The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-08-16

Sitting in Little stove Heated shantics.
Ready for All Sorts or Game.

Lake Erie are already looking TO their
shanties preparatory 10 beginning de-
coy fishing through the ice. says De-
troit correspondent of the N. Y. Sun.
AS soon rs the ice Is strong enough TO
bear the little fishing shanties will be
moved out to the tishing-grounds and
in fnvorite localities little villages of
miniature houses, with the smoke curl
ing up from their chimneys. will be es-
tablishcd on the frozen lake. The
shanties are about four and half feet
high, SO that man can sit comforta-
bly, in them. and large enough TO hold
the man and "A small but effective
stove.
A hole is cut in the ice, usually at the
side OF some bank or edge OF chan
mel, where the fish are apt To be run
ming; then the house is moved over the
hole and the fire is started. The fish
erman sits on seat, under which is
box in which to hide his fish, as it is
important to keep his good luck
secret lest his ncighbors surround him.
Il the little village Of lighthouses
moves close around him his chances
are gone, not only because the SUR
rounding fishermen will intercept the
fish. but because the noise of chopping
and walking on the ice will certainly
drive them away. for. although you
can talk or sing rs much as you please
in the tish-house. the least tap upon
the ice will brighten away the fish.
The house not only makes warm
shelter for the fisherman, where he
can sit comfortably protected from the
wild blasts that sweep over the frozen
lake. but rs il has no windows and the
light Is shut out above. he can see
clearly eight or ten feet down into the
waters Of the lake. II is a really beanti-
full sight TO watch the decoy darling
hither aud thither. and the game steal
ing silently up 10 the hole or rushing
at it rs If about so swallow IL. tin fins
and all.
The dccoy Is made Of wood, colored
TO suit the fancy of the fishermen. and
not much like anything in nature. Ii
Is three on four inches long and is
carved i'm the shape OF q fish and heavi-
ly weighted with lead toward the
head. 1t has four horizontal fins on
it. sides and one fin on its back. To
one OF small row of rings on its back
one end OF the string Is hooked. aud
the other end is attached to "A stick
about a foot long. With this stick the
fisherman plays the dccoy. making it
dart about in the water as nearly as
possible in il triangle. Sometimes
school of perch will gather about the
hole, IL they are large enough they are
speared. IL too small for that they are
caught with hook and line Or school
of herring take their place, and then
the fisherman substitutes for hook and
bait white collar button on the end
of a string. this the white fish swallow
eagerly. and the fisherman gently lifts
them out OF the ice before they can dis
gorge.
Then there i swish, and ten
pound pike PUSHES in and scatters tho
small fry in every direction. He stands
motionlcss watching the decoy, which
the fisherman must play like lightning.
for ii the pike touches il he discovers
and rcsents the deception. rushing
away faster than he came. AT the first
opportunity the fisherman strikes his
spear into the iish's shoulder or, If he
can't get fair stroke, and the water
is shallow enough, he pins him to the
bottom until he browns.
This is a favortc sport in Michigan,
and is zcalously pursued, sometimes
SO late in the spring that the shanties
sail of into the lake on the melting ice.