The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-04-05
WIndham county FIshIna

ONhNNl afoiHHH
Weather like that of yesterday and
the day before warns every angler OF
the approach of the season when that
fascinating and delightful sport ex-
erts its most potent influence. To
the man familiar with the delights Of
piscatorial pursuits the first warm
days bring mingled sensations of en-
ergy and inertia. No obstacle Is
great enough to prevent an assembly
and thorough inspection of his fish
ing tackle, nor is he loath to repair
any defect that may have appeared
in rod or reel, but the simple act of
concentrating his mind on business
is something which taxes his powers
to the utmost In the case OF most of
the cult, however, necessity furnish
es an effectual antidote for that tir-
ed feeling and business goes on in
spite of frequent mental interruption.
Now that The Meddler's friends are
familiar with his condition they will
understand why fishing is taken as
the subject of this weeks spiel.
Our northern Vermont friends look
with scorn upon the law that allows
fishing early in the season, and yet
conditions are proving the wisdom of
the Windham county sportsman's con
tention The open season cannot be-
gin too early in the spring as far as
streams are concerned, and in case
OF ponds and lakes permission to
iish can safely be allowed as soon
as the ice goes out. The mysterious
influence mentioned in the foregoing
| paragraph is most powerful when
first 1t is exerted, and the result is
that no man with any fondness for
fishing Is ever quite so anxious TO
90 as when the desire first lays hold
every spring Therefore If the law
permits him TO blunt the keen edge
of this desire at a time when condit-
ions are far from their best the fish
themselves will suffer just so much
less. There Is no doubt that fully
the usual number OF anglers tried
| their luck in the streams OF this
county during the open season OF
last year and no one has been heard
to complain that he didn't get his full
share Of satisfaction. Yet it cannot
be denied that more trout were left
in the brooks at the close of the sea
son than at any time for years past
Of course this was due in part TO the
fact that the season closed mont
earlier than usual, but the absence oI
slaughter in the opening days also
contributed to the condition. In one
large stream which The Meddler Wis
tied on the 18th of last July he saw
literally scores OF trout above lega
length--trout that surely would have
been caught had the season contin
ued another month but which undel
the circumstances have no doubt con
tributed greatly to the supply of FL
ture years and are ut themselves t.
give some fortunate angler far more
pleasure than he would have derived
from catching them late last summer
When Windham county secured
from the legislature the early season
privilege which has proven SO sue
cessful no one interested stopped L
I think that April Is might find ponds
! still covered with ice This was th'
). case. however, with Marlboro Soutl
pond last spring, and there was M
law TO prevent trout fishing through
I the ice on that particular body o
e water. A number of men and boy
Z did more or less ice-fishing during
! the few days when il was possible
but the fish and game warden saw t.
it that the law regarding the use o
one rod and line by each fisherman
was strictly enforced, and compare
lively few trout were taken. For thu
sake of the sport 1t is to be hopeC
T that all anglers will refrain from do
ing any ice-fishing in this pond il on
. portunity permits this spring. An
: other point to be borne in mind b!
prospective South pond fishermen Il
this: Last summer several thous
/ and land-locked salmon lingering
| were planted there. If they hay'
thrlved they ought to be six or sever
inches long by now and are likely L
be easily caught. The legal lengtl
OF these fish, however, is II inches
and every one taken this year SHOULD
be returned at once to its native elt
| ment. Land-locked salmon canno
be mistaken for trout; in fact, SINAI
specimens look much more lik
bright silver dace. There is no res
son why they should not do well i
| Marlboro pond, II not molested, an
| the sport they will furnish in a yea
, or two will be well worth waiting fol
-Brattleboro Reformer.