Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1874-11-13
miscellaneous.
How to Propagate Black Bass.

HOW TO propagate BLACK Bass.
Great progress has been made in the
last FIVE years in the distribution Of the
Black Bass. especially in New York and
in the New England States. Two han
bred or more ponds and lakes have been
stocked, and yet we are continually re-
eeiving letters Of inquiry, which show
that people have very imperfect informa-
ton in regard to the habits of the fish,
and to the best method of introducing
them. Some inquire for the spawn. sup
posing that they are propagated like the
Salmonie. But all attempts to take
spawn from this fish have been failures,
so far as we are Informed. Some ponds
have been stocked with the fry, but it
remains TO be seen whether this will
prove successful. The fry are very small,
and remain but few days over the beds
where they are hatched, so that it re-
guircs very close watching to capture
them. They are removed just at the
time when they are said to have the pro-
lection of the parent fish. and they arc all
liable to perish in new water among other
species of fish. The common and the
most reliable method Of Introducing the
bass, is to transport adult fish from well
stocked ponds to new localities. This,
when properly done, has never been
there is legal protection to the fish for
three years. generally granted by special
act Of the Legislature. But this is not
long enough to secure the object. 1t
should be in all cases five years. The
fish do not bite freely until after the
spawning is over in May and une, and
they do not usually reach their new home
until July or later; so that there is no
fry from them until the second year.
The fish generally selected for transfer
are from one to three years old, measur-
ing from three to twelve inches in length.
Fish of this size are not only more nu-
merous, but they bear transportation
better, and are more readily acclimated,
than when larger They are moved with
good deal of difficulty in hot weather,
especially when the journey requires
more than twelve or fifteen hours. With
the most skillful management, there will
be considerable loss In the fall months
there is much less loss.
There is great want of Indignation
in regard to the character Of the water
suitable to this fish. We have many
letters from the owners of horse-ponds, a
half acre or less in extent. having neither
springs nor water running through them
for a portion of the year. The bass wants
clear lively water with rocky or gravelly
bottom, and the more of it the better
1t wants room for itself and for the poorer
kinds Of fish upon which it feeds vora-
ciously. 1t does well in the mill ponds
upon manufacturing streams, and if TIE
head waters and reservoirs are stocked,
they will in few years be fund in all
the waters below. They flourish also in
natural ponds Of twenty acres or more.
Some decline to stock these ponds or lakes
because they are generally free to the
public. But this is short sighted policy
A large pond or lake stocked at cost of
one or two hundred dollars, and protected
by law for five years, will furnish better
sport to the gentleman or company who
undertake the enterprise than they could
find in any small pond of their own. In
suitable water black bass multiply very
fast, and after they ouce gain possession,
their numbers can never be very seri-
ously reduced by hook fishing The an
nual spawning will more than keep up
the supply. There are thousands of
ponds and lakes in the Northern and
Middle States of from one hundred to a
thousand acres, producing only the poorer
kinds Of fish, that might easily be stocked
with bass, aud add largely to the food
supply of the people. 1t only needs the
effort Of a few individuals in any neigh
borhood or township to accomplish this
good work When the funds are raised
there is little difficulty in procuring the
fish. Fish culture has made such pro-
gross in the Eastern States, that an order
for trout or bass, is about as readily filled
as an order for Jerseys or Cotswolds. =
american AgricMtrist.