Fishtown, Commercial Fishing

Location: Old Harbor / Ox-Bow Lagoon / Saugatuck / Saugatuck Township
Date: 1840s-1960s

Fishtown, ca. 1890

Fishing settlements: Fishtown and Shriver’s Bend. Along with another fishing settlement across the harbor (Shriver’s Landing), Fishtown was an important commercial fishing port with particular attention to Lake Michigan White fish. After the harbor was diverted to the new “channel” in 1906 blowing sand blocked the old harbor and the fishermen moved upriver to Saugatuck. Much of the fishing was ’net fishing’ and took place in the winter—and so it was a rough and dangerous trade. Most of the old fishing tugs are now gone. Until about 1960, fresh Lake Michigan fish were widely available in the area—some times fried and even ready to eat. The trade died out as the Whitefish became over-fished and the new sport fishing industry received greater state support.