Fish Tugs of the Greatest Lake

CHINOOK

Built on Madeline Island in the early 1920s for use as a passenger and car ferry. The nearly 50 ft. boat was bought by Ernest LaPointe, Bayfield, and put to many uses. First as a fish buying and supply boat to the various fish and lumber camps on the islands.

Used in the herring fishing at Bayfield, and also Duluth; for a few years she was used in the pound net fishery, with a pile-driver mounted on the square stern. Early power was a Wolverine gasoline motor. In the 1940s a Chrysler Crown gasoline engine was installed. The boat was burned in the early 1960s.

Photo: CHINOOK at Bayfield Fish Company slip, date unknown.