, 1874-07-12
FISH.
The Varioas Kinds that Find Their
Way to This Market.
Haunts Of Trout and White6sh---
How They are Caught.
Varieties of Saltwater Fish Brought
Here.


| Ao L 14tNS tlA4u \LAdA4&J&
The business OF fishing is carried Oh very q!
tensively IN the Upper Lakes and in the immt
diato vicinity Of Chicago. For fresh-wa:e
| lake Of tho dimensions of Lake Michigan,
| yields very few kinds OF fish, but such as AT
caught are OF excellent quality, perhaps not g
fine Of flavor as the most dclicato OF the sal1
water fishes, but nearly so the difference bein
one which the epicure alone will notice.
THE PRINCIPAL FISH CAUGHT
and they are caught in great nnmoors-are tn
ako trout and the whitefish- These ar
caught altogether With scincs, the prin
cipal fishing grounds being located G
Mackinaw and Escanaba; but the fresh fish tha
come into this market for sale arc nearly al
caught at Saugatuck, Grand Haven, Racine
Kenosha, Muskegon, and OF the Calumet. TIN
fish that are caught at tie i1st-named places e.
to Eastern ports, OF are s:lted aud packed TO-
tho goneral trade.
TIE TROUT AND Tu1TIEt5H
are both 80 well known that q description o.
their appearance is needless. Their habits arr
exceedingly migratory. They seem to roan
about from ono portion OF the lake to the other,
but choosing the upper regions, where the water
is cooler during tho summer eeason- The
whi;ehsh seldom swim alone, but so in schools.
The trout also run with them, and in like
manner, but are often seen and caught alone.
They can be caught in deep and cool water, III
front OF tho city ard elsewhere, at almost my
tlmo, with q trolling line, but, for BONO reaaon,
the white fish never blte3 at the hook
There are very few OF either kind, however,
that are caught by hand, as they arc both ex-
ceedingy tiuid and alert fish. They are mostly
caugat with
GILL NETS,
which is peculiar device for SHARING them.
They are male OF the Ordinary netting, with
meshes of size to let the small fish through.
The larger fish Usually run their heads through
the spaces, aud then. perceiyirg their danger,
attempt 10 back out, aud, their gills being
open, they arc fastened securely, With
e,t out power 4,t to nc, novo N either direction,
tighter, and they Eoon die. This is the great
objection to gill-caught fish, for they frequently
lie dead for twenty-tour hours before being re-
moved By the fisherman, WHO ouiy takes up his
nets once day. or even seldomer.
The gill net Is from TO 6 feet in width, with
leavy slnkors attached to the lower side to keep
it we'll down to tho bottom, and floats about to
hold it in an upright position. Their usual
length is from to miles, though there
ara some used that extend into the lake from
IAe euole ~ HULL ~ ~ ulies. 1uo 6nore
end is usually marked by pole or stake, upon
which the colors Of tue fisherman owning the
uets arc set. Another Kind OF net used is
THE FOUND NET,
which IS similar, except that the moshes are
hEer, aad 20 LOT allow the hsh to ontor lnto
them. peculiar thing about the fish is,
that when it strikes this obstruction, ins,ead OF
turning Lack or attempting to p&ss under OF
over II, it feels its w&y with its nose outwardly
bobbing along until it comes to the outward
edge Ct tho ne.tlug s. At THIS point the net is
IKE tiG 1n ta ad
aged. These bas1ns are from 10 to 20 foet
Il diameter, and tho fisherman frequently duds |
Ls many a. i've or SIX barrels Of fish Waiting to t
10 released. ......... ...
GATHERING THE CROP.
The writer at Qua time went OUT with the tlsh-
rn1en at Carp River, which Is near Mackinaw, |
o SEQ them collect the fish which had been |
su5h1 In their pound net the night previous.
Lho start "ss made at ABOUT O'clock one morn
ng IN July, Just as the gray dawn was streaklng |
lie eastern eky. Ihe COO! vapor whlcn spread /
'ser tue surface OF tne water Aao not yet lifted,
'us as tho party sailed out the sun 1ose
u brilliant splendof, and soon dls-
'ellea the mlsts, leaving me laAe gutter
ug under rs rays Ake FURNISHED gold.
Ae air, which IN THIS latitude seldom Aeats
I'd the islands that lay on the mainland On tho |
pposlte side OF the stralts showed Dark green |
gulnst tue crimson say Altogether, tue scene
Ias ono which would INSPIRE poet or ro1nanclst
+ Nature,
Tle Pound was reached after an hours steady |
owing, and much to the delight Of the Usher
,a1,. it w:s found to be full to Overlooking with
mass OF trout and whitehsh' VarslnE In length
,om l to 3 feet. In getting these out
10 fisherman. used 2 large wi1o dipper,
bout the hlzo or woodcn pail,
'tached to which was long handle. With thus