Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-04

Big catches of white perch this season
have largely increased the number of an
glers, the sight of long strings of big
fish having given the fishing fever to
scores of persons who had never been on
the river to try their luck with rod and
line.
when four anglers are able to fill four
split baskets with big white perch" re-
marked John w. Hurley after an after
Moons outing with Dr. A. A. Marsteller
and two friends. ats enough to start
anybody in the direction of the river
Two days this week the perch seemed
to have taken holiday, so far as many Of
the anglers were concerned, although
many big catches were made the other
days. Mississippi catfish and yellow
perch are also being caught.
During the present fishing season boats
and bait have been in great demand. es-
pecially Sundays. and those who have
failed to engage them ahead Of time have
been frequently doomed to disappoint-
ment
Many OF the largest white perch taken
from the river this week were caught
with live bait. The question of bait is
usually perplexing one early in the sea-
son for the reason that expensive soft
crabs are not obtainable by all anglers.
and the crab is generally looked upon as
q favorite bait. Thomas Dove member
of the Columbia Fishing Club, let out a
secret this week about bait for white
perch and it was tried with a marked de-
gree of success.
He told of having caught white perch
and other fish with cut founder
1T is more like soft crab than any
other fish," he stated, and the fish will
take the bait"
Anglers who tried it were successful.
Al REYNOLDS and Thomas Cole probably
showed the most attractive bunch Of
white perch this week. They are experts
with rod and line, but they are not salts
ned to land long string of small perch
IT Is quality and not quantity with
US. one or them remarked, exhibiting a
string OF two dozen or more big fish.
They were on the river several hours.
sta rting from the foot of Saith street and
going to the vicinity of the Three Sisters.
Not having had much luck, they dropped
down to the lower point of Analostan
Island and finished their days sport.
Instead Of batting with crab and worm
and catching everything that came along
they used live bait, and when a fish takes
q pike minnow. they say, it is apt to be
q good one.
William r. Johnson, the popular Capt.
toll employee. and Frank johnson fooled
the perch successfully. "Bilp' Johnson,
as the former is SO Familiarity called, has
long been known as an ardent bass fish
erman but not until recent years has he
condescended to try his hand at catching
perch.
He was a pretty good pupil remark
ed one OF the older anglers, who saw the
two return to Edes' mill with a basket Of
fish Weighing twenty-four pounds.
Mrs. Robert E. Volkmer, recalling the
number of strings of perch her husband
had brought from the river decided sew
eral days ago that she would go with him
Joe Perron, oarsman and angler, volun-
| teered to go along to look after the oars
and D. j. Mcdonald was the other MEM
Der Of the party.
There was nothing the matter with the
| bait the quartet had, but the fish just did
| not seem to be in biting humor The
party caught q few fish, however-enough
for breakfast for the Volkmer family
| was an ideal one.
Chatham Towers. George W. Boyd,
William Coombs and William Towers,
collector of taxes. were on the river
| Saturday, after closing hours, and were
well satisfied with their luck.
| Everybodys catching fish today" they
| were told when they reached Fletcher's
/ and they felt encouraged.
From the shore the four anglers went
to Walkers point and anchored. Not dur
| ing their several hours stay on the river
| did they feel the necessity of moving to
| another place. The fish were quickly at
tracted by their enticing bait. and about
100 perch were landed. Four Mississippi
| catfish were caught by the quartet.
H. E. Hay and Lee Pitchlyn started
from Reynolds Wednesday afternoon with
a determination to catch some real big
Iperch. They were not disappointed They
rowed across the river to a point opposite
the foot Of 31st street, dropping anchor
In the channel nearer to Analostan Island.
There they enjoyed a tilt with the white
perch which lasted for several hours the
fun being fast and furious for about an
hour OF that time. When the smoke of
lhattle had cleared AWAY they were able