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Bloater Whitefish
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The bloater is known also as bloat, longjaw, silver whitefish, and, sometimes, cisco or ciscoette.
It is known from all the Great Lakes except Lake Erie from which as yet no specimens have been reported. It is probably most abundant in Lakes Ontario and Michigan, where it has good rank as a food-fish. The flesh is firm and of good flavour. By many people it is scarcely less highly esteemed than the common whitefish.
It is highly prized in Lake Ontario where it often brings the same price as C. clupeiformis; elsewhere it usually sells for a few cents a pound less.
When properly cared for on being caught, this fish is delicious, says Mr. Charles H. Strowger.
"When salted it keeps well, and does not lose its freshness when cooked. A great deal of prejudice against the longjaw is entertained because of the soft and damaged condition in which the fish is usually sold to consumers.
It is a fish that ought to be iced as soon as it is taken from the water and kept cold until used, as it easily softens, and on cooking becomes too greasy for ordinary human palates to enjoy. When fresh caught it is equal, in my judgment, to any fish for delicacy of flavour. It is a splendid fish for baking when of full size, but small-sized fish are always of less value and should not be caught."
The longjaw reaches a length of 8 to 16 inches and a weight of a pound or less. Very little is definitely known regarding the habits of this species. It seems to be an inhabitant of the deeper parts of the lakes and is not often seen in shallow water. In Lake Ontario it is taken only in depths of 200 to 400 feet.
There is much difference of opinion among fishermen as to the spawning time of this fish. Fish with mature roe have been reported as early as May 17, and we have seen ripe fish in late June and July in Lake Ontario. Ripe fish have been reported in July also from Lake Huron.
The indications are that the bloater has a prolonged spawning period and that it is somewhat earlier than that of the common white-fish. Scarcely anything is known as to the location of the spawning beds, except that they are probably in relatively deeper parts of the lake.
Head 4 1/3; depth 3 1/2 to 4; eye 5; maxillary 2 1/2; mandible 1 3/4 to 1 7/8; D. 9 or 10; A. 10 to 12; scales 9-75-8; vertebrae 55; gillrakers about 15+28. Body oblong, much compressed, back elevated, the body tapering rather sharply toward the narrow caudal peduncle, the adult having a slight hump as in C. clupeiformis; mouth large and strong; snout straight, its tip on a level with lower edge of pupil; maxillary long, reaching opposite pupil, its length 3 1/2 times its greatest width; mandible very long, projecting beyond upper jaw when the mouth is closed, reaching to or beyond posterior edge of the eye; head rather short, deep and pointed; cranial ridges prominent; dorsal rather high, the longest ray 1/3 longer than base of fin; origin of dorsal nearer tip of snout than base of caudal. Colour, sides uniformly bright silvery, with pronounced bluish reflections in life; back dusky; under parts pure white without silvery; above lateral line the upper and lower edges of the scales finely punctulate with dark, the central part unmarked, producing light longitudinal stripes extending whole length of body; fins flesh-colour or pinkish in life, the dorsal and caudal usually showing dusky edges; postorbital area with bright golden reflection; iris golden, pupil black.