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Common Whitefish
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This important and delicious food-fish is known also as humpback, bowback and highback whitefish (Lake Superior), and Otsego Bass (Lake Otsego, N. Y.).
It is the most important and one of the most abundant of all the whitefishes. It is found throughout the Great Lakes region from Lake Champlain to Lake Superior, and possibly to Lake Winnipeg. It has been reported commercially from Lake of the Woods, Lake Winnipeg and Northwest Territory, but all references to its occurrence west of Lake Superior need verification. All specimens of so-called whitefish from Lake of the Woods which have been examined by any ichthyologist belong to a different species--the Labrador whitefish (Coregonus labradoricus), and this is doubtless the species which the Canadian Fish Commission reports call the "whitefish," when referring to localities west of Lake Superior.
The common whitefish lives habitually in the deeper waters of the lakes, coming out into more shallow water at spawning time, which, in the Great Lakes, is from late October into December. While its habits are perhaps better understood than those of any other species of whitefish, there still remain many important facts in its life history which are obscure or little understood. Besides the regular migration from deep water to the spawning grounds in the fall, there appear to be other rather definite movements, as, for example, in Lake Erie, where the species is most abundant. During the greater part of the year it seems to be mainly confined to the deeper waters of the eastern part of the lake. From there 2 regular movements occur, one in the spring, the other in the fall, which greatly increase the area of its distribution during a limited period. There is practically no fishing for this species in January, February and March, during which time the whereabouts of the fish is not known. The gillnetters generally begin to set for whitefish early in April, and continue until the end of December following. This deep-water fishing is confined to the eastern part of the lake.
The gillnet grounds extend mainly from about 5 miles off shore to the middle of the lake, the depth ranging from about 12 to 30 fathoms, and the bottom consisting of clay and mud. There is greater or less movement of the fish within these limits, of which the fisherman have cognizance, and which seems to be influenced by changes in the season and weather. In the early spring the best fishing is said generally to be obtained eastward of Dunkirk, in relatively shallow water, the body of fish working westward and into deeper water as the season advances, and again returning to the deeper water as the winter comes on. It is probable, however, that the early spring distribution in abundance is more widespread than the above would indicate, judging from the extent of territory which the fishermen may then occupy. The extent of the gillnet catch varies greatly with the season, caused partly by the condition of the water and partly by the withdrawal of a portion of the fish, as explained further on. The season opens with a large catch, which continues into May, but then falls away into June, when scarcely any fish can be obtained. This circumstance is attributed by the fishermen chiefly to the formation of a slime on the bottom, which also covers the nets and makes it difficult to handle them. These conditions may persist for a week or two in July, when good fishing revives, especially in the deeper waters, in which the best catches of the year are made, during August and September. The remainder of the season affords much poorer return as a whole than the summer, due, undoubtedly, to the spawning run, which takes a large proportion of the fish away from this region.
The two seasonal movements above referred to are both shoreward and toward the western end of the lake, and it is during their continuance that the poundnet catch is made. The spring movement occurs mainly during the latter half of April and in May, although a few stragglers may be found in June. It is felt along both shores as far as the Bass Islands and Kingsville, Ontario, but on the south side of the lake it is most pronounced east of Ashtabula. It extends but a short distance onto the western platform, where only small and irregular catches are now obtained about the Bass Islands and Kelleys Island, although formerly they were more abundant there.
The fall movement is much heavier and much more widespread than the spring, and is actuated by the breeding instinct, which leads the fish to seek spawning grounds, to a large extent, at a great distance from their normal habitat. It begins on a small scale in September, during which month a few individuals are sometimes captured in the poundnets on the platform. It does not become pronounced, however, until in October and, including the up and down runs, continues through November and more or less into December, although very few fish are taken during the last mentioned month; that is to say the poundnet catch seems to be obtained chiefly, if not almost entirely, from the up run, making it possible that the bulk of the down run keeps farther offshore.