Evening star., 1896-10-31

<6| ~SSSX The bass, at all times
queer and unrelia-
| BILE individual, is particularly SO at this
season OF the year. No woman was ever as
| nckle or uncertain as he is at such time
The water may be clear and lfmpid. with a.
westerly breeze just stirring its surface in
| to an inviting ripple; the sky may have Just
enough clouds scurrying across it to veil
| the sun at intervals and make the day ap-
parently an ideal one for fly or live bait
but despite all these advantages to the
| angler the bass will scornfully disdain to
| rise to anything, alive or dead no matter
| how inviting it may be. This condition Of
| things makes the sport all the more en-
tlclng to its votaries and the beautiful
| weather that has prevailed for some time
mas inspired many fishermen to forsake the
| city and seek their favorite spots up river
| Up to Monday last the sport was remunera-
| tive to delightful degree. Many fine
strings were caught all along the river
| both above and below Great Falls, the low
er river fishing having been remarkably
good both for the size and number of the
| bass caught. Many big fish were caught
even along the causeway that incloses the
reclaimed flats in front Of Washington. and
reels were kept merrily singing In Little
| river, back of Analostan Island. Further
up the stream at Spring Gardens anglers
| were very fortunate, while similar reports
were DIOuSnl from almost every uD river
point from the falls themselves to the South
| branch of the Potomac. The present week,
| however, has been a vexatious one to the
ambitious fishermen, and even the most
1ndefatigable of them have been but poorly
rewarded.
Several gentlemen who are aware of the
habits of the fish at this season were struck
| with the idea that some particularly novel
and unusual bait might attract the atten-
| ton of the bass, so. last Monday, party of
them went up to Weverton with bait buck
| cts literally loaded with gold fish. The
| bright little beauties might Just as well
have been bull mipnowS far as the bass
were CONCERNED, for the record of the men
who fished With them was: Strikes, 2:
| fish, 0. ----' ,-.---= t...
This was good additional proof, however,
that the bass are simply full of pure cussed-
ness and obstinacy when the autumn leaves
are falling.
There is no telling, however. at what
minute the bass may become voracious,
and they have been entirely other
| wise for some days now there will be an
exodus of anglers during the coming week
IL good weather holds out.
This season has shown that Seneca Is re-
gaining its old fame as a fishing grounds,
| and from there to the mouth of the Monoc-
acy good sport has been enjoyed. But the
river from its confluence with the latter
| stream to the South branch and up that
water for ten or twelve miles still retains
its place in the estimation of anglers as the
best water for the elusive bass.
To Save the Canal Bass.
1t will be gratifying intelligence TO all
fishermen to know that this fall and winter
will see practical measures taken for the
protection Of the gamest fish that swims.
The Game and Fish Protective Association
Of Maryland is working out a plan by
which it is expected to save a rnillion bass
to the Potomac annually.
Early each December the water is drawn
off the Chesapeake and Ohio canal, which
runs parallel with the river. When this
water is rdrawn off there are numerous
deep and shallow pools left. In these the
gamy black bass, big and little, take
refuge. 1t has been the custom to allow
any one to fish the pools and the fish have
been scooped up by hundreds. 1t is stated
that this wholesale destruction will not be
permitted hereafter.
DR.. George w. Massamere. deputy game
warden, has spent a week along the river,
arrangingii a. plan to; save these fish. He
found ready cooperation from the fishing
clubs and residents along the stream
valuable ally was found in Col. G.. l..
Nicholson, superintendent Of the canal, who
will shortly issue an order to all lock-
tenders and other canal employees instruct
ing them to prohibit the fishing of the
canal by any persons except the employees
of the Game and Fish Protective Associa-
ton. who will secure the bass in the pools
and deposit them in the river to increase
and multiply.
How Operations VIII BE Conducted.
The part of the canal which the asso-
citation will fish as soon as the water is
drawn OF extends from Little Falls, Just
above Washington, to a point opposite Han
cock, Washington county. The fishing will
be done by hand-seines, seine twenty feet
long by five feet deep being used in the
shallow pools. and one about 100 feet long
by five feet deep in the larger pools. 1t is
estimated that it will take six men 10 work
the big seines and three to work the SMALL
er ones. The waters to be fished extend
over sixty miles, and is is estimated that
plete the work. The bass of all sizes will
at once be thrown into the Potomac proper
The catfish, suckers and large carp will be
sold. The small carp will be killed, as
these fish are not desirable, as they are
destructive to the other fishes. 1t is ex-
pected that by carrying ou. this work the
Potomac will in a few years De the best
bass stream in America.
Protecting Law Assured.
In addition to this meritorious work, the
legislature of West Virginia is expected to
pass at its forthcoming session the bill
passed last winter by the legislatures of
Virginia and Maryland, which will have
the effect Of protecting the bass during
their spawning season, and to protec. them
at all other times by preventing their can
ture by other means than a rod hook and
line or dip net. The act which passed the
3oiy idhu ieSiSiatuTe, ana Is similar to that
OF Virginia in it's intents and purposes.
provides for the repeal Of sections 20. Al
AZ, 43. A and 45 of article 10 Of the code of
public general laws, entitled Fish and
F1sher1es, and to re-enact q portion there
OF with amendments.
The measure in full is as follows:
Whereas difficulty has arisen in the
adoption of adequate legislation regulating
the taking OF fish in the Potomac river in
consequence of the compact existing be-
tween the states of Maryland and Virginia.
applicable to the taking of fish in the Po-
tomac and Pocomoke rivers, and
Whereas it is intended that the pro.
visions Of this act shall be made effective |
by the states Of Virginia, West Virginia
and Maryland. therefore,
BE 1t enacted by the general assembly
OF Maryland: That sections 4O Al, ~, 49, a |
and As OF article 80 OF the Code of Public /
General Laws. entitled Fish and fisheries,' |
be and the same are hereby repealed and /
the following enacted in lieu thereof:
40. 1t shall not be lawful for any person /
to catcher kill any black bass. green bass,
rock bass, pike pickerel or wail-eyed |
pike (conimenly known as salmon) between
the 18th day Of April and the 1st day of /
June of each year; ror catch or kill any of |
said species Of fish at any other time DUR
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