Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-28

was tired, drew him in. To his surprise
the landing net brought up two bass. each
about pound in weight. An examination
developed that one of the bass was secure
ly held by the swivel of the leader, the lit
tie iron continuance having caught the
tough integument at the side OF the mouth.
The second bass was on the hook. 1t Is
thought that the first fish in his struggles
let go the hook. after slipping the minnow
up the leader, and was caught In the swiv-
ell. and that the minnow. slipping down
again on the hook, attracted the second
bass. At any rate. both were caught In
the manner described. On the day this in
eident occurred Drs. Harlan and Massa-
more caught seventeen. the largest weigh
Ing four pounds. The next day they cap
tured fifteen. four of which together weigh
ed twelve pounds the largest being four
pounds six ounces. DIR. Harlan. in letter
to DR.. w. Pope Young, states that An
tfetam village is an ideal spot for anglers,
being only 200 yards from the river, land
all you have to do is to go down and get
in your boat and catch fish,
Another Wonderful Catch.
When the news of DR.. Harban's catch of
two bass on a single hook was recounted
to Mr.. James M. Green he said it remind
ed him of something that occurred up at
the Woodmont Club several years ago.
The late B. K. Plain was out fishing"
said Mr.. Green land he struck and hooked
bass about six inches long. When Plain
such commotion that he attracted the
attention Of a four-pounder, who vo-.
raciousfy tried to swallow him just as he
got near the boat. The consequence was
nation 1t was found the smaller fish had
IN his mouth q young turtle about two
inches in diameter
Still More Remarkable Incident.
Another remarkable Incident of this sort
occurred two or three years ago. The place
was also at Woodmont. Col. Richard A.
Bright. sergeant-at-arms Of the United
States Senate, was fishing in the river, and
was somewhat annoyed by a small fish
tfat persisted in striking at his minnow.
The colonel knew it. was a little fellow
from the weakness of his strikes, and
after drawing the bait away from him
him anyhow, and be rid of him, so at the
next strike he allowed the fish to take the
m.nnow, and was proceeding to draw It
In. when suddenly his line stopped and his
reel sung at a great rate. Col. Bright was
surprised but, old fisherman that he is
pre- ceeded to meet the new and unexpected
conditions. After a few minutes play he
drew to the side of the boat bass enor-
nous in length when taken in comparison
with the big ones of it's species. 1t was
thin, however, to point of emaciation,
and 1t Is said by experts at the Woodmont
Club who examined 1t after being taken to
condition it would have weighed fully six
pounds. An investigation showed that it
had swallowed, head foremost, the small
bass, which was about six inches long. that
swallowed the hook for over half its
length, and had been unable to let 1t go
because the gills of its victim had dis
tended. Col Bright took the two fish just
as they were caught to the club house and
hung them up where all could see them.
and then brought them down to Washing
ton and presented them to the Smithsonian
where they may now be seen.
1t is a remarkable fact that before the
big bass died. which was very short time
after being removed from the water, II
had digested a substantial portion OF the
fish 1t had tried to swallow. The big fish
as its condition showed it. and had bounced
upon his younger brother when he FOUND
him apparently helpless on Col. Brights
hook This incident has since been re-
who have made a study of the bass.
great many people have claimed that the
bass will not eat its own species after the
latter have obtained the size OF small
sinners and their character can be told
but the wonderful quickness shown In this
instance of the digestive operations Of
bass is held to prove that the reason ex-
aminations of their stomachs DO not oevei-
op small bass is because digestion has
caused them to absolutely disappear with
in a very short time after being swal-
lowed. The remains Of crawf1sh and sunf1sh
are frequently found In the stomachs OF
the bass, but this is on account of the shell
of the former, that Is very difficult of d.
gestion, and of the dorsal fin and heavy
vertebrae of the sunfish, which are also diff
fcult of being dissolved by the digestive
juices Of the bass.
Caught Them All.
During their fishing trip Drs. Harlan and
Massamore fished downsto the Blue Ridge
DID Cl,,I,
branch. When they arrived they found
that Mr.. Ralph Calf and friend had just
been over the same course and had reported
catching 800 The two physicians conclud-
ed that Mr.. Calf and his companion had
caught all the bass. because they had
caught none.
Mr.. Fred Newman and Mr.. Breen had
excellent luck at Riverton last week. the
top-notcher going over four pounds.