Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1891-05-18
RAISING FISH.

| An item floating about in the papers
states that 200 pounds of trout were
caught out of certain brook in Hard
wick in one day. We presume that
the facts would show that several hun
dred pounds of trout have been caught
in many towns in the state during the
first two weeks in May. This shows
that the fish viii grow in Vermont
streams and ponds, but it does not
prove that fish culture is profitable, or
that it can be made so by the efforts
of the National or the State govern
ments. We are OF the opinion that
fishing in Vermont as a business or an
employment is not profitable. Some
experience in trout catching has taught
us that, take the season through, each
pound Of this best of fish costs a dollar,
and that the more fish there really are
the more profitless and expensive fish
ing becomes. A few days spent with
''nary a bite'' will usually soon subdue
the fishing fever in the ordinary fish
maniac, while a small success will keep
the fever up and send the victim to
the stream or pond, day after day,
when the result is profitless, in the
catch, and exaspertating in the enjoy
ment received.
There is large class of sporting
men in all places who will leave their
business, their stock and their wives
uncared for, if they can only catch now
and then a fish, and the wear and tear
of clothing, muscles and patience are
such as would drive a man forever out
of any other business equally hard.
Fishing is usually wicked business;
it requires bottles and jugs; it invites
deal of swearing, and it always ends
in lying-as to the size and the num-
Der of fish caught 1t provokes Sab
bath breaking. Nine out of ten pro-
fessional fishermen will fish Sundays;
and some pretty good men, otherwise,
will steer straight away from church
during the suckering and trout season.
Under the present law there is much
law breaking, both in the time when
fishing is done, and in regard to the
length to the six-inch measure. We
venture to say that not one man in
hundred has come or will come within
two inches OF the six-inch limit in the
length of trout from May to Oct. 1,
A. D., 1891.
There is much fruitless effort in the
line of stocking the streams of Yer
mont with fish. The pisciculturists
write fine ESSAYS on the subject, and
the legislatures struggle hard over the
subject for two months bienially, while
the fish commissioners issue touching
and flaming circulars and post glaring
bills regarding the law. Meanwhile
there will be a dozen or more fellows
to every brook or pond in town, who
will let their land and work go to
''Shemung," leave their COWS unfed
and unmilked, leave their wives at
home chOpping stove wood while they
fish, fish, until every gudgeon worth
catching is taken from the water. 1t is
a great deal easier to cultivate lazy,
shiftless fishermen than to cultivate
trout. People may legislate, expati-
ate and illuminate on filling up the
streams with fish, but it practically
amounts to nothing, unless it be to en-
courage idleness and vice on a per
cent of the population large enough
to catch all the fish. Fish culture is
one of the beautiful things in theory
that amount to very little in fact or
in practice.