Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1857-08-27
CoKMUNTcAEZoN.
FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE GAME OF
TENNESSEE NJ O

TENNESSEE.-No. 9.
promised in my last number that would in my
next give my views with respect to what ought to be
done for the protection of fish, which is as follows
Let the Legislature pass law prohibiting sh-traps,
and seining in all streams that are net considered
naTigable- Let the dip-net be entirely prohibited
Prohibit also, the use of the rack bush-drags and
set-ne and all kinds of poisoning for the purpose
Oh killing hsh. The manufacture of domestic or
any kind Of cloth where dyes are used, or paper
mills viii have to be exceptions, as these establish
ments are Indispensable and of public utility, they
must be allowed The poisonous dyes from the dye.
TUDOR the vtriOl and other minerals from the waste
tub, do not effect the streams below to any great dis
tanee and evenf they did they would still have to
be allowed. Now, it may be that persons may be
found who are sufficiently selfish to wish some of
these practices allowed. For instance, man own
ing both sides of small stream may complain that
his rights are infringed upon, because he is not al
lowed to put in fish trap; but let him remember
that the trap is draft on all the fish in the stream,
and he has no more right to all the fish in the creek
than he has 10 all the air and sunshine in the neigh
borhOOd, and the bare fact that he has it in his pow
err to have fish trap should not even tempt him to
appropriate all the fish to his own purposes, or at
least many of them as he wants, and leave the
balance to minks, muskrats and racoons. Keep out
the trap, and let the fish freely pass up and down,
and multiply, and there will SION be enough for all
With respect to the other modes of destruction, I
think. with one consent, the whole community will
say away with seins, racks, dip and bush drags;
but it may be that may still desire to have the
privilege of setting in the mouths of creeks setnes.
have said all care to say on this subject else
where and think any reasonable man viii see at
the improperly not to say theinj@sce, of any
such continuance. Let them be prohibited by all
means.
The question now comes up, how shall we catch
fish? for catching is before hanging so it is be-
fore cooking. In answer, 1 would say, the most eff
fectual mode is the trot-iias; next, the anglers
method, the rod and line; next, giging, shooting
andeane and spike and seinng in navigable streams
The method Of angling embraces what is called bot
tom fishing, fly fishing and the hobs. do not like
the cane and spike, from the fact that they catch
but little else than the parent fish in the raising
son; but as they can do nothing but in clear and
shallow water, they are not much to be dreaded
The gig is Objectionable the ground that they kill
and leave than they catch, and alarm and drive
out the fish into larger streams; but the gig only
be employed when the waters clear, and the fish
are not much reduced by them, as our waters are
always milky and flush in the Spring and early part
of Summer, and the small fish always escape the
man with the gig. There is method of snatching
or grading, which is done by cluster of hooks at
~ A. IL
nsh while shOsling, it is called, rather while the
fish are cleaning their winter coat and polishing
their scales ON the sand and gravel This plan of
fishing is not Objectionable from the fact that large
fine fish are generally taken and that too, while the
fish in good condition, and before the raising
season commences.
Nature intended, no doubt, that in the main, that
in all small streams the fish should be taken with
the hook from the fact that they protect themselves
during the raising by refusing bite so that
tAe angler or trot-line fisherman never can destroy
the fish.
But it is objected by some that quite number of
the fish will not bite That is great mistake
There is not fish in our waters but may be taken
with hook and line-not one. The cat will bite at
almost every thing. The jack, trout, salmon, and
all the varieties of the perch will bite at live,
branch minnOW. The buffalo will bite at mush
bait. The drum will bite at muscle, craw fish OF
worm. The redhorse, and the varieties the suck
er, will bite at worm, while, in lake or clear
streams the bass or trout will rise to the fly The
fact is, that fish general in their food and viii
eat almost anything that anything else will eat even
to frogs and snakes These methods of fishing may
be fOllowedwithout exposure, and the fish taken are
generally of good size, and at proper seasons of the
year. The outfit cost but little. The boy, the son
of poor widow, can get dozen hooks for dime
get him cotton string for line, pebble for his
sinker, halle switch for rod, dig him gourd of
worms. Thus outfit Of two cents will enable rim
to supply his mother with savory fish, Its the ali
ment of the poor, food furnished by the Almighty
for his creatures. 1t ought not to be destroyed
abused, made monopoly. Let the destructive
methods be prohibited, and then the fish will soon
become abundant, and these quiet and innocent
methods that l have mentioned will give to every
man, rich and poor, fish when wanted.
LOVER OF NATURE.
THE RACE FOR THE GOODWooD CUP.