Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-03
ANGLERS ARE AROUSED
They Want Protection for Bass in Pc.
tOmac and strict Enforcement of Law

They Want Protection for Bass in Po-
tOmac and Strict Enforcement of Law.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:
1t seems a pity that the noble small
mouth black bass. the gamest of all fresh
water fish, should be entirely driven from
their natural haunts and practically
doomed to determination. Such, however,
is the case, and old fishermen who know
the Potomac well sadly admit that each
year the number is getting less and less.
Only few years ago forty or fifty was
common days catch, with rod and line.
and that within an easy journey Of the city.
Few persons in the District are probably
aware Of the beautiful places on the Po-
tomac from above the Auqeduct bridge to
the Great Falls, only sixteen miles above
Washington. The scenery is something
called a paradise for this game fish, for
only Is it at home and seen at its best
while in such swift running water, abound
ing in rocks, with here and there an eddy.
an island, a sand bar, then a gravel bottom,
and SO on Such is the natural home of the
game and only black bass. The strangest
thing about all this is that while we have
fish and game laws on the statute books
and associations supposed to be for the pro-
lection of these fish, it is a fact that each
year the number. instead Of increasing. as
1t should. is rapidly decreasing. A good
fisherman now is very lucky II he gets two
or three bass in a days fishing. This is
simply a disgrace and a shame. The reader
may ask. why this is SO. The answer is.
because the law is not enforced. Now
that houses on the Conduit road, that were
breaking the laws by selling liquor on Sum
day and violating the gambling laws etc.
have been stopped. why not MI. Sheriff of
ton to the violators of the fish and game
laws. Men have been exterminating the
bass, by catching them in dip nets, out of
season, in open violation of law, at different
y,11 IN ~ D@&n
bridge, near Cabin John, Seven Locks and
in the eddies at the Great Falls. 1t is a
known fact and can be vouched for by
hundreds of gentlemen who have seen bass
caught in vast numbers at these places.
Only last Sunday at Great Falls several
men were all day catching bass In an I'M
lawful manner. quantity were caught and
among them a small-mouth bass weighing
not less than four and half pounds Think
Of it, you fishermen, right in the spawning
season, when a bass is not fit to eat, being
full of spawn, to allow such a condition of
affairs to exist.
Another reason for the cause of the ex-
termination, is the vile and cruel trot line
method which exists in the Potomac. from
Cumberland to Washington. These lines
can be found at almost any point on the
river. stretched from one shore to the
other. containing hundreds of bated hooks
They are watched. and well guarded by
men who from time to time go out and
take Off the fish as they are caught. Men
watch these lines even at the point of a
gun Al the Anglers Club, Difficult branch,
Seneca, Seven Locks, etc, these unlawful
lines may be found all the time, set and
ready. 1t Is enough to call the blush of shame
to the faces of the authorities and to the So
called Fish and Game Protective Associa-
ton. They are practically silent and make
no attempt to have the laws enforced.
What can the poor bass do when their
worst enemies are the very ones who claim
to protect them, and then do not enforce
their own edicts? Stop this dip-net fishing,
arrest and imprison. with a heavy fine
every man who uses a trot line in the Po-
tomac. close up the pulp mills, then, and
only then, will the number of bass in
crease The methods are all open viola
tons Of law, and of what use is a law IL
1t is not enforced? There is no sport so en-
joyable or beneficial as a day on the beau
tiful Potomac. but IL something is not done
soon, and done well, we might as we'll say
adieu to the fishing on the Potomac All
good men should combine and make a des-
perate effort to have the laws enforced
and If one or two good examples were made
and these lawbreakers arrested, impris-
oned and fined, it would break up these
proceedings. All that is necessary is for
some one to start the act, and many good
honest men will be found to follow it up
until all the lawbreakers are finally inn
prisoned or driven away. 1t will be no hard
matter for any person in authority to go to
the places mentioned in this article and see
for himself whether or not every word
stated is absolutely true and q fact or
whether 1t Is overdrawn.