Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-01-17
FISHING FOR cIScoES.
No Longer Lake Ontario Industry-A
Peculiar Fish.

Ii was thirty years ago this winter
that the ciscOes in Lake Ontario sudden
~ Ieft its waters, never to return, saws
a Utica IN. " dispatch to the New
York Tribune. Where they went has al
ways been mystery, but q striking coin
cldence was their appearance shortly aft
er IN large numbers in a Lake Erie bay,
near Sandusky, o.
The cisco. which belong, to the salmon
family, is a peculiar fist, as far as its
abiding place Is concerned 1t inhahits
only few lakes i'll the United States
and Canada. and then ii moves about
with a SuddennesS that bothers the fish
rFincn who make a living by catching 1t
Tor the market. The cisco resembles the
Sc! herring, and it's head tapers To n
point. II runs in weight from "a of a
pound 10 liz pounds, and in length from
10 I" u inches. The flesh has fine
flavor. and many compare it to the brook
trout few years ago there was 4
large demand for the cScu. especially IN
The winter, when it was common or
currence 10 see key of Salted ciscocS
displayed in front of grocery store.
The ciscoes which the fishermen took
from the waters Of Lake Ontario We're
far famed, and ChaWmont ciscoeS were
noted IN the Eastern states. Chaumout
Is little village on Lake Ontario. in
jefferson county, and it was the center
Of cisco fishing until 1872 The ciscoes
anne INTO Chaumont bay for the last
lime in November. 1872. Once in Il while
now fisherman angling for bass viii
hook 4 lone cisco, hut this happens rare
~. These tishh are still caught occa-
Sionally on the Canadian shores of the
lake. and they are caught in larger guam
titles in the eastern part of Lake Erie
When the cisco made its home i'll and
about Chaumont bay it had never been
seen around Sandusky. Why the fish
left Lake Ontario has never been fully
explained. Many reasons have been Civ
en- and the most probable one is that SO
much silt fioated into the lake that it de-
Stroyed the cisco feelings grounds and
spawning beds.
Signs are still frequently displayed.
"Chaumont CiScoeS." but the Chaumont
cisco is no more. Not a harrelful of els
Goes has been taken from Chaumont bay
since 1872. Chaumont is now a pretty
little summer resort, but the village thir
~ years ago was famous for its fish
trade. not only for the enormous Quanti-
ties taken from the bay each year. but
for the remarkably fine quality of the
meat. which was of exceptionally good
flavor. Chaumont bay was the spawning
place for the fish. and early in November
they would appear in the bay in large
numbers. Then the cisco fishing hcga'l
From early morning until late at night
the bay was covered with boats. and tire
fishermen were busy hauling in their
nets. which were always well filled. Thc
fishing was not confined to the mon eff
Chaumont, but residents of other part
of the state went to Chaumont bay to
fish and about 10000 barrels were
shipped from Chnumont every year. Ev-
cry shore farmer owned fish net. which
in those days cost from $1,000 to $500.
The fishermen spent their summers in
| making the nets and the barrels in which
to pack the fish. w. W. EnoS. who is
now postmaster Mt Chaumont. was the
most extensive cisco dealer. In 1866 tho
largest catch was recorded. The fisher
men were unable to care for them. The
fish were sailed down in boats, aud the
boats became frozen in the ice and were
subsequently destroyed. The fishing sea-
son only lasted about two months.