Following the Fish

The first comprehensive history of commercial fishing and fishing settlements along Minnesota’s North Shore shares new conclusions regarding the fishery from 1650 to the present day.

North of Duluth, off of Highway 61, picturesque old fishing structures hint at the era when commercial fishing was the prime pursuit of families in a string of villages and towns that includes Knife River, Tofte, Hovland, and many more. A history of this industry—netting trout, herring, whitefish, and smelt for sale in local communities and beyond—begins with Indigenous fishers who traded and sold their catch to the fur companies, and includes later arrivals hailing from Nordic fishing traditions. 

Michael Risku offers a full picture of this way of life: the geography of the lakeshore that determined where boats could land, the types of fish that thrived in Lake Superior’s waters, the earliest foot trails between Fond du Lac and Grand Portage, the steamboats that served settlements before construction of the road. Risku details assorted watercraft and nets and hooklines, describes the dangers of being out on the lake in all weather, and explores the challenges of getting fish to market. He also prods the fishery’s collapse, exploring overfishing, other extractive industries (logging and mining), and invasive species. 

Drawing on oral histories, newspaper accounts, and years of research, Following the Fish highlights the heroism and determination behind the North Shore’s rich, vibrant, and unique fishing culture.