Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-11-11
RocK-FIsHING ON THE POTOMAC.

number OF the Southern Literary Messenger on the Striped
Bass or Rock Fish;
"Unquestionably the finest striped bass rock ground on
the Poomac IS the Place known as the Little Falls about
three miles above Georgetown. At this point the river only
m yards wide and the water descends not more than
about ten feet III running three hundred yards the place
might be more appropriately termed shute than fall The
banks on either sde quite abrupt and picturesque the
bed Of the stream Of solid rock and below the rapids are
number OF inviting poo where the varies from forty
sixty feet IN depth The tides Of the reach no fur
ther up the Potomac than this spot and though the rock fish are
caught in considerable pube at the Great Falls vet they
be partial to the Little Falls where they are irequent-
y found very great ,um5cs They follow the shad and
the herring IN the spnS but afford abundance of sport
from The fret OF May until the fourth Of July though they are
caught certain portions of the Potomac through the year.
but above the Gre Falls. The rock fish Of this por
ton of the Potomac var weight from to eighteen or
twenty pounds, and Feeorded of the anglers business
fishermen that they ireqieny kill less than five hundred
fish in single day Tie ilvore bait in this region the
belly part OF the common herring well the sinner and
snel, but il is ffeluen the that yellow Ian
mel lily viii commit sad voc among the striped beanties
stout rod, large reel aid long line important requisites
10 the better onoyment u rockshng at this point but
the good standing placed few in number, many anglers
resort boatfshng, which here pactised with pleasure
aud profit Of the many scienc anglers who visit the Lit
tie Falls daring the spring and sumner the more expert
from Washington Ind Of one Of these the story related
that he killed less than eighty handsome rock fish
single afternoon He pied dangerous position upon
pointed rocks III the foot upon each rock and ele-
that secrny fea down the stream, while the fish
landed BY servant stationed the shore about
thirty feet below the spot eccupied by the angler.
On one OCCASION whie he was playing sized bass
it unfortunately around sharp rock and, by cutting the
line made is escape carrying off the anglers float and IA
vorle iy On the third dy after this boy who was
playing the river about half mile below the Falls happe-
ed 10 cok darling hr and thither across the surface
of the water and Immediately went in pursuit Of the hteke
piece OF wood. After many tWstngs and turnings and long
he finally overlook it. and to his utter astonishment, he
landed in his boata very handsome ive-pound bass.
"Another end similar iacdent follows: The gem
eman alluded 10 mad lost another float by the o5snacy Of
another fish, About week after the mshap fisherman
VINO had ot line set the river Georgetown, for
the purpose OF taking cat fish, discovered great spashng
in the the middle Of his line, and Fastening to
The spot he had the pleasure Of pulling up very handsome
tweivepound bass. After arlIg sLmptuousy upon the fish
he fortunate individual took il into his head that the tackle
belonged to te angler of the Falls whereupon he delivered
it 10 ieud accompanied with Of the manner
in which he made tue discovery The distance travelled by
that fish, with hook in his mouth, four miles and
by the meres accident that his leading string had become
enaneled with the 'trot line
"The angling ground the Little Falls is annuay rented
by the pfoPnetos couple of men, named Joseph Paine
and James Collins, who the presiding geniuses OF the
place. ard have been such for upwards of twenty years They
pay rent Of seventy dollars per and they receive
from fifty cents 10 five dollars from every angler wp visits
hem and they occasionally troubled with as any as
thirty individuals per day, may readily be imagined that
their income is quite respectable. Some Of Collins friends
alege that he has several thousand dollars slowed in an
old pocket book; which It his intention to heqneah ia
vore hew, he himself being bachelor. The reputation
of Jim Co, he is called III this section of country is
very extensive and hat this should be the is all
stfange for he Is decided original He is about fifty years
oi age measu sl6 feet five inches IN height and bis fingers
and toes aun5er no less than Ue1t instead Of tCnty
ordinary individuals. Notwithstanding this bountful
supply oi fingers and toes Jim Collins has great anipahy
to useful aboT and to walking any other web
footed animal Fishing and sleeping his principal
empoym nts and that he judge OF good whskey OF
his acquaintance would have the hardhood to doubt.
The taking of small fish he considers business beneath
his dignity and the consequence is that his tackle OF
inna bed cord, with hook and cedar pole to MATCH
and his uait whole herring He commonly fishes in boat
and the Iax'eriy with wsch he kdlrapS the fish upon
his lap truly astonishing. But if you would Jim Col
Inns in his glory, wait until about the middle of June after
noon, after he has pockeed fifteen dollars, and ne is
summing himself with pipe in mouth upon tie rocks absorb
ed in y coatepations His appearance at such times is
allied - that Of nmoh crnne watching as he does bis
cockney brethren Of the crafty tile movements Of lot Of half
felged water birds.
During the fishing he is generally actively employ
ed bat the remainder OF his time he spends about the Little Falls
ii his presence indispensable the safe passage of the
of the Potomac through this gorge That Jim
Collins should have me, with many queer mishaps during
residence Of twenty years the Potomac, may be readily
magd but believe the unique adventure of which
he has ever been the victim, happened on this wise.
"OGr hero is great lover Of sturgeon meat, and for
many years past hes been habit with him fish for that
huge monster, with large cord and sharp
graphing hooks, sinking them to the bottom with heavy
weight and then dragging them the bed of tho
his Of touch being exquisite that he always tell
The that his hooks have struck the body Of Sturgeon
and when this is almost that tho fish becomes
victim to the cruel In practising this mode Of fishing
Jim CoIus invariably occupies boat aonc which he first
anchors in the On occasion be had been hing
IL this for long lime without success and for the
want cf something exciting he had resorted e
query than usual to his junk bottle. In process of me
however, he found the exercise Of fishing decidedly BORE
but he determined not TO give up The SPORT and the
tne determined to enjoy quiet nap, he tied the
cod 10 bis right ann and ounged his back for the
IN The air and upon the neghbodng hills, and the few
anglers who throwing the fly the Falls, did in the
iazest manner imaginable. While matters in this
don sudden splash broke the surrounding Stiffness which
was Immediately followed by deafening shout, for it
discovered that sturgeon had pulled poor Collins Of his
boat into the swift stream and great danger Of leading
him off 10 the residence OF Ddvd Jones'
"At moment the fisherman seemed have the upper
hand, for heued upon his rope, and loudly, sprawl
ing about the like huge devil-sh; but in another
would suddenly disappear AMI occasional
bubble rising the surface Of the stream was all the evidence
that The fellow not quite drowned This contest lasted
for fifteen minutes, and had not the sturgeon finally
made his escape Jim Collins would have been no As
thappned, however, he finally reached shorc about
hundred yards below the Falls and as he sat upon rock
quite the river Of Syx he was to the Potomac he
yhed hearty upon the escaped sturgeon and
insisted upon that the hest hooks made
forever lost Years have elapsed since this occurrence took
n.l. w,n.a ataa aL..LI -