Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-10-10
BASS IN THE POTOMAC.
The Reported Steady Decrease of the
Fish-IIOw the Laws Are Not Enforced
Fish Traps Which Obstruct the Pas.
sage Of Fish.

The statement recently published that the
black bass are steadily decreasing in the Poto-
mac river is erroneous. 1t Is true that they are
not as plentiful as they might be and as they
should be- The present supply is the natural
increase of the few bass which were placed in
the river not many years ago. Bass in the Po-
tomac have had many difficulties to con-
tend with. They have received no favor
from any quarter. There are food fishes
enough in the Potomac to maintain at least
double, and, perhaps, treble, the num-
Der OF bass now fnhabiting the stream.
If the fish commission would devote but small
expenditure to the propagation of bass in the
Potomac the return would be quick and profit
able. When urged to do this once some time
ago. some of the officials of the commission re-
piled that it would be better to propagate food
fishes TO maintain the bass already in the river
that there were not enough of these smaller
species to maintain the supply of bass then ex-
listing. If this proposition was correct then, it
certainly is not now. The plentiful supply of
food for the bass is one o. the serious drawbacks
to the angler The river abOunds with minnows
of different varieties, smelt and sunfish. The
minnOws can be seen almost anywhere near
the banks in immense schools. The bass can,
therefore, gorge themselves to repetiOn with
out any great effort and the tempting minnow
on the hook frequently goes untouched, though
the angler sees bass all around him.
THE FISH LAWS.
The laws for the protection of the bass are
very laxly enforced along the Potomac. In
deed in many localities they are not enforced
at all. County officials, as q rule do not seem
to regard it AS their duty to that violators of
these laws are punished.
In last May, the month in which the Mary-
land law prohibits the taking of bass. with tile
view OF protecting them while spawning an
angler left the river one afternoon, some miles
above Washington, with a fine string of bass.
As he strobe along he was admonished that
high county official was approaching. Con
turned quickly and endeavOred to conceal
his fish. The Maryland official observed the
movement and called out; Never mind me.
see your fish," The official admired the catch
of bass, and expressed his intention of making
self. This instance shows how some of the OFF,
Gals totally ignore the laws fer the protection
of bass, and the fact that violation of these
TO be generally understood along the river.
notwithstanding the fact that both Maryland
and West Virginia have stringent laws for the
preservation OF fish, and prohibiting the taking
seines are not unfrequently resorted
At the beginning of every winter, when the
water is drawn OFT from the canal, great guam
titles of bass are taken by means OF seines AS
the water runs out the bass in the canal natu-
rally collect in the holes deepest places
With the canal emptied, a party has but to
make few hauls through the pools of water re-
manning to capture every bass in it, and it is
known that bushels of bass have been taken out
of single one OF these holes or basins in the
canal.
At frequent intervals in the upper Potomac,
fish traps, or "fish potts., as they called, are
maintained. This cOntrivance consists OF two
wings of a dam, one extending diagonally from
each shore, so as to form V. These wings do
not meet by six or eight feet, and in this space
trap is placed. In this way the entire force of
the current is concentrated and thrown into the
trap SO as to carry fish moving down stream
into ii. Those who maintain these traps con-
tend that comparatively few bass are caught in
them. They say the bass can jump out the
trap: but, even If this be true, when the stage
OF water is low, as at present, these dams pre-
vent the free passage of the fish up
and down stream. The government
Is constructing an expensive fshway at
Great Falls for the purpose of making a clear
passage up and down the Potomac for all
species of fish which inhabit or annually visit
the streams. If the upper part of the river is
to be obstructed by fish-trap dams every few
miles over which fish cannot pass in low water
the object of the fish way is partly defeated
About the only effective method yet dis
covered for enforcing laws tor the protection of
game fish is for the various anglers and clubs
OF the region through which the stream flows
to interest themselves in making the statutes
effective.