Photo’s of inspiration.
Every so often I’ll post a new photograph that is inspiring to me.
For five generations, the Jenson family in Northern Michigan has gill net fished Lake Michigan to make their living. Their boat, constructed in 1946 out of WWII leftover submarine steel, shows the wear and tear from 76 years of fishing but is still sound and serves the family well. Almost every day (weather permitting), this family heads out into Lake Michigan, sometimes as far as 100 miles, to set their nets to catch Whitefish and Lake Trout. On this summer day, the two-mile-long gill net placed the day before at a depth of 150 feet acted like a fence and yielded 2,500 pounds of fresh fish. Jensen's fishing and other native American fishing fleets are closely regulated by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Sioux Tribe to preserve and maintain the natural levels of fish in the lakes.
It took over six hours to travel, pull up the nets, pack the fish on ice, start to filet them, set new nets, and return home. In all, it's a grueling day loaded with the smell of fish and diesel fuel and an occasional breath of fresh air.
When Jensens returns to the dock, fish distributors are waiting at the pier who immediately pick it up and ship it to restaurants worldwide. On this day, about 350 pounds of fresh fish will stay with Jensens and be sold at the family's fish market in Manistique, Michigan.
