Telegram-herald., 1891-03-29

The fly fisher will find much sport in
fishing for shad during his upward run
in the spring, with a powerful trout rod,
long line and a big bright fly. The
eastern man nc doubt has the advantage
as yet over his western and southern
brethren. The Florida shad, which is
very early, never grows large, and his
flesh remains inferior, while the pro-
tective hand Of the government is held
SO firmly over her proteges of the Missis-
sippi, Ohio and Missouri rivers that
sport there endures scarcely two weeks.
The Delaware, the Hudson, the Connec-
ticut and Merrimac rivers at the pres
ent time offer the most glorious sport
with the least restriction. In the Poto-
mac river and its tributaries about the
Little Falls the shad sS1son opens with
the first Of May.
In the Taunton and MerriInac rivers
the season is open from March
TO June IS, and in the Connecticut
river, fishing by hook and line only
allowed, the law is off the catching Of
this fish from March Is to July 1. In
the upper part of the Delaware, as far
up as Milford, in Pike county, Pa, the
shad is taken in great perfection; and
it may be set down IS . maxim in shad
fishing that the higher up he runs the
moro readily he takes the fly and the
better and gamicr fight he shows.
The Carolina shad are larger than
either those of the Delaware or the Hud-
son river, and in quality are not excelled
by either. The first North river shad are
looked for about the 18th Of March by
New York fishermen, but no great catch
is expected by the sportsmen or fishers
by trade before the 25th, and nets are
not set in the vicinity of Staten Island
before tina; time. Then shad are plenti-
full and fish OK large size are caught. often
weighing nine pounds apiece. When
sportsman gets one Of these big fellows
on his hook then look out for sport! The
shad in some cases has shown almost the
game qualities Of the salmon. II re-
quires a smart hand at the tackle and
quick wrist ut the oars ia order to follow
his leaps, dashes, twists and doublings
Shad fishing in western rivers begins
later, rarely before the 18th of. April.
bet while it lasts the sport is good. In
1874 q commission appointed by con-
gress set free the hatched shad in rivers
ia different parts Of the United Statee
Previous 10 that experiments in n small
way had been carried on in the narrows
of the Chesapeake bay. The eggs and
milt in the spawning season. which
varies according to different tempera-
lures. hardly meet before young fish are
seen swimming in the cans where the
union takes place. and these young fish
live in the cans ten days. or just the
length Of tune required To take them
across the continent, where they are de-
posted in rivers
The shad no soo-1er find themselves
free IN TINS running water than they i'm
medIately start toward the sea. and do
not return until three years have gone
by. Then they are ready 10 spawn. and
some wonderful and mysterious instinct
enables them to find their war back from
the So - the very river and place where
they were set free. liz Is this longing
70 see the odd home persevered in and
carried out against almost insnrmount-
able Obstacles that afford our friends in
Matches. IN g Louis and in Covingtor.
All tho towns in fact along the line of the
One. Ni>-,ssippi and other rivers, ths
opportunity % FISH for st.ad.
FRsSc7s LTvT~Gsroy.