The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1902-08-08

On one side by lead sinkers and fitted
with wooden cOrks on the other so that
when they are set their full breadth is
presented to the fish.
When the nets are all in. fresh ones
are set and the boats return to the isl
turn about ? o'clock in the afternoon and
from that hour until 4 o'clock the little
craft may be seen Steaming into the har-
Dor from ell directions.
On the way home from the fishing
grounds the fish are cleaned by the crew,
which is usually composed of from five
to eight men. The fireman, engineer and
captain keep their places at the boilers,
engine and in the wheel-house.
Fishing Syndicates Formed.
There was a time when the entire
population of Jones Island was engaged
in the fishing business. Less than a
third OF the men are now thus employed.
In some cases several of the fishermen
have formed companies, pooling their f.
nances for the purchase Of boats and
paraphernalia. A complete fishing out
fit consisting Of boats, nets and buildings
represents a considerable sum of money,
reckoned according to Jones island
standards.
Whiteish are seldom caught here
abouts. although twenty-five years ago,
the fishermen say, they were quite plen-
tlful: In the spring Of the year the best
catches are made off Racine Point. AS
the weather becomes warmer the fish
seek deeper water and toward the fall,
during the spawning season, they go to
the northeast reef, which extends for
miles north Of the city to Port WASH
lngton and beyond. Aside from this
changing of position, fish do not migrate.
Genera liz Sna9Ejnr q fsb rar,o,rr o1o,o
to where he was spawned. Experts can
tell almost at a glance from what part
Of the lake a fish was taken. There
are peculiarities, hard to explain. vet
nevertheless apparent to fishermen and
dealers. that determine almost to a GER
tainty the part Of the lake in which a
certain fish was caught. 1t is in the
fall when the fisherman has his harvest.
Near the spawning season fish become
food taken from the lake is enormous.
Lake Being Fished Out.
The law provides that from October
Is to December 1 fish shall not be
caught. The fishermen adhere to this
rule as a general thing for they know
that to catch fish filled with spawn may
be likened to killing the goose that LAYS
the. golden egg.
Fishermen say the lake is being fshed
out. The state is planting large num-
bers of fish fry each year but the fish
caught far outnumber those that grow
to maturity from the artiicially planted
fry.
Jones lsland is ever a source of inter-
est to visitors from the city. The pc
culiar streets. its tiny houses never
cease to be picturesque. Part Of one of
the avenues between the houses is al
| 3,,nsf an, n1Df0 IL JooI %on ls,- ...4.
A half hundred reels each holding hun
dreds Of feet of nets occupy the street.
Here the nets are set out to dry in the
sun and wind.
On the beach south Of the garbage
plant may be seen twenty-five or thirty
are used by the islanders who do not
make fishing a business OH a large scale.
One or two of the boxes heretofore de-
scribed may be carried in one of these
boats and one man can make a fair
days wage working alone.
Passing Of the Smack.
The uncertainty of the weather has
caused the picturesque fishing smack ia
be displaced to a large extent by the
fishing tugs. A few remain on the is
land, however, and are still used in the
fishing business.
OF the vast amount Of fish taken from
Lake Michigan during a single week Mil.
waukeeans consume from 10000 to Is.
600 pounds. According to C.. A. Hig.
gins, who is Interested in one of t6e
Jones island fishing companies and who
handles the major part of the output,
the high prices of meats nave not in.
creased the demand upon the fisheries
to any very. large degree. 1t is rue the
price of fish food is somewhat less than
the price Of meat, he says, but the con.
sumption is not greatly increased be.
cause of the high prices that meats com.
mand.-Evening Wisconsin.
The revised constitution of the Swed.
ish Baptist Church in Iowa forbids ali
it's members from belonging to secret 60.