact, that where the eggs are 
taken fertilized, and sent to the hatcheries, seventy-five per cent come 
to life, and can be planted in the waters under the most favorable con- 
ditions. The tiller of the soil must sow and plant, in order to harvest; 
with his stock and poultry it is the same. Even if he had thousands, 
the supply would soon decrease if he would not help in the reproduction, 
taking care of the young, so they car mature and reproduce again. 
The same applies to Lake Michigan. Mature and unmatured fish 
have been taken out, and not enough fish planted to overcome or equalize 
! 
