Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-09-28
WOULD FILL A BIG VOLUME
WHAT WE AND MR.. PIERCE DON'T
KNOW ABOUT FISHING.
State Fish and Game Commissioner
Thomas Does Not Believe In an Early
Open Season for Trout and Presents
What He Calls Arguments.

L
Open Season for Trout and Present,
What He Calls Arguments.
A special despatch to the st. Alban'
Messenger from Stowe under date OF
yesterday says;
| In conversation with a representative
of The Messenger, State Fish and Game
Commissioner II. G. Thomas, comment
ing on a recent criticism of his course
in opposing an early trout season, in
The Brattleboro Reformer, which also
advised Governor.elest Fletcher .
Proctor not to appoint Mr.. Thomas
said
Ordinarily, would not pay any atten'
ton 20 such uncalled-for comments ms made
by the Brattleboro Reformcr OF Sept. 81.
The unciviliy Of this article certainly de.
notes a deplorable ignorance on the part OF
the writer as far ~ his knowledge goes In the
Restocking OF our streams and when the
open and closed seasons should be. Apropos
to my making as brief explanation 20 the sub
ject ms possible, will say own quite an ex'
tensive library pertaining to fish and game.
The volumes are not kept for ornament |
have manuals on fish culture; they also show
by use that they are frequently referred To-.
have not wholly relied upon my idiotic
knowledge OF fish and game, MS the Brattle
boro Reformer continues TO publish, but have
10 great extent learned and acted upon
many valuable suggestions and the experience
Of prominent cultursts who have made this
their life study.
.In my report, 1904, | recommended that
the open season for trout fishing commence
May Is instead Of May /. small deega-
ton from Bratileboro came TO Montpelier
and tried to induce the commissioner 10 get
the law amended to open the season April l.
George w Pierce OF Brattleboro was chair.
man Of the committee and was in favor OF
making the change. The argument Of this
delegation was tina, this law existed In Mas
saehusetts. told them to 20 to Massachu'
setts and fish and give our trout a show. /
also advised Mr.. Pierce that IL was better TO
let the open season be as II was rather than
to stir up too much feeling
1T happened At this particular time that
John w. Titcomb who had been commissioner
many years (my predecessor, was in Mont
pelier. Taking the same interest in the
matter as the majority Of sportsmen do in
the changing and making of FISH and game
laws, he went before the fish and game com
mite and stated that my recommendations
should be approved by the committee: that
!
ing better fishing ANY person knows that
making August a closed season ought to
make better fishing, but to use the argument
10 cut out August because the trout are full
Of spawn. you might as well make the year
round a close season.
I'm my report for 1906 / presented my
arguments, which | can ably substantiate.
1t is not the spawn in few trout. bat IL is
how many trout are left to spawn in num-
bers. Thousands are taken in the early sea.
son that cannot be taken in August. The
of Massachusetts, did not APP
prove Of an open season during the month Of
April and at the last legislature the law was
amended making the season the 18th, and no
doubt intends to cut April ont when il can
be done without getting into fight with
poachers.
Ninety nine cases out Of one hundred OF
he violations for taking short trout occur
IN the month OF May special act was |
passed by the last legislature covering the |
river in Bennington county, max. |
ng the open season from June | TO Septem. /
Der. / have before me letter dated Sept. |
10, 1906, from Edward c. orvis OF Manehes-
er, in which he states there were very few |
ish caught during the month Of August that /
he fish taken the first Of June were the fat.
est and incest taken from the river early /
md that great many were caught.
1.-THE Lake Mansfield Trout club with a
of 200, TO say nothing OF their
,uests, who are allowed club privileges. have
he finest fishing in the state, They learned
rom experience that early fishing has been
detrimental to these waters and have changed
he open season. which commences June 10
nd closes Aug, 81. The club house was well
during the month of August but
My about 100 pounds OF trout were taken
uring that period. The club has followed
ommendable course and is success in
very way, being GU, OF debt, with $1,000 in
he treasury, after expending about SIS, 1000.
Mr.. Pierce stated in as many words that
he commissioner was the means of prevent.
ng legislation to open the season a month
arier. The compliment is highly appreci.
ted, and / will try and accomplish as much
uring the next legislature, though | am not
a politics in the least. but doing what Icon.
der for the best interests of the state TO
nrnish game and good fishing both to resi-.
ents and non.residents and the proposition
rom Mr.. Pierce to open the season April l i
ill not meet with the approval OF Vermont
portsmen.
Article which have appeared in the dif.
,rent sporting magazines from time to time =
evoted to fish and game, complimenting the
ork of the commissioner, satisfy me that )
ave avoided mistakes that Mr. Pierce would
lake. provided he had the opportunity. In
,mplimentng the article in The Brattleboro :
eformer, ! can only state that what Mr..
ierce and The Reformer don't know about
anne would make a goodsized volume.