Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-10-26
Commissioner Titcomb Advises of
Fish Available This Season.
Stnte VIII Deliver Them Free Of Charge
mt Applicants Nearest Railroad
Station--TcderaI Government
VIII Aid to Pay Freight.


rainbow; lake trout; landlocked salmon
chinook salmon.
OF these species the brook trout is
adapted to brooks and similar small
streams The steelhead or rainbow de- /
stroys the native brook trout in small
streams. This species and the salmon
are adapted to lakes and large bodies Of
water.
Fish may ne obtained for stoc ning pub
lie waters by applying to the commits
sioner. John ". Titcomh, Lyndonville, for
one blank for each stream or water IT Is
desired to stock. filling in the blank when
received and then mailing promptly to
the commissioner. All applications for
fish to be planted in 1912 must be in the
commissioners office not later than
March 30. 1912. The number o. nsh as
signed will depend upon the size OF the
stream and the number of fish available
for distribution.
The state will deliver free Of charge. at
the applicants nearest railroad station
0sh to be planted in public waters. Fish
may also be obtained by writing the Uni
ted States bureau Of fisheries. Washing
ton. y. c.. asking for one application
blank for each body OF water to be
stocked. filling in the blank as indicateh
and mailing 1t to your congressman with
request that he give It his endorsement
and forward to the bureau OF ish"rieS
If YOU prefer you may send the applica-
ton to the State commissioner who Will
take care of II and see that 1t reaches
proper destination. Application may he
made to both the t. s bureau Of fisheries
and the State for fish to stock the same
waters.
UNCLE SAM PAYS THE FREIGHT.
Tie federal government delivers fish
free Of charge at the applicants nearest
railroad station. Both federal govern
nent and state give proper notice before
fish are forwarded to an applicant. with
instructions how to plant.
Trout for posted waters and private
preserves may DO purchased from the
state provided any trout are available
after the applications for public waters
have been filled. 1t will also be possible
to arrange for tho purchase Of trout
from the State hatchery II ordered in
the fall before 1t is too late to procure
eggs, Eggs of the brook trout are only
obtaina BILE in the fall of the year. and it
Is in this season that we must make al
rangements for the entire stock which Is
to be Matched for next seasons distri-
button. The price will be practically TIVE
same as that charged by commercial
dealers. list of commercial dealers
In fish will be mailed TO any person ask
ing for 1t.
STOCKING BEFORE APRIL 10.
The question OF whether streams mus,
be stocked before April 10 In order to
max" posting lawful and Of full effect Is
| constantly arising. The a:torney-general
was in;errogatcd and advised me as fol-
| lows
II am directed by the encouragement
to write YOU in reply to your letter of
August y. concerning the time when
streams should be stocked in order to
| enable the owners of lands. through
| which such streams flow, to take adj
vantage OF the posting law. Secs. 53-jo.
lie has considered the same and adj
viscs yuu that, in his judgment, the
stocking of any stream after April 70 in
any year and before April Is OF the sue
ceedins year. answers the requirements
II the statute so far as emitting the
"wner OF the land and stream Of the
protection of the statute during the opci
| season following the second April 10
From this Interpretation of the law any
!
present season may consider that his
/ posting holds good on II until one year
from tho date the hsh were planted
In many cases it is n waste of fry 20
| plant them early in the spring and there
| fore persons desiring to avail themselves
! of the posting law at the beginning NJ
the opca season in 1912 should, If possible,
secure ingcrlinss in the fall Of l1r. T1c
al . fu1 -
! Try commercial dealers
| Fry are to be obtained in the sprine
FinFerlings are not available until late
in June and the size and price both in
, crease FOR deliveries up to October. Trout
hatch In tho spring and winter only.
CLOSING OF STREAMS
| The closing OF streams by the state f'r
period of years Is a practice which has
not worked to perfection even though II
looks good in theory. The principal Oh
1ections to the practice are these: Such
streams usually receive no more attou-
ton thnn public waters. A few pOaChcrS
get the cream Of the fishing while IN"
honest man gets nothing. At the end of
the closed period there Is a rush to the
stream with the result that It IS soon
stripped of such neh as are in II and
conditions are no better at least than
before II was closed
The best results follow annual stocking
or the waters. leaving the fishing open
to the public and seeing to II that the
laws are enforced Help the wardcns, If
IN no other way than your influence IN
favor of law.
simple problem; You cannot take
more hsh out Of II stream than are placed
IN That stream 10y natural reproduction or
artificial stocking. From many streams
more hsh are taken annually than arc
Matched and raised by the adult tish The
necessity for supplying the deficiency Is
apparent Annual stocking gives better
results than occasional stocking 1t is
useless to plant moro fish than can get
living In n stream There is n normal
| fish population which cannot he exceeded
with beneficial results
HOW TO SAVE THE FISH
| The siX-inch law is designed to allow
the trout an opportunity 10 reproduce
once before 1t is killed. When YOU keep
a short trout you are shutting off this on
portunty and making future fishing So
much poorer When YOU hook a short
trout II you will wet your hand before
removing him from the hook and take out
! the hook carefully, the trout will nearly
always i've when gently thrown back into
the stream Expert fly fishermen some
tines Hike TO use a harbless hook
3 1t is hoped that ali interested will take
| advantage Of the free delivery of fish
made annually by the L. s. bureau of
| IL