The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-23
n CITY ON THE HCE
How FIsh are Caurht tn Saginaw Bay In sh,
Winter.

Frov ne CAtd7o TrfiEas
EAST SAGINAW, Mich, Feb. 10.-The busi-
ness " fishing through tho Ice on Saginaw bay
has been prosecuted regularly for several
years. and has attained largo proportions, Civ
forming n city as distinct MS II In novel and pc-
turcsuue. At present there are about 100 build
ings composing the city on the Ice, ana active
operations are progressing. The city is irreg-
.ularly laid out; in fact no attention whatever is
paid to right ANGLES; aud it Is not likely that
IN pC city would rG avail Rsre Tho bud RY IN
this peculiar and interesting town have al been
erected since cold weather set in; and, with
very few exceptions. the dweers are all Of the
sterner sex. The city commences three or four
miles from the lighthouse. and extends several
Tho houses arc nearly Of uniform aize, about
four by eight feet They are cheaply though
warmly constructed. generally made OF thin
plno boards, lined or covered with building
paper. The bunk is placed In the end opposite
the door. and the pantry IL a shelf on one side
Of the hut. small window in tho side admits
light, but. while engaged In fishing. this is
usually covered. The little houses are warmed
with sheet iron stoves. about sixteen Inches
long. round except at the top, where is r griddle
for cooking.
In tho ioor OF tho shanty is trap door. about
twenty inches square. which. on being raised,
reveals n hole through tho ice. The fisherman
seats himself on n block at one side OF the hol9.
nnu i0w9rs in.o w w,1r msrr,e n nH 10
fastened to the top Of the building. The her
rings are used as decoys. and arc caught as
needed. In getting the decoy ready. u piece OF
lead about four inches in length is forced down
the herrlng's throat lfor n sinkerl n slip moose
is placed over his head. and he is let down. II
alive. he swms about unaided; but II dead. the
Fisherman resorts TO artificial methods by
dangling the line Tho water where the shan
ties are located il from ten to fifteen feet deep.
and tho bottom. being unusually sandy, IL eas-
~ diseernible. Attached to another string ia
the spear. A mai in the handle enables 1t tobe
hung on the edge OF the floor. whence II Ia
quickly taken whenever the tlsh como up to tho
decoy. II h then dnrted swiftly and before an
inexperienced person could hardly realize 1t.
the victim is pierced and pulled through the
The feb run best early in the morning and
after i. Nj, After dark a lamp with reflector
Is used. and the business Is prosecuted as Der-
sstently as in the DAYTIME; The bulk OF the
sionally trout and white fish. When the fishing
IL good an industrious fisherman will take out
from 80 to $50 pounds per day. The Ash run in
schools, and the water is often fairly black with
them. The fish are sold to wholesale dealers at
Bay City and Saginaw. and shipped In every
direction. As high MS 100000 pounds have
been caught in single soason. This year tho
senson commeneed rather late. and the Drodnct
will be smaller.
Tho occupation is not without danger. es-
pecinlly In the early snring. when the leo
cracks and there IL scarcely "a season that
some OF the hardy fishermen are not carried
out TO sea. from which they nrc rescued with
great difficulty. Last year your corresponding
went out in n tue with Il party. ana rescued hnlt
a DOZEN fishermen whose retreat had been cut
of by the moving out Of the lee. When the ice
begins to crack and act uneasily, the careful
fisherman packs his litta doiuirtlo ON n sled
and hauls II to the shore, whore II is slowed
away for another season. Numbers OF shantie9
are lost every year-the vanturesomc Fishermen
remaining on the lee SO long that II Is impossi-
hlc 10 take the ahanties across the cracks. Tho
little houses dottinl: the blue cxpanse OF lee Tor
miles in every direction present a picturesque
and curious spectacle.