Today in Chequamegon history: end-of-season report on the herring catch. Bayfield County Press December 8, 1927: Saturday of last week saw the completion of the herring fishing industry for 1927 in Bayfield although the Boutin Fish Company expects to still continue with one boat as long as weather will permit. The first nets were set November 13 and the last lifts made Saturday, December 3, to give a fishing season of just three weeks. Monday, November 14, brought to this region the worst storm experienced on Lake Superior in more than 20 years, a storm that kept the fish tugs in the slips until Wednesday and did considerable damage to nets that were set in shallow water. However, aside from that one storm this season was not one of extremely bad weather. Also although the season was somewhat shorter than last year the lifts on the whole were a trifle better and the price of fish a little better so that 1927 must be considered as profitable as the average of the past few years. But it is an easily recognized fact that the herring fishing in this vicinity is considerably below the par of a decade ago and is steadily and slowly on the decline. Three large fish companies operate from Bayfield as a base, the S&L Boutin Co., the Booth Fish Company and the Bayfield Fish Company. The last named concern, owned by H. W. Elmore of Chicago, is just finishing its first year of operation and is under the management of Harry LaPointe. The Hollis M. is the largest tug operating at Bayfield in herring fishing. She is a Booth steam tug carrying a crew of 14 men and can bring in a capacity load of more than 20 tons of fish. The Turner, with a crew of 12 men, and six smaller gas boats complete the booth fleet. The Boutin company used a fleet of two steam tugs, the R.T. Roy and the Elsie Nell and four smaller gas boats. The Bayfield Fish Company used the gas tugs Lola and Chinook and four smaller gas boats. 46 freight car loads of frozen and salted fish were shipped from Bayfield during the season just passed and if favorable weather allows continued fishing for the Boutin Co. this total will be augmented by several more cars. The output of the different companies was as follows: Bayfield Fish Co., 11 cars of salt herring; the Boutins, 12 cars of frozen fish and two cars of salted fish; Booth’s, 15 cars frozen and six of salt. Approximately 275 men are employed by the three companies in the various divisions of their fishing activities during the herring season and many of these are employed for many weeks both before and after the active season in preparation for the three or four strenuous weeks of that event and in cleanup measures following. The herring fishing gives employment to many of Bayfields residents and is a harvest that means many, many thousands of dollars to the city.
Posted on: Mon, 08 Dec 2014 16:18:27 +0000
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