Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-16
SPR|NGT|ME FISH|N'
Favorite Spots on the Banks
Of the River.
THE UPPER POTOMAC
APPETITE FOR CATFISH CHOW
DER FULLY APPRAISED.
Presence Of Mississippi River Stock in
the Potomac Favorably Com
mented Upon.

The whrling waters OF the Potomac IN
the vicinity of Chain bridge Is one of the
favorite angling places for Washington
disciples of Izaak Walton. On any bright
spring day, when the water is not too
muddy, the rock declivities and lodges
along the shore of the rapidly flowing river
are lined with boys and men, with here
and there a girl or woman, engaged In
capturing silvery white perch and rock
fish or the game black bass. All manner
of fishing tackle Is employed. from outfits
costing $50 or more to the home made
line. formed Of the ordinary cord Of COM
merce. with a bottle cork. pin hook and a
nail or pebble for a sinker.
Many fishing parties are held along the
picturesque shores of the upper Potomac
during the spring and summer months.
These partake of the nature of picnic out
ings, the anglers being literally supplied
with liquid and solid refreshments. Some
times fires are kindled near the shore. the
captured fish are cooked and hot coffee
served.
Many of the small boys Of Washington.
white and colored, who are without the
car fare necessary for a trip to the more
distant angling places west Of Georgetown.
are content to line up on the several
wharves along the river front, on Long
bridge or the stone walls which inclose the
reclaimed Potomac flats The two piers,
one Immediately east and the other west
of the fish wharf, at the foot Of 18th street,
are fairly crowded these sunny days with
colored men and boys Ask the reason
why, and any Of the anglers will answer
with the one word Catfish"
At these points catfish fairly swarm in
the river, and he Is a poor angler indeed
who cannot capture long string Of them
err bait.
The love Of the average colored epicure
for catfish chowder and catfish fried is
only second to his passion for roast
be wondered at, therefore, that colored
boys and men flock to the vicinity of the
fish wharf to cast, their lines.
Uncle David's Catfish String.
venerable colored man who is familiar
as 'uncle David" was found. rod in hand.
busily engaged in adding to his already
long string of struggling "catties"
rs dey bitin'? ?" he replied in answer to an
interrogatory, We'll I jess reckin' dey Is.
Look at dat bunch l done caught dis maw-
min. Dere Is some forty feesh dere Me
an Betsy is had catfeesh chowder cherry
day for more'n week, an ives gwintcr
hab it as long as dey can be katched. Cat
feesh is bitin' now wuss dan moskeeters in
de Chickahominy swamp"
Another wharf character is a short white
man, about sixty years of age. who is
known as ''Smelt Bill from the fact that
for years he has devoted himself to catch
ing smelt In the vicinity of the fish wharf,
to which point they are attracted by the
refuse.
Bill does not use hook and line. but is
provided with a fine net, about four feet
deep, fastened about an iron hoop nearly
five feet in circumference. In the center
of the net he places a quantity of herring
roe in the herring season, fastened to the
a n
lowered into the river and allowed to re-
main there about ten minutes. Then 1t is
hauled to the surface, and usually contains
from a dozen to fifty glistening smelt, the
fish being attracted into the trap by the
bait. Bill has regular customers for his
smelt over a route up town, which he has
served for more than five years.
Couldn't Miss the Fun.
A small white boy who was patiently
angling from the stone wall about the
flats. near the Long bridge cofferdam. had
been fishing for more than three hours
and had only succeeded in capturing three
small yellow perch. two white perch and a
catfish was asked why he wasted so much
time to catch so few fish, and small fish,
at that. when he could purchase a long
string at the fish wharf for ten cents. The
boys reply told the secret OF juvenile ang-
ling and breathed the spirit Of sport within
him.
Yes. know that he said. but, mister,
ii is the fun Of catching EN-
The introduction of spotted Mississippi
catfish into the Potomac by the United
States fish commission has caused much
favorable comment among Washing on
anglers, who are anxious to take a shy at
the game denizens transplanted from the
longest and muddiest river In tine world.
An old resident stated that the oyster
wharf. as such, was established In the
forties. 1t has only been used as a fish
wharf. he added. for about seventeen years.
Thomas Riley has been its lesses tor MANY
years
Years ago." added the old resident, 1.-The
thousands of herring received at the wharf
were cut cleaned and prepared for sailing
and smoking by women This work Is now
done exclusively by men,"