Evening star., 1894-03-12
PROTECTING POTOMAC FISH
Sportsmen Greatly Pleased at the Passage
of the Bill.
"hat the Records Show in Regard to
Catches - Two Sides to
the Question.

Inc passage by the House of Representa-
yves OF the bill for the protection Of the
Hotomsc fish was a pleas asant surprise to the
many persons interested in the marine pro-
oucts or this particular stream. who are
anxious about the Presidents action in the
matter In order that the bill may become
law. The waters of the river within the
District OF Columbia are the natural spawn
ing beds. and as the District line extends
to low water mark on the Virginia shore
the bill. should it receive the Presidents
signature and become law, will prevent
wholesale slaughter of the fish anywhere In
the river this side Of Alexandria. As print
ed In Fridays Star, the measure was
first drawn by Mr.. ]. C. McGinn in 1884,
when he was chief clerk of the health Of
nee. and the law remained in effect for five
years. So greatly were the fish protected
that the yield soon increased and it was
tnoueht an easy matter to get Congress to
continue the law for another period of five
or ten years. but because of few small
seine haulers or trap net operators there
was successful lobby against it. and at
the last session the bill failed
Persons who enjoy bass fishing are espe-
cfally interested in the ma tier. for the fisher
men who have been hauling seine within the
waters OF the District during the past few
weeks have destroyed many young bass
and taken hundreds of them from the river
AT oxen Run. just opposite the city of Alex
ahdrla where there Is a good sand and
gravel bottom the fishermen have been rar-
ucularly successful in catching black bass
eleven fine specimens of that fish having
been taken at a single haul two DAYS ago
Most Of them weighed as much sS tbSaa
pounds.
1t Is reported that bass have been caught
IN the upper Potomac all the winter. sam
Deer, the well-known Baltimore and Ohio
conductor, is reported to have had GOOD
NAtOCttn during ha ~
cemper and January, while a resident of
Hancock is said to have had good sport in
January and February. At Muddy branch
ported. some of the fish Weighing nearly Ave
pounds Spring bass fishing has not VET
commenced owing to tha temperature and
continued muddy condition of the water
although the anglers are getting their tacLla
In readiness for the regular Easter openine
OF the season. In some of the smaIIer
streams the anglers are now catching chub
niul.etS and small fish. In the upper part
OF ROCK creek between the Zoo and Garrett
Park there Is good club fishing now. and
anglers also find good sport in Ac-otink
creek. while there is also good fishing in
me stream between Carlin Springs and Four
Mile Run. At the latter place smeIt and vel
low perch are being caught. Raw beef ia
said to be the best bait for chub at this
season: although some anglers used dough
for bait
Two Sides.
While the anglers ard persons who
operate the large seInes down the river are
tubilant over the passage of the law for
the protection Of fish in the Potomac river
there are a number of persons who operate
small nets of various kinds in the waters
within the District limits who claim that
they are thus deprived of their means of
living. There are two sides to every story.
SAID one OF these men. speaking of the act
OF Congress. He said he knew that per
sons who enjoy black bass fishing favor
the passage of the bill for the reason that
many bass are caught in the nets, and he
also says that the fishermen who are able
to carry their traps down the river to the
more profitable fishing shores are not
anxious about the rights of the smaller
operators, who want to fish about home
and earn an honest living.
The Five-Year Law.
Ibid the fve-year law do any good?"
asks a correspondent. Can the fish in
spector show that there was any increase
in the number Of herring caught after this
law expired2"
In his communication he explains that
herring are not coming up the Potomac
river now in as large numbers as they
did twenty years ago. for the reason that
they are taking more to other streams. !
Then, again, the writer says he knows |
that the blasting of stone in the vicinity
OF the Chain bridge has a bad effect on /
the fish, and he writes that he has caught /
fish that had been killed by such blasts.
Reference is paid to the fishing of gill /
nets and trap nets down the river, where /
they are In the water in the bays and
coves nearly twelve months in year
The five years law for the protection of /
the fish went into effect IN 1884 and ex- /
pired in 1889.
An inspection of the records of the /
shad and herring at the river front since /
1880 as follows: