Evening star., 1913-12-06

Local anglers think they have cause
for serious complaint. Their complaint
is against Uncle Sam, and it grows out
of the alleged filthy condition of the tidal
basin.
BY actual count said an enthusiastic
angler yesterday, there were forty-seven
dead rats. two cats and a dog in the
water near the effluent flood gates. to say
nothing of the large quantity of other
debris. 1t does seem that no such con-
ditions should be permitted to exist.
1T is so easy a matter to remedy, he
added. "All that is necessary is to open
the influent gates and flood the basin.
Not only would it improve sanitary con-
ditions. but it would improve the sport
for anglers
1t is believed by many anglers that the
failure to open the infiuent gates ana
flush the basin is responsible Tor the
poor fishing this season. Anglers are
getting few fish there, it is stated. oul
the catches are nothing like as iai %
they We're last year.
This time last year it was an easy
matter to visit the basin an afternoon
land a string of dozen or more uass.
few catfish and crappie ana get nuiiio @
in time to have them for supper. ms ms
himself fortunate to get half a dozen
fish in a whole day.
But if the basin is given good rush-
ing" an angler remarked. ana the
water is purified, there Is no reason WHY
there will not be a return OF the sooo
sport
Mack Sparrough, William Wyncoop and
Thomas Collins have put in much OF tnelI
snare time about the walls of the tidai
ho
made no "killings,' they did occasionally
catch fish enough to supply their supper
tables.
It's great place for anglers VINO
have only short time to spare, com
mented Mack Sparrough, and When nsii
are biting it's great sport
I'VE have landed an occasional hsh the
past week. he said, and better luck
is expected in the near future
Discussing a recent visit to the oasiii'
the trio told of an interesting catch made
by an elderly man who Is known 10
them only as Dutch" The old flsher-
man is frequently on the job, the anglers
stated, and he somehow manages TO catch
more fish than others VINO nave peel
there recently.
"Only one day this week" Mack Spar
rough said, the enthusiastic fisherman
was on the wall with five lines In the
water. He was there only few MN
utes before he pulled out a large bass
had string of six
THE biggest one weighed five and one
half pounds, concluded Mack, and the
others were not small
Having experienced such great luck at
Weverton two weeks ago, John ". Hur-
ley and William T.. Dulin last Saturday
were on the job early enough to de-
Sunday and repeated their effort. but
luck was not with them. and SUNDAY
night the disconsolate anglers were not
inclined to display their catch to other
sportsmen on the train
It's different" said the veteran of the
pair to a friend who was anxious to see
their fish, and who had seen the string
of twenty-seven the week before
"You see.' said the veteran, last week
the conditions were fine and the hsh
were hungry, but today and yesterday
the water was so high that it was i'm
possible to find the places where the
fish feed
Then the anglers willingly discussed the
catching of the two four-pounders the
week before.
ut was great sport said Hurley, Ito
catch a four pounder Saturday and then
repeat the catch the next day in the
same spot"
..And to catch twenty-five others" add
ed Dulin.
Last week the two anglers caught only
six fish. and none Of them weighed over
one and one-half pounds.
Jake Moffett, Preston King and w. f.
Mattingly went to Maryland recently, in
the neighborhood of Bushwood as guests
of r. 4. Mattingly. brother of member
of the party and three days We're spent
on the fields and about salt water. About
eighty quail and fifteen rabbits were
bagged, the dogs performing good work.
One evening when the gunners retulrnel
from the fields they were agreeably sur
priSed by their host, who had provided
an oyster. acald on the shore directly in
front of the home. fire was started
under a big pot, and luscious bivalves
from private beds were served.
Ward Savage is having more than his
share of trouble with two dogs he OBJ
tanned for on and in the vicinity
of Masons Island. The animals We're
brought from Germany and We're intend
cd for one of the wealthier residents of
the city, but they did not suit. and Ward
got possession of them in a trade for a
moose head.
W. G.. Hefiin of the vicinity of Ma
sons has the dogs on his farm. He had
much trouble making the dogs un-
derstand him as did Savage when he got
them
The trouble was all brought about by
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