The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1911-03-06
Warden Bailey Says Bill Now Before
Legislature is Meeting With Ap-
proval Of Fisherman.
MEANS INCREASE IN NUMBER
Believes Measure to Cause Non-resi
dents of State to Obtain Fish
License Should Pass.

''The bill which has been prepared
by the State Game and Fish Com
mission extending the opening of the
bass fishing season from May 29th
to June 18th, and which bids fair to
become law, is receiving the hearty
endorsement of all true nimrods in
this section of the state, and if the
measure is passed by both houses Of
the legislature and is signed by Gov
terially in, restoring good bass fishing
conditions to the lakes of northern
Minnesota, more so than any other
single action which can be taken at
this time" says S. c. Bailey of Be-
midi, game warden for the Game
and Fish Commission and one of the
most efficient officials of the depart
ment.
"Owing to the backward weather
conditions every spring in this Sec
tion of Minnesota, when the bass fish
ing season opens on May 29th, the
fishermen are catching hundreds of
black and other varieties of bass,
none of which has as yet spawned.
Last year, in particular,1 took par
ticular pains to note the condition Of
large numbers of bass caught in the
lakes near Bemidji, and without ex-
ception the fish at the beginning of
the season were filled with spawn
that was not yet nearly 'ripe;" and
millions of black bass eggs were thus
destroyed that would have undoubt-
edly developed into lively fry that
would have greatly augmented the
supply of gamey fnny ones in our
lakes.
':The lengthening of the closed
season for bass is one of the reliefs
sought to increase the supply of bass
as it is a we'll known fact that this
varity of fish is growing less in all
the lakes of northern Minnesota.
"Another measure which is pro-
posed to be enacted into law at this
session is requiring nonresident fish
ermen to take out license, costing
81, for the privilege of fishing in
Minnesota. This would increase the
revenue for the Game and Fish Com
mission and would certainly not work
a hardship on visitors to the summer
resorts of the state. The law al
ready provides that a nonresident
may take with him fifty pounds of
fish; and certainly the privilege Of
fishing to ones heart content and
taking away fifty pounds of the finest
brain producing food is worth 81
to even the poorest nimrod. This
law would have some effect in the
neighborhood of Bemidji. On the
shores of Lake Bemidji there are sew
eral sumer resorts where residents of
North Dakota spend the hot months
of the year. These summer visitors
would be compelled to take out Ii
censes, whereas now they enjoy the
fishing for nothing. And I do not
believe that the imposing of this 81
license would tend in any way to
keep summer visitors from any of the
resorts of this section.
"Another change l would like to
see made is the placing of trelipies
in a class with suckers and not CIV
ing them the same protection as
whitefish. These trelipies are as
| fond of spawn as the sucker and they
have fully as voracious appetites fol
the unmatched fry.
! ssThere has been but few violations
of the fishing laws this winter, those
who had licenses to maintain fish
houses on the lakes hereabouts being
very careful in not offering to sell
their catches and exercising excellent
judgment in selecting the rough fish. :
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