Evening star., 1909-07-17

Anglers have become disgusted with
muddy-river reports from up the Po-
tomac and concluded that the fish were
getting just as hungry as if the water
were clear. Feeling certain that they
were in need of food. many anglers
visited points along the river this week
and some fine catches were made.
BASS are biting as we'll as they ever
did" remarked one of the older anglers
this morning. THE water is by no
means clear, but the catches made up
the Potomac show that the fish are there
and waiting for tempting bait"
In the vicinity of Great Falls this week
many bass were caught. and they were
not all small ones. some of them weigh
ing more than three pounds. and reports
from points all along the upper river In
dicate that at no place where anglers
tried their luck was there any disap
pointment Those WHO were satisfied
with mouth bass went to the creeks
along the lower river and brought home
some strings of fine fish, while still
others were satisfied to catch small perch
and catfish in the waters about the city.
Dealers in sporting goods have been
kept busy this week supplying anglers
with tackle, word having been passed
along the line that the bass were taking
bait without any hesitancy. Anglers
find that many sportsmen use hooks
which are entirely too large and they
do not seem to understand why they
have bad luck. Others use old hooks
that have more than done their duty
and expect as good results as those who
have tackle that is better suited for
sport.
The river is in better condition to-
day." said local dealer in sporting
goods to a Star reporter, than 1t has
been in two years, and there is every
reason to believe that more sport will
be enjoyed than ever before. The water
has been in bad condition SO long that
the fish have had an opportunity to grow
and multiply, and the result is that fine
sport is now being enjoyed"
The question of bait is not so trouble
some a one as 1t was several years ago,
1t is stated, local dealers handling bait
Of all kinds. and many anglers using ar
tificial bait with success. Mad toms are
being used with great success this sea-
son. and they easy to get and not
much trouble to keep alive. Several an
glers who made good catches this week
used them.
At Seneca and Pennifield's this week
number of anglers found fine sport. land
ing from eight TO sixteen fish and all
small-mouth bass. The largest catch re-
ported in that section was made by
Brainerd Nicholson of Rockville. he
tried his luck at Seneca and came home
the proud possessor of string or SIX
teen, while j. o. Molden, also Of Rock
vile, landed eleven. his largest hSh
weighing three and three-quarters pounds
and measuring nineteen inches in length.
John Lutz caught eight bass at Penni-
fields. the largest weighing about two
and a half pounds.
Mad toms and club proved the most
attractive bait for the fish in the waters
of the upper Potomac. although it is re-
ported that some children living along
the river and the Chesapeake and Ohio
canal have caught some large nsh with
worms. The three anglers who made
the catches at Penniteld's and Seneca
say they have not enjoyed such fine sport
for years. The fish they caught were in
splendid condition and were as lively as
fish usually are when the water is much
colder than ii is at present
Having become disheartened because of
the continued bad condition OF the water.
several enthusiastic fishermen took a
chance at frogging one night this week
and enjoyed the sport. Frank Dudley
and George Miller paired on against
George Ratherdale and Robert Rather
dale on trip along the Eastern Dranch
near Benning and returned at midnight
with frogs enough to supply the market
trade.
George Miller had an improvised car
bide light which was almost as effective
as the headlight on locomotive. ano
was only one thing left to be done The
trip netted Miller and Dudley forty-eight
frogs. They returned TO the bridge fully
confident that they had made the larger
catch. but when the Ratherdales returned
they soon changed their minds.
The two Ratherdales had seventy-eignt
frogs in a bag, and they were big ones.
about the size of those caught by dudley
and Miller. and there was one frog In the
bag that made a noise very much IKE
child crying. 1t was the biggest frog In
the lot. and its cries were so affecting
that it was released
George and Robert Ratherdale are re-
garded as two of the most expert fsher-
men along the branch and II there is
anything in the water they cannot get.
friends say, there is absolutely no use
for any other person to try Ihey nave
caught a number OF swapping turtles re-
Gently, the largest tipping the scales at
twenty pounds.
At Chapwamsic this week Jesse Mid
dleton. John w. Hurley. Henry Talbot
and William Sturbitts enjoyed their usual
weekly outing. and had with them Fred
Miller, also an enthusiastic angler. FRED
Miller spent a rather lazy day OF II and
enjoyed seeing his friends WELD the ny
bait and tempt the bass. and. although
he paid but little attention TO the sport,
he landed large pike and several other