The record-union., 1896-04-30
GOOD NEWS FOR ANGLERS.
Big-MOuthed Black Bass and Yellow
Perch Planted Here.
Nearly q Hundred Of Each Liberated
in the Lakes Near the City
and Folsom.

Yesterday will in future be marked
as a red letter day by the anglers of
this city who love the thrill and tingle
that runs through them when they
strike a game fish and see the whiZZing 6
reel As he makes a bold dash for liberty.
There are many such among us, who,
despite their love of the sport and their
endowment in pitting their tact and
knowledge against the wiles and the
instinct Of the game denizen of the
waters. cannot leave their business or
run the risk of losing their positions by
taking a vacation of sufficient length to
visit the trout streams in the mount
aims 75 or 100 miles away In few
years, however, through the action
taken Yesterday and similar action
taken on the north fork Of the American
River above Folsom last year, our home
streams will furnish sport that is not
euualed even by trout fishing.
For several years past a few ardent
fishermen have endeavored to have the
Sacramento River and the American
River in this vicinity stocked with big
mouthed black bass, which would un-
doubtedly do we'll in them, and, as they
are voracious feeders and game fight
ers. would thrive well on the bountiful
supply of carp with which our streams
were unfortunately stocked some years
ago. in the belief that they would prove
as valuable food fish as they have in
the countries of Europe. 1t was felt
that they would prevent the further
increase of the carp and bring back to
us the ducks that have largely deserted
this section of the State because the
carp have eaten up their food supply.
The Fish Commissioners however,
feared that the bass would deplete the
supply of young salmon that are yearly
turned into the river from our State
hatcheries, and it is possible that they
might do so to some extent. Our trout
streams, however, have so many falls
in them that it is not likely the bass
will ever bother the trout much.
Fish Commissioner J. M. Morrison has
lent willing ear to the wishes Of the
anglers here, and has used his influence
with the other Commissioners so well
that yesterday a shipment OF big
mouthed black bass and of the yellow
perch, so common in the East, arrived
here for distribution in care Of Deputy
A. w. Wilson and Deputy M. L. Cross.
The fish were caught in Lake Cuya-
maca, situated about sixty miles from
San Diego, in the mountains, and were
taken out during a severe snowstorm
and transported to that city in a wagon,
and thence by rail to this city. Great
care and attention is required during
transportation, the fish being put in
large cans and the water must be kept
at a proper temperature and thoroughly
aerated, or the fish will die. For this
reason the two deputies secured very
little sleep for the forty Eight hours pre-
ceding their arrival here, as one Of them
had to keep dipping out water from the
cans and pouring it back in order to
keep sufficient air in it.
They arrived here yesterday after
noon at 200, without the loss of a fish,
and were met by Game Warden Helms,
who helped them to distribute the fish.
There were thirty -mouthed bass
weighing from one to five pounds each;
forty smaller ones, from four inches up
wards, and 100 yellow perch, all lively
and full of vigor. The big bass will
soon be ready to spawn, and will fur
nish from 1000 to 5000 eggs for each
female, so that good start will be made
this year.
Warden Helms sent six of the big bass
and four Of the small ones and ten Of
the perch over, to be placed in Brushy
Lake, on the Haggin Grant Eight
large bass and twenty small ones and
twenty perch were taken to Folsom by
the deputies, where James Burnham,
Chris Ecklon and Warden Aull were to
take charge of them and place them in
some large ponds selected for the pur-
pose. Warden Helms took charge of
the remainder of the bass and perch
and deposited them in the Narrows,
near Beach's Grove, below Freeport,
where they can run into all of that
chain of lakes and select their abodes
AS the law provides a heavy penalty
for catching fish thus planted within
three years of the time in which they are
put into any waters, it will be we'll for
anyone fishing in those lakes to remem-
Der the fact. 1t has been the custom of
Cinnamon to set nets in the lakes, but
that practice will now be put a stop to.
This is in order to give the fish chance
to increase and stock the waters thor
oughly.
1t is expected that, with the enor-
nous amount Of carp in the lakes that
the food supply thus furnished will en-
able the bass to increase so fast that in
three or four years the anglers will be
enabled to enjoy such fishing as they
have never known
THE BLACK BASS FAMILY.
Professor GilPs paper, in which he de-
fines the differences between the two
species Of black bass, was published in
1873 in the Proceedings Of the Amer
lean Association for the Advancement
of Science" but since this volume is not
easily accessible, the most important
differences are mentioned here. In the
large-mouth the upper jaw extends far
behind the eyes; in the other to point
below it. The large-mouth has from
sixty-five to seventy rows between the
gill opening and the base of the tail, in
stead of seventy-two or more, while on
the cheek there are about ten oblque
rows instead of seventeen. There are
other distinctions, such as the absence
In the large-mouth of scales on the