Following the Fish - by Michael Risku (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

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.

Review Quotes

"Michael Risku's utterly readable Following the Fish offers a delightfully comprehensive look at commercial fishing along Lake Superior's North Shore. Readers will smell the herring smoking and look into the lined faces of the weather-beaten men who scoured the big lake for their catch. Risku casts his net far, collecting a vast haul of history and geography while chronicling an all-but-vanished lifestyle." --Curt Brown, author of Minnesota 1918: When Flu, Fire, and War Ravaged the State and So Terrible a Storm: A Tale of Fury on Lake Superior

"Through a personal connection to the history of Lake Superior's commercial fishing culture, Michael Risku gracefully weaves the story of the industry from its earliest days through the present, from Duluth to the Canadian border. A must-read for fans of Minnesota's North Shore." --Lee Radzak, author of The View from Split Rock: A Lighthouse Keeper's Life

"Following the Fish: A History of Commercial Fishing Along Minnesota's North Shore turns out to be a book I was longing to read all my adult life--though I didn't quite know that because it hadn't been written yet. Michael Risku somehow melds his personal experience, a rich haul of information captured through exhaustive research, the voices of old-time fisherfolk, legends and lake lore, science and romance into a comprehensive, compelling narrative delivered in clear, vigorous prose. This book will fascinate--not just now, but years from now." --Barton Sutter, author of Cold Comfort: Life at the Top of the Map

About the Author