Evening star., 1897-05-31
Anglers on the Alert to Try Their
Luck in the Potomac.
SPORT PROMISES 10 BE EXCELLENT
Pointers for Those Now Unfamiliar
With Local Conditions.
W ATCHING THE WATER

For the past week every angler In the
District Of Columbia has been atremble
with pleasant expectation. Rods have
been carefully examined and repaired
where necessary, lines have been tested
and lmbered, reels have been rubbed and
oiled. and fishing paraphernalia generally
has been given as Jealous attention as a
brides mamma devotes to her darling's
trousseau.
The reason for all this activity is not
far to seek. The fishing season opens for
sportsmen tomorrow, and from early morn
ing until April 15 1898, the waters Of the
Potomac and its tributaries will be free
to any man who with rod, hook and line
wishes to lure the willy bass into a battle
royal.
The law which expires tomorrow was
adopted by the states of Maryland. Vir-
ginia and West Virginia, and went into
effect May 10. this year. although it pro-
vided that no game fishes. such as bass
and pike, should be caught in the Potomac
above Little Falls from April Is to June l.
This law; however, was regarded as being
in force during the whole period, by all
the reputable anglers who fish in the Po-
tomac, and was observed by them religious
ly, only two or three instances being noted
of its being ignored.
Bass Supply Incrensed.
The result of this closing of the season
will doubtless be increased catches in the
coming months, and additional sport for
votaries Of the rod and reel. The bass have
been at peace during the spawning sea-
son. and have been allowed to bring forth
their young in Quietude, and thus the sup
ply in tho river has been, without question,
enormously increased. Another source of
Increase in the SUP ply, which cannot be es-
timated conservatively, was the transfer
to the river Of about 10000 small mouth
bass, which would have perished in the ice
and mud in the Chesapeake and Ohio canal
had they not been seined out. This work
was followed with great interest by an
glers, both In Washington and all over
the country.
Liberal subscriptions were made through
The Evening Star to the fund with which
the expense of the seining was met, and
United States Fish Commissioner John J.
Brice. in pursuance of the policy which has
led to the rejuvenation of the fish commits
sion and made 1t one of the most valuable
adjuncts of the government, placed num-
ber of expert seinemen with necessary
seines at the disposal of the gentlemen in
charge of the work. So successful was the
project that Commissioner Brice an
nounced, at its conclusion, that the seining
Of the canal would be made a regular
feature of the winter work of the commits
sion In the future.
1t is well to remark, in passing, that the
interest inspired by the seining also led to
the formation of the powerful and inf1u-
entail District of Columbia Game and Fish
Protective Association, which is destined
to be an invaluable factor in securing just
measures for the preservation Of fish and
game not only in this vicinity, but through
out the country. 2
1t will be seen, therefore, from the above
that the expectation Of better fishing
season than usual is well founded, and the
anglers are not to be wondered at for max
iEg unusual preparations for it.
Good Fishing Grounds.
During the next few weeks bass fishing
will be found more remunerative in the
waters from Harper's Ferry down to Great
Falls, because the spawning in the lower
waters Is completed sooner. There are
many points along the stream between
these famous places which are unfailing
in their supply of sport. Weverton is
famous fishing rendezvous. The waters
around Brunswick are favored by big bass.
and at the mouth Of the Monocacy, which .
is easily reached from Dickersons station,
and at Turcarora, a few miles above, few
anglers fail to secure satisfactory results
Lower down, at Edwards Ferry; far
the Great Falls. there will be doubtless
many big catches made, for each place
has the preference in the eyes of fisher
men, and all will be early sought by those
partial to them.
AS in former seasons, live bait will be
used by the majority of fishermen. al
though some of the more scientific anglers
will use the fly alone. There are days,
however, when a bass will not rise to a
fly, SO those who desire certain sport would
better take a bucket of live bait along to
use in case their fly books prove useless.
Pike smelt and bull ninnows are the best
live bait for the Potomac bass, but in re-
cent years young carp have been found at
tractive to the wary fish, who recognizes
In the bait of this sort his natural enemy
and pounces on it accordingly.
Word to the Wise.
1t is well for fishermen who are not yet
familiar with the conditions surrounding
fishing in the Potomac to understand the
meaning of the announcement made daily
in the weather report published on the
third page Of the Evening Star. Allusion
is made to the paragraph headed "Condi-
ton of the Water" In last Wednesdays
Star, for instance, the matter under this
head read as follows:
Temperature and condition Of water at
am: Great Falls, temperature, GA; condi-
ton, 1. Receiving reservoir. temperature,
20; condition at north connection, L. condi-
ton at south connection, g. Distributing
reservoir, temperature, 6S; condition at in
fluent gate house, Is; effluent gate house,
H.
When the report reads in that way there
Is absolutely no use for any one to put a
hook in the Potomac anywhere. from its
source to Washington. and expect to catch
bass. The temperature of the water at
GA degrees is sufficiently warm, but the
condition indicated by the figure i means
that the Potomac water is as near LIQUID
mud as it well can be.
The condition. it should be known, Is in
dicated by the figures from to SO. At SO
the river Is perfectly clear. The best water
for bass fishing is when the condition is
stated to be 80 or 80, but good sport may
be assured when the condition is stated to
be 26 or above. Below this the water is
too turgid for the bass to bite with any as
surance.
Everything I'm Order.
The clubs up river are all in readiness
for the visits Of their members and thbse
fortunate enough to be their guests The
boats Of the Woodmont Club, the Blue
Ridge Rod and Gun Club, the Anglers
Association, the Sycamore Island Club, the
Great Falls Fishing Club and the other
organizations have all been overhauled and
rehtted. and the club houses have been
renovated. where necessary. and In several
instances enlarged and improved.
Owing to Its easy access from Washing