Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-06-13

Interview was very touching. While Mr..
Forrest remained here. come two weeks, he wac
q daily visitor 10 his old friend, and l wss
prisileged 70 be with them sometimes. He
diod, l thinh, within q year after the date OF
this Lass letter. close the article with regret
for there IL 20 much remaining in this volume
which would AFFORD Interesting reading for the
patrons OF rHs STAR and show that bencfac-
Tors hke Mr. Oorcoran receive their reward
here in the gratitude Of those they serve.
JoHS =. CoYLE.
Wishing IN THE POroaAc.
The Sport in Pulling the Plucky Black BASS
From His Native Elemeak
IT'S NOT TIE NuNRER OF fIsR ONE cATcUIs, BUT
THE ExcIrEARSr IN cAPruRINo LARaE AND
oANEY oNE-wHY WARRINGTON ANGLERS HAVE
AN ADVANTAGE OVER THOSE OF OTHER CITIES
LIVERY NAN WHO GOES FISHING IN
- the Potomac does not catch bass. He who
thinks it's sport to bring home from so or n
100 dsh, regardless Of sort or sise, may % well
fish with pin hook and binding twins and be
happy after his fashion. BLACK bass do not
come up two at time to anglaworma
The bass is shy and game The Potomac
ahoands in the finest Of the finny family, but
lover Of the sport likes about them. One may
cast for an hour without getting a strike, but
when he feels tho strain of threo-pound bass
ut the end Of Hfty yards Of line over All eight
ounce rod he experiences thrill of excitement
which obiiterates all recollection OF patience
sorely tried by long dely. Half dozen good
sized bass often represent a days good sport,
and no lover Of the sport would complain of
but ono Ash il he were a large one. There is
more to be proud OF Ia the capture Of fve-pound
bass than In fifty fish Of half pound each
But the bass, from the smallest to the greatest
in aize, has the spirit of thoroughbred, and
he who swims In the Potomac is the prince of
them all None are TO be captured without a
fight, and sometimes those OF but moderate size
hare most spunk.
THE CONDITION OF THE WATER.
The only question asked by an angler of the
Potomac is ~ to the condition of the water. II
II ID thirty-six or thereabouts, that it, it it Is
clear. he knows that with good tackle and
proper bait he can 10 on the upper Potomac,
where the hass grows hardy in his battles with
the swift. cool waters aud enjo. such sport az
ID out OF reach OF the deniZeps VI most other
cities. And while he is floating down stream
casting far out iato the sparkling waters pure
beautifai scenery Is spread before him, nature
takes him into her arms and he is possessed
OF the spirit OF freedom which rests him from
all care. He casts his minnow far of into an
eddy. There is an instant culver In the rod,
the line slips easily from the reel, little twist
OF the wrist sends tlie hook home and then the
line goes racing out as II caught on the end Of
an express train. In moment there Is a
pause. A careful manipulation of the reel
keeps the proper pressure on the line. and then
begins the light IN which stratagem and skill,
not strength. will count.
Most of the bass fishing on the Potomac is
done with live bait, though the fly in the hands
Of some such anglers as Wade Hampton has
been very successful The mianow is The usual
bait. In the fall and spring the black smeltls
good. With bucket of good live bait. an
eight-ounce rod, split bamboo or steel a fine
braided silk line, with leaders, hooks and q four
multiplying reel, you are bound to lind sport if
you have any skill and know the waters.
wuEEE BASS MAY nE YOU'D.
The bass may be fonnd anywhere from
Feeder dam, four miles above Georgetown, to
orleaas road, the furthest limit OF the Wood
mont preserve. Below the Great Fails the
hut they are large Tho points best known BIZ
anglers OF these lower waters are the Feeder
dam, the Seven Locks. Club House. foot of
wife water near Difficult run and the waters
immediately below the falls High water often
drives the fish UP into the creeks that empty
into the Potomac, in which there is sometimes
excellent fishing, Any ut these points up as
far Us the Great Falls may be reached by stage
or private conveyance. The watcrs are not
preserved, but at the club house it might be
difficult to get boat except by the courtesy Of
the Washington Anglers Association, OF which
DIR. Townsend u president, as all tho boats
there are private. At the tee,ier a boat is not
absolutely necessary and in one there is always
aone danger OF being carried over the fails.
There il hotel az the Great Falls, whore se-
connlotsti oas and all necessary inforn.at ton
can be had,
There have been some remarkable catches in
the sddies just below the Great Falls. Alter
q freslet which has swept the base over the
falls, from whence they cannot return but
battle with the swift waters in a struggle for
existsnce. three or four hundred have been
taken in single day.
Above the fuiis the favorite resorts of anglers
after the athletic bass are Watts branch. Peu-
ny rielas lock, where Cleveland fishes.. SeEcca
dam, Edwards ferry, Goose creek, Point of
Rocks, knoxville, Harpers Ferry. Hancock and
the M0odmOnt preserve from dam No. 6 to
Orleans road, All the way from Edwards ferry
to Harpers Ferry there is q stretch Of excellent
water.
ADVANTAGE THE WASHINGTON ANGLER HAS.
One advantage the Washington angler has
over those Of other cities is the ready accessi-
bility OF the fishing waters that are known to be
good. All the waters below the Great Falls can
be reached In an early morning drive. though
ii Ii better to so up the night before il you are
going ~ far ~ the TAILS
The poiats above are reached by railroad.
and are therefore even more accessible. Per-
haps the most convenient places to GO for a
days sport are Point OF Rocks. Knoxville or
Harper Ferry. Having but one day to devote
to recreation you can take train on the Me-
tropolitaR branch OF the b. and D. in the
evening after the work of the day Is done--as
late as ll,31 at night if you liSe--and reach any
oil these places in time to get good night
after day. which, If You are fond Of sport.
will DO delightfully."- spent, You can get back to
Washington by a.25 in the evening. 1t is lust a
day and night consumed. IL il we'll 10 take
the live bait with Won.
The most successful fishing is done by those
who keep moving, hunting the bass rather than
waiting for him. Tho anglers, one or two in a
boat, with good boatman to take care of
them, row down the river, seeking favorable
waters and casting OF trolling AZ fancy sug-
gests Wherever casting with a minnow can
be done successfully the fly may be used as
well. When Senator Hampton first went with
his flies to whip the upper Potomac the natives
he came across told him be would have TO use
live bait, as the bass there would not take dies;
but he stuck to the ty and during stay of two
days he got City bass
IN trolling it is best to have q lon: line.
About the right thing is sixty yards out and
forty on the reel. There is no use irving for
black bass Of the Potomac without good reel
The reel must be active. afour-multiplier.