Until about 100 years ago, fishing and hunting provided most of the protein required for Northwoods residents to survive. As the glaciers receded over 10,000 years ago, Indigenous People relied heavily on hunting and fishing. Over the millennia hunting and fishing traditions remained strong within Indigenous Communities like the Ojibwe, who ensured their generational rights to hunt and fish in treaties with the U.S. Government.

As fur traders, pioneers, loggers and tourists entered the Northwoods hunting and fishing proved essential and could boosted profits. Fur traders bartered for meat, pioneers would fill their larders, while loggers preferred to hire market fishermen and hunters to feed their hungry crews. Once the railroads arrived, tourists flocked to the Northwoods to hunt and fish, but required the services of guides. The abundance of game and fish were quickly reported by newspapers and magazines (listen to podcasts linked below) causing demand to soar for tent camps, cabins, and ultimately resorts.

Around the Manitowish Chain of lakes, hunting and fishing guides became legendary among tourists. Generational guide family names like Devine, LaPorte, Sleight, Buck, Loveless, LaVigne and LaFave became a big part of the bedrock of our pioneer community. Newspapers and magazines told wild tales of both big fish and huge numbers of fish that boosted commerce. During the depression, our town created the first municipal fish hatchery, opened the first function fishway for spawning fish to move over the dam, and the town limited fishing season opening and ice fishing to attract the shrinking number of tourists. Honestly, Manitowish Water’s outdoor culture centered around hunting and fishing until just recently.

Some of the local families actually invented hunting and fishing equipment. Archery manufacture in town by the Roemer family’s Trueflight Feathers have been operating for over 75 years, while Hill’s Archery on Alder Lake made legendary broadheads like the Hill’s Hornet. Fishing inventions includes Peter Startz’s oar lock, Sleight Bait musky lures and Sleight fishing jigs.

The Manitowish Waters Historical Society encourages all those interested in fishing and hunting traditions to explore the wealth of multimedia, articles and archived images linked below.