Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-21

sunshine and thousands will be inuuir-
ing as to the best places to fish, the
Kind of fish that may be caught and
where they may be found up and down
the historic Potomac. For the instruc-
ton of the public. especially the per-
son who really wants to fish and
doesn't know where to go or when
TO start or how to get there, it is
proper that an old fisherman-a sort of
expert-should be quoted literally as
well as automatically
Robert e. Volkmer kindly gave the
desired information and prefaced it with
the statement that even now-for the
lnitiated-the fishing season is upon
washington with vengeance.
This is the very time of the year
when shad. rockfish. herring and white
perch commence their journey up the
river" he said. Catfish. Mississippi
and channel; yellow perch, carp, sun
fsh, mullet and cells also are plentiful
and can be caught anywhere on the
river from the arsenal, at the lower
end Of the city. along the channel up
to and in the Little river, on the Vir-
ginia side; also in Georgetown chan
mel. opposite Reynolds boathouse, and
among the rocks along Analostan Is
Sisters. Hens and Chickens. walkers
point. Dixeys landing, Lock cove
Fletcher's boathouse. Boiling Rock,
Flat Rock. Blacksmith shop. Eads
Mill Bush cove. Hellgate. Stone
foot Rock, Little Rock and Little Falls
This is as far as the smaller fish,
such as white perch, herring and yell
low perch. can go. and is the end of
tidewater: The larger fish. such as
shad. rockfish and catfish. go up and
over. Little Falls. as far as the Great
Falls. Some nice strings Of large fish
are caught during the season at the
FEEDER. Sycamore Island. out from the
first lock above Cabin John bridge,
cept shad. which return to salt water
after spawning"
How to get to where these fish may
De caught 1t Is readily seen. becomes an
promptly to the rescue with the
suggestion that the fisherman go to
Georgetown and hire a boat at a boat
Georgetown channel and Analostan
Island. which are very good places Tor
nshing. Also from Georgetown the Cabin
John Bridge cars may be boarded. They
station It IL only q short walk to Fletch-
ers ooafhouse. Then all that remains
u the hiring Of q boat, and good fishing
may De FOUND as far up the river as Lit
tie Falls or at points down the river
4
When the shad and other fish become
scarce the season for small and large
mouth bass. more than nine inches In
length; crappie or calico bass, strawberry
bass. pike and pickerel commences Nav
~. decoration day. and continues until
March l in the District OF Columbia as
Tar - Little Falls and from June 1 until
April 10 on the Potomac river above the
Little Fails.
Many large-mouth bass, Graphic and
some small-mouth bass are caught in the
tidal basin. near the Washington Mon
ument, on live bait and by spoonirig.
Madtoms, smelt. large night worms,
claw-fish and helgremites are regarded
as the best live bait
And right here. declared j. w. Hur-
ley, better known among his friends, and
more especially by every man and how
who handles a hook and line, either nm
or down the Potomac, as "Coloner' Hur
ley. Il want to give full credit to the
man In washington who fishes success
fully with pork for bait-just a plain. ey-
everyday piece OF 'fatback,' which he cuts
and shapes into an object resembling a
nsh ana then dexterously paints it to
only man In the city Of Washington who
knows how to use fatback' as bait In
fishing. Other men have tried II hume
rous times and have met with dismal
failures, including myself. and for the life
OF me l can't see how he persuades the
fish to bite. It Is one of the wonders Of
the age among all fishermen In washing
ton and elsewhere. and when this fellow
dies he win carry the secret Of his suc.
cess to the grave with him."
81
Amon6 the bats used for Potomac river
fishing. chicken 10 popular for catfish.
and soft-shelled crab for white perch and
rock bass. Madtoms also are used for
bass fishing. In the language Of q Poto-
mac fisherman, the best bait to use for
rockflsh is peeler crab. soft crack, blood
worms, little eels or cut-up herring: for
white perch. soft crabs, small 1--we bait,
shrimp and worms. and for catfish. chick
en- liver or worms. Other fish. such a.
mullet. carp. yellow perch, sunnsh. cells,
bass and crappie. will take the same bats
Is above described. Potomac river fisher