Wreck Report: Fishing Tug EAGLE

Identification & Site Information

• Vessel Name: EAGLE
• Type: Steel-Hulled Fishing Tug
• Year Built: 1956
• Builder: Louis J. Igielski, Michigan City, Indiana
• Dimensions: Length: 31 feet (9.45 meters) Width: 8.33 feet (2.54 meters) Depth: 4.42 feet (1.35 meters)
• Tonnage:
  • Gross Tonnage: 10 tons
  • Net Tonnage: 6 tons

History

The EAGLE was built in 1956 by Louis J. Igielski in Michigan City, Indiana, and served as a fishing Tug. The vessel’s small size and steel Hull made it ideal for nearshore fishing operations on the Great Lakes. It remained under the ownership of its builder, Louis J. Igielski, for over two decades, from 1961 until 1977.

In September 1977, the EAGLE was officially dropped from documentation, signifying its abandonment. No further records of its use or fate are available, leaving its final disposition uncertain. The vessel may have been left to deteriorate, scrapped, or lost to the waters of the Great Lakes.

Final Disposition

• Status: Officially Abandoned in September 1977.
• Location: Unknown; no documentation on whether the vessel was scrapped, scuttled, or remains submerged as a wreck.

Significance

The EAGLE represents the small fishing vessels that were once a common sight on the Great Lakes, supporting local economies and communities. While its specific history lacks notable events, it reflects the utilitarian design and purpose-driven construction of mid-20th-century Great Lakes fishing tugs.

Tags Fishing Tug EAGLE Steel-Hulled Vessel Great Lakes History Abandoned Vessel

Conclusion

The EAGLE, a steel-hulled fishing Tug built in 1956, served as a testament to the hardworking vessels that dotted the Great Lakes in the mid-20th century. Officially Abandoned in 1977, its ultimate fate remains unclear, leaving an open-ended chapter in the history of small-scale fishing on the lakes. Whether scrapped or resting in an unknown location, the EAGLE’s story underscores the transient nature of such utilitarian craft and their fleeting yet vital role in Great Lakes maritime history.