Save Our Native Species Inc.
S.O.N.S. of Lake Erie Fishing Club
(A501C (3) not for profit organization)

After ten years of collecting photos, scanning microfilm, interviewing fishermen and other experts, traveling to museums and libraries, researching PFBC records and publications I felt that I had enough material to put together a book. I asked my good friend and writer Dr. David Frew for help. Thankfully he agreed and using his prior experience as an author (Dave has written over 32 books, including seven on local history).

The book "Fortune and Fury" chronicles the history one Erie's oldest industries- Commercial Fishing. It tells the story its men,  business, technology, conflicts and evolution from the beginning, its peak when Erie was called the "Freshwater Fishing Capital of the World, its decline and its rebirth as a sportfishing industry.

The 286 page book contains statistics, records, photos and stories describing the history of the industry in the Lake Erie Ports including Dunkirk and Barcelona NY, Conneaut and Ashtabula Ohio and Ports Dover, Nanticoke and Burwell Ontario. 

Dave Frew is a great story teller. He did a great job tying the story to the research collection. 

We were fortunate to raise enough money to publish the book thanks to the generosity of over forty sponsors including the S.O.N.S of Lake Erie. The donations were made to the Erie County Historical Society who are the publishers. All of the monies from the sales will go to the ECHS. Copies of the book sell for $29.99 and may purchased at the E.C.H.S. at 419 State St., the Erie Book Store, the Tom Ridge Environmental Center, the Erie Maritime Museum, Poor Richard's Bait and Tackle, Koenig's Barber Shop, Fish USA and by calling our club phone at 814-453-2270.

Why do a book about commercial fishing? When I first joined the S.O.N.S. in 1982, many of our members tended to vilify commercial fishermen blaming them for the diminished fishery. I then found some publications that named Erie "The Freshwater Capital of the World" that posed the question- What happened? During the research we found many factors that influenced the fishery.

I hope that the information in the book will guide us to avoid the mistakes that were made in the past.

BELOW IS AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE BOOK'S PHOTOS