The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-07-05
ROD AND GUN.

Farmers and others along the rivers Of
| this State above the flow of the tide al
most invaribly claim the right to fish III
any manner and at any season IN the
waters flowing through or by their prop.
erty. They are mistaken in their claims
and are amenaDle TO the law If they VIC
late any OF it's provisions This has been
proved in court scores OF times. Recently
the SusSeC Independent was asked about
the laws relating To Waikiki river. The
Ward, Judge Martin and Mr.. John Linn,
of Hamburg, President of the Game and
Fish Protective Association. At the re-
quest of Fish Commissioner Ward,
Lawyer Henry Houston, Of Newton,
wrote out an exhaustive opinion. u part
of which was as follows:
1.-The Waikiki, within thus State, is sub
ject to the laws of New Jersey regulating
fishing. The State has the right and
authority to regulate and protect fish in
private waters in rivers where the tide does
not ebb and flow, in streams nayigabe,
and in lakes aud ponds, and to Impose
fines. forfeitures and penalties for VIOLA
tion OF laws enacted for such purpose.
Weller SHOWER, ID Nroom, BAL;
Dougherty v. Conover. 10 Vroom. 1893;
VanAulie V. Halst., 1876; Shoemaker v.
state Spencer, 1853. and numerous cases in
other States and In the Supreme Court of
the United States. .
This applies with equal force to the
Passaic aud all other rivers in The. State
above tide water.
Mr. Huston said, also: Where stream
OF water flows through a farm the owner
of such farm has no right to take fish
from such stream except according
to the laws OF the State. And If
such owner catch fish from such
stream out OF season, or with nets, likes
or seines, or IN any other way prohibited
by the laws ofthe State he violates the law
the penalties provided by law. He has no
more right TO catch fish from such stream
out OF season or contrary TO law than any
other person. Ii such owner use nets he
may be fined aud the nets may be con-
fiscated."
Striped bass Il shing in the surf is a most
exhilarating sport, entailing great deal
Of hard work and necessarily furnishing
excellent exercise. The angler stands
waist deeD in the water at times and casts
his bait with a short and stout ROD, re-
curing the use of both hands The
further out he can get the hook from the
shore the better are his chances of gettin z
big fish. Some big striped bass ha We
been caught this year at Asbury Park,
Sea Grit and Key East, but the biggest
was taken on Monday py Mr.. William
Robotham, of Newark who has a Sum
mer cottage there. He hooked and
landed q bass weighing twenty-four and
long and twenty-five and one-quar ter
inches in girth.
The guides at Lake Hopatong are opn-
iona ted Because the Deckers troll ex-
clusively and catch fish that way they
all insist that trolling Is the only true
method of fishing, and they ridicuIe cast
ing. They insist that the bass in Hopat-
cong are different in habits from bass in
other lakes in New Jersey and that the
little herring which are SO abundant in
the lake constitute the only Dait which
will attract them. They say that the big
mouth bass will not take frogs or worms
and that skittering for them is utterly
useless This ii true, is to be regretted,
forno skillful angler cares about trolling
when be can cast either bait or fly. It Is not
true however, for thousands of bass have
been caught by casting at Lake Hopat-
cong, and il is only the men who want to
astonish the rest Of the world with big
praise trolling above casting.
Weak fishing improved considerably
last week and fairly good catches were
made at Boynton Beach and Perth Amboy
on every tide, Four anglers from Irving
ton took twenty-fonr big weak fish at
well satisfied. The fish are biting at
shrimp, aud the fishing will improve
steadily until Fall. Howard Tappan is
still at Boynton Beach. below Sewaren,
and supplies the bait with each boat.
Big sea bass are now being caught at
the fishing banks.
Mr.. Denton CLARK, of Green Pond, re-
ports that bass are biting we'll there, and
That Mr.. Watson Corby caught six bass
one day last week by fly fishing. One of
these bass weighed four pounds. The
| yellow perch are as numerous as ever.
There has been an unaccountable
scarcity Of mackerel this year. and the
J fresh fish have been bringing from ten to
! twenty cents each ct wholesale.
| The lessees of ApDlegate's pier, at
Atlantic City, have struck what appea
to be an original idea in the line of provid-
| ing attractions. They have made a net
| enclosure at the end of the pier and have
| contracted with the captain of fishing
smack TO supply them with 5000 pounds
| of live fish week, to be placed in the
I enclosure and tished for by all who pay
| for the privilege.