The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1889-06-21
The Fishing Season.

Tho fishing season is now fairly
opened. IL ia lawful during June to
catch with rod hook and line any of
the fresh water fish usually found in
Pennsylvania waters, expecting only
rock bass and wall-eyed pike in the
Delaware river, which are protected by
an act of the late Legislature for
of two years. The reason for this
exception is that the Delaware has
just been stocked with these fish, which
are native to its waters, and the Fish
Commission desires that they shall be
unmolestd until they have attained a
reasonable siz,. The rock bass men
toned in this act is not the striped
bass or rock fish, but variety taken
from the great lakes and more nearly
resembling the black bass in size and
general appearance.
1t is scarcely necessary at this time to
urge the through enforcement of all
laws for the protection of game fish in
the fresh waters If the State. For the
lack of well enforced fishing laws the
lakes and streams of the Commonwealth,
which opce swarmed with the best of
fish have been nearly depopulated Since
the creation ofthe State Fish Commis-
sion and the enactment of existing laws
the wholesale destruction of the fish has
been arrested and some progress made
In restocking waters. Ii the
laws are faithfully enforced there will
be fishing for all who love the sport in
the near future, and for this reason it
should become everybody's business to
aid Fish Commissioners aud Fish Ward
ems in protecting the fish from all illegal
methods of destruction.
In connection with this subject it may
not be amiss to suggest to the Fish COM
mission the propriety of paying special
attention to the protection and propa-
cation of the native fresh water varie-
ties of the State 1t is all well enough
10 transplant the differnt varieties Of
the game bass to afford increased sport
to the professional anglers and to oul
tivate carp for private fish ponds.
But the native fish, such as the wall-eye
pike, striped bass, pickerel, yellow
perch and even the sun6sh and catfish,
some of which are described in anther
column that have afforded sport and
healthful food to the inhabitants of the
State for two centuries, are all worthy
of protection and propagation. They
are the fish of the common
people, those who cannot afford expen-
sive journeys the seashore or great lakes
10 do their fishing Every stream, lake
reservoir and miIl-pond in the State
should be full of these fish, SO that
when the farmer and the farmers boy
and the hired man want little rest from
their arduous labors with some sport
thrown in they can find it near home.
The boys of half century ago got
more genuine pleasure out of fishing
for sunfsh with piece twine for line
and bent pin for hook than the most
skilful adult anglr of today, who cat
ches bass or muscalonge with the finest
modern tackle. Why shouldn't the
boys of the present and future genera
tions be given the same chance? Aud
the old.time farmer or mechanic, who
utilized a cloudy day by catching a
good mess of catfish or perch from the
nearest waters secured much needed
relaxation from hard work besides fur.
nishing themselves and families with a
healthful variation in their ordinary
diet. Shouldn't the farmer and m'c-
hanics and their boys be thought of still
in the efforts that are now being made
to improve the fishing waters of the
State? These suggestions are made in
no spirit of hostility to the prtectiou
and propagation of the fish which are
the delight of the professional angler.
the more bass and trout and muscal-
onge we can get into our waters the
better But while this is done the
common fish and the common fisherman
should not be overlooked. The latter
furnish most of the money in the form
of taxes appropriated to the propaga-
ton and protection of fish and certainly
should be allowed to share in the bene'
fit derived from its expenditure
Times.