The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-01-29
FISH THAT SLEEP IN WINTER,
Some Hibernate in Mud, Others in
 Deep-Water Holes,

l
 With the coming of winter the Mis- sourt angler sadly rests in his line, un-
 j,ints his roi and reconciles himself as best be may to a long period of absti- nence from his favorite pastime. The fishes native to the waters of this To- cality, and nearly all of the varieties
 that have been introduced, are warm water species, in that they become
 dormant during the cold weather, when the water is chilled to the freezing
 p5int. The most sought after congre-
 gate in the deepest holes of lake or
 stream when ice begins to form, and
 remain indifferent to food until the
 spring sun again warns the water. Crappie have 8 similar habit, and
 many coarser varieties, such as catfish
 and carp, literally bury themselves
 during the winter months in the mud | of deep water holes.
 | While the western fisherman sits dis | consulate by the fire his eastern and
 northern brothers are enjoying ang-
 ling equally pleasurable, in it's way, to
 that of the summer. Fishing through llib lo6 10 tb pOpuIelI dlll llGcllllllul opOI in all of the states north and east of
 Iowa, and in the extreme northeast has a following all it's own of enthusiasts, who fish at the other season. The fishes most commonly caught are pick
 erel, yellow perch and white perch, three hardy varieties that are equally vigorous in cold weather and warm.
 At least, one of the three species, the
 pickerel is at it's best as food when
 caught through the ice.
 There is only one reason why winter
 biting fishes are not common in Mis-
 souri waters-no one in this locality
 has ever taken the trouble of propaga-
 ting them on a large scale. The fish commissions in the middle west, both
 state and national, have devoted their
 energies principally to matching bass, crappie and trout. Owners of private preserves have, in a very few in-
 stances, introduced a few of other va rieties, but these have been confined to
 the waters originally stocked.
 The habits of pickerel, white perch
 and yellow perch are such that they
 would thrive in hundreds of Missouri ponds, lakes and streams. All are ca-
 pablo of bearing without discomfort extremes of temperature, and none is overly nice in demanding very clear or deep water Of the three species the yellow perch is perhaps the most de- sirable, as 1t can accommodate its mahner of life to almost any condition, and is a very superior pan fish. In fact, concerning the latter quality, the foremost writers of fish lore declare it to be the best of all varieties. Another point in it's favor is that it is ready to bite whenever the angler cares to pre- sent his hook, and does not much care what bait is offered Mlnnows, worms, small spoons or artificial flies are ac- cepted with avidity during the summer months, and worms, mnnows or small bits of meat readily tempt it, in winter The yellow perch which is also known as ring perch, raccoon perch and striped perch runs in companies, or schools, as do sunfsh and crappie. The brilliant pigments of their markings make them one of the handsomest of fresh water fishes and prevent the pos. sibility of their being confused with other varieties.
 The pickerel, which is beginning to
 find it's way into some southern Mis- souri streams, also has the faculty of making itself at home in almost any water In very warm weather, howev- CT, it is apt to be sluggish and some- what indifferent tn food. This is just 1 as well, perhaps, as it's flesh Is then l soft and lacks the flavor that seems so | palatable in winter. Slim, many toother and sinister lookink, the pick erel has a reputation for pugnacity and | destructiveness that is not altogether 1 deserved. Because of this bad name, many fish enthusiasts have hesitated | to place pickerel in confined waters pf | small area inhabited by other varieties. As a matter of fact, bass are more de- structive among other fishes than are pickerel, and bass will invariably be | found dominating the situation where the two varieties are confined in the I same water
 The pickerel is by many rated as a game fish, and is entitled to that place | to the extent that it takes artificial | lines, such as trolling spoons, readily | and viciously. It is not, however a vigorous fighter when hooked It is a [ most accommodating bitter when flshed | for through the ice with minnows as bait
 The white perch is a very fine fish | with a small reputation, because it's h ahitot ic ,lsr,fipod to O ,oO,,1a uo +f +fr,o1,, l limited territory. Naturally a salt wa ter species, it thrives equally well in fresh water, but is seldom found ex- cept in lakes and streams near the middle and northern Atlantic coast. It | is only within the last few years that the national fish commission has be- come sufficiently well acquainted with i the white perch to begin to appreciate 1 It's worth. Resembling the crappie in | its habits, it is much superior to that variety, being more hardy, more pro- life in reproducing it's kind, a better pan fish, and attaining a larger growth.
 The white perch attains an average weight of a littlemore than one pound. though occasional specimens are caught weighing three pounds or more. Like the crappie, it has a fondness for company, and where one is a large school is usually found. One peculiari- -y in which it differs from most other fishes is that it has no fixed home in he waters it inhabits, but is constant y on the move, though usually confin- Ing its travels to the deper waters Inf ake or stream. This species is a satis- lying pan fish whenever and wherever