The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-06
THE ROD.
Netting steeIheads at the Mouth of
Rivers-Protection Is Necessary.

Reconsideration is Necessary.
The rivers are booming and the prospects OF
sport for the angler who can content himself
by watching the result of his st for hours on
the verdant banks of tide-water stream are
not very promising just at present.
Perhaps in few weeks hence the disciples
OF the patient and gentle art may have the
opportunity they arr so anxio usly anticipating
Generally speaking an angler, alth ough ht
may cast his line at a time of The year wheI
angling should be considered out of season. /!
not very destruct i've TO the fishing interests, bu
all things judged favorably, The angler, the net
ter aud the sp earnan should observe a CLOSED
season whether it is a written or an uDwritter
law that governs them. Steelheads should be
permitted an opportunity of reaching theil
spawning beds where they perpetuate theiI
species XIII of the parent fishes and of course
tile rive rs and creeks must run empty OF then
fiDny Inhabitants when the season Tor angling
will have arrived.
What is most needed however, at the present
time is fish protection, and until the anadrOmouS
fishes that Journey from the ocean TO the head
waters of the coast streams for the purpose OF
spawning are properly cared for, there need be
very little hope that angling during the open.
ing seasons will improve with the stocking of
rivers of hsh that have been raised In the hatch
cries.
Above all things a careful.watch should be
kept upon the tranSgressOrS of the law who
drag small mesned nets al the mouths of rivers
that empty into the bays and ocean, thereby
cutting OF the run OF fish, which II allowed
their liberty would STOCK all OF the coast
streams, many of which are now barren of
game fishes. 1t is hoped that after the next
meeting of the Legislature an Improvement
will be noticed In the system OF hsn protection
that Is now In vogue.
GoverDor-elect Budd, who by the way Is pas
sonaIey fond OF shooting and fishing, will,
among his several appointments, select board
OF Fish Commissioners.
1t is hoped that the Governor elect will use
good Judgment IN the selection, that Is II we
are to have Board Of Fish Commissioners.
The appointment OF incompetent persons 10
this now important position would be serious
hlunder: it would doubtless subject the State
TO a heavy financial loss and retard progress, or
even permit retrOgrading in fish, propa cation or
fish, protection, all OF which would greatly d.
minish The fooG supply of the people.
Men for this position should possess knOwl-
edge of lcbthylogy and plsclculture, as well a
great practical knowledge. They should hold
liberal but positive Views to enable them to
conserve tie fish and maintain a supply in such
places as Will benefit the greatest number Of
citizens.
The State is fortunate In having, however
some men possessing all of the aforesaid quail
fcatlOns, and pre-emlnently lifted 10 I'LL these
positions are Messrs. V. A. LaMotte. gentle
man who has deVo ed over thirty years OF bis
life TO the study of fishes, and DIR. q. Hub
bard, gentleman who has been for many years
a devoed student 10 the inter tests OF plscicu-
ture. Both Mr.. LaMOtte ana Dr. Hubbard
are interchangeable labOrers In the cause of fish
protection and the pr oper enforcement of the
laws. 1t IS hoped that Governor Budd will
consider The names of these gentlemen most
favorably, as they have the interests OF the
cause al heart and Will certainly prove OF great
value to the State.
In conversing with Mr.. LaMotte recently he
positively stated that, although deeply inter-
es ed in the protection and propagation OF fish.
lie could do more outside of The commission
than in the commission; still the State would
be greatly beDehted by man OF his knowledge
Oh the STAFF.
The blac6 bass, although not TO be compared
with the trout for game qualities, is unques-
tionably superior table fish. In recent edi.
tlon OF Forest and Stream. A. n. Cheney, who
conducts The angling department, received the
bulletin of The United States Fish Commission
for 1893, volume XIII, which is made up OF
papers read 0efOre.the Worlds Fisheries Con-
gress In Chicago AZ The time OF the Worlds
Columbian Exposition. and in it is very IN
terestlng and instructive paper by William r.
Page, superintendent of the NeOsho (Mo.) sta
ton OF The United States Fish Commission,
upon The Propagation of Black Bass In
Ponds" which reads:
Ut may be asked, If bass are such excellent
parents and accomplish the high rate of i'm
pTegnatlon which some writer's ascriDe 10
them, where Is he necessity of putting more
IMAM lew ADULTS in pond. letting these
alone, and later harvesting a crop of young?
To such question would answer, that after
the dispersal OF the school, unless food OF an
acceptable Kind be present in abundance. an
adult bass does not stop to examine the birth
marks of Struggling yOungster which may
cross his path. There can be no question
but that the largest part OF The young so ZEAL
ously guarded early In the season later furnish
food for some adult bass, possibly its own pro-
genitor. Again, the bass are like the trout, In
that every school furnishes Its example of
giants, which make short work of their weaker
brethren. In tn autumn sorting of the spring
crop, left undisturbed through the summer In
the nursery pond, thfer and sometimes four
sizes OF young bass will be tound he largest
OF which show by their very size that they have
been guilty OF fIairlcide."
Ii has been asked over and over how fast do
young black bass grow. Mr.. Page answers this
question In regard 10 the young OF the big
mouth In his ponds: "The average length of six
months bass at Neosbo is inches though
have frequently seen them OF the same age