The times., 1899-05-21
THE FISHERMEN
OF THE CAPITAL
Increasing Activity of the L.
cal Disciples of Walton.
Chat OF Great Interest TO the Low
ers of Angling.
Joe Hunters Overhead Casi-Rock
Bass AT Four-NiIe Run-Catches
of White Perch.

Washington and her enyirons have their
fishermen and they do not differ material
ly from the Waltcnians Of other river
cities and towns. They cast their lines in
the waters of the Potomac and its
branches and tributaries and they wait pa
tiently for the ever foolish-or, rather, ever
greedy-denizens of the aquatic realm to
seize upon the tempting morsel with its
concealed hook and find too late that there
is a fellow waiting for them on the other
end of the string.
Washington fishermen are decidedly nu-
merous and come in all shades They
gather on the wharves and. with the air
of philosophers. dangle their feet over
the edge. while they smoke their pipes
and await the monster catch that
seldom comes. They study winds
and tides and sun and moon and evolve
various fine theories fiom the changing con-
ditions thereof favorable or unfayorable to
the lottery of the flowing stream. What
does il matter IL the theories are as nu
merous as the fishermen? Each clings to
his own and believes beyond convincing
that his particular idea OF the proper time
TO catch fish is the only infallible and
genuine one of the many. he does not al
ways land finny prizes from the pict-
uresque Potomac, but his theory stands
like rock and the untoward experience
alters ii not a whit
The fishermen of the Potomac-that is.
the amateur, for professionals are MT being
considered-is as patient as his brothers
elsewhere. The true Waltonian refuses to
be discouraged and accepts the miniature
perch in the place Of the three-pound bass
without 4 sigh or a word of regret. He
always hopes for better luck at the next
bite or for bites when there is absolutely
no demonstration at the end of the line
the other terminus Of which is marked by
his closed thumb and index finger so train
ed that the slightest nibble has the effect
of galyanic battery.
tour along the river front on any day
will disclose the lone fisherman or the
fisherman in groups. There is no need for
someone has just made a big catch. In
silence they sit. hut there seems to I've a
communion of souls as they look out over
the bosom of the river.
The warm atmosphere Of spring has
brought out the local Waltonian in large
numbers. and his activity will grow with
the ripening of summer.
Angling Chat.
Our genial friend Joe Hunter, who dis
tinguished himself at the Baltimore tour
nament in his first essay at bait casting in
competition. is profiting by what he learn
ed there. His lesson. however. was by
precept and not example All the casting
fIom the reel shown there was with the
underhand swing, a modification OF the
cast described by Henshall.
The cast is made by drawing the bait up
within a foot of the tip of the rod, holding
the point downward bshind the caster and
delivering with a full arm swing upward
at an angle of about 40 degrees; the reel
is released as the tip of the rod reaches
the line of flight and the bait shoots up
ward and outward in q graceful and long
flight. Henshall suggests standing side
wise to the cast and throwing either to the
right or left with a similar sweep. Mr..
Dressel, who is well known here, through
the triple multiplying reel named for him
by Dukehart, and who took first prize at
this tournament, employs this cast. and
II is perhaps the most effective for dis
tance, but the tendency of the side sweep
to cross the line of fire renders it much
less accurate than the overhead cast with
which one is sure TO make at least line
shot
This overhead cast which may be called
the Chicago cast, since they have develop
cd and adopted it there is OF considerable
advantage for social fishing. as 1t is said
that three men in a boat" may fish in
this way all day long and never tangle.
while with the cradle cast, one boat fur
nishes none too much room for a single
rod.
The cast is made By drawing the bait
close to the tip of a short, flexible rod.
say six feet and a half long. and six
ounces.
Holding the rod straight back over the
shoulder almost on a level and pointing
with the butt toward the intended target,
the delivery is made with a wrist and fore
arm movement, much like the stroke of a
fly rod.
II is not an easy matter to acquire the
knaek Of releasing and thumbing the reel
at the proper moment, as the first cast will
demonstrate. the bait having tendency
TO land with a thud ten feet in front Of the
caster. With the thumb in so cramped a
position. bent backward and downward
over the shoulder one has less control at
first OF the reel and its yagaries are very
tantaliZing. But for accuracy. il is plain
It has many advantages, and Mr.. Hunter
has demonstrated that it may be made
very effective for distance. BY dint of
faithful practice since the tournament. on
the lawn during his holidays. and in the
back alley during his odd hours. he has
mastered the delivery and can now throw
a half ounce frog into a tub at any dis
tance up TO lis feet II anyone fondly i'm
agines this is easy he has only to try it TO
be quickly undeceived. That our friend
wore out one thumb and had TO wait for
another to grow before he could renew his
daily practice. was only one OF the sacri-
fees he made TO attain his present efiicien-
cy. Meanwhile he stands as the only ex-
ponent OF the overhead system in town and
his friends are prepared TO back him for
the gold medal in the next contest he en-
tiers. Ii is likely our novices viii be be-
holden TO him for many points before the
season closes; fortunately he is generous.
The Interesting Rock Bass.
The Rock Bass. Amblopites rupestris).
is called red-eye, red-eyed perch. and cog
gle-eye. though the eye is not always SO
bright in color in all waters. especially in
immature specimens. as 10 be distin-
gushing feature alone. II is a native OF
the Mississippi Valley from the Lakes 10
the Gulf and is said to be native TO certain
streams east Of the Alleghanies. but there
seems 10 be no better authority for this
than Rainesque. who divided thunder and
lightning into species, and who mentions
the Rock BASS as occurring in New York
and Vermont. II is not accepted as con-
elusive by the Fish Commission and il is
very certain that those in the Potomac
have been placed there by the Commission
either Intentionally or accidentally with
consignments Of Black Bass from Illinois
IL is a pretty and interesting little fish,
little hend when guarding the spawn
bed, having been known TO leap from the
water 10 seize the hand OF Commission
eInploye who disturbed its nest II takes
either bait or fly readily and fights well
on the hook. They have been taken with
a fly in Arkansas at midnight Jesse Mid
dleton took one with fly at Choppewam
sic pool last year weighing half a pound
and returned il 70 the water. Last week