The day of a fisherman on Lake Maggiore

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The fishermen of the Lombard shore of Lake Maggiore, the scarce shore , are few and principally work around Sesto Calende, Ranco, Bogno di Besozzo, Luino and Germignaga. The physical labour, the heavy and strange working hours, economic insecurity and the dependence upon unforeseeable and hardly controllable factors take up considerable space in oral testimonies. Rendered in the form of life stories and punctilious descriptions of work techniques, with diverse styles although strongly characteristic they always express a profound and conscious passion for this profession.
Differing from the past, today fishing is carried out mainly in deep water - black water in the terminology of the profession - and the catch is prevalently and almost exclusively represented by whitefish in its two types - lavarello and bondella - which are different in form, size and the zones where they reproduce.
Whitefish is sold fresh - whole or as fillets - and is rarely processed.
Other species to be found - although to a much lesser extent and in alternate periods - are the 'alborella', perchis and trout.
Fish that is not 'noble' is instead always abundantly fished. Amongst others we can mention rudd, 'savetta', dace and chub, belonging to the largest group of the so-called 'whitefish' (called in dialect pes bianch). However, its widespread presence is harmful for the fishermen in that this is a 'waste' fish, no longer commercializable due to its meat that is not of prized quality (not to mention its bones). Tench, carp and eels are fished more towards the shore and in the swampy areas: however, they are types of fish which are not profitable and unfortunately are excluded by the non-specialist market. Also the pike is little exploited whereas it was highly prized in the past.
A testimony narrates that precisely in the head of the pike - which children used to strip clean - one finds the passion of the Lord: the small bones which seemed the cross, the hammer and the nails...
In short, fishing has become specialized and the work rhythms - of the year and the day - are above all conditioned by the seasons and by the fishing systems regarding whitefish. One begins to work on the lake in February although the good season begins towards April-May and lasts until late autumn (with certain differences between the various zones of the lake).
The flying net and the setnet are used the most: these are immersed in the afternoon or at sunset and are retrieved early in the morning (from three or four o'clock onwards). The preparation of the catch begins immediately after - the gutting and filleting - ready for sale.