The sun., 1916-12-03
WHAT QUALITIES
MAKE FISH GAME?
Subject Of uncnding COntrO-
versy Discussed by Cotton
Thrcadcr.
TESTS THAT TELL. TALE

AT the annual dinner of the Cotton
Thread Fishing Gu OF America a, the
kaun:. Jamaica BAY. last year one Of
our guests. now one Of our members. Mr..
Ellsworth of Chicago. presented tn the
club the Fred bradford Ellsworth trophy.
He specified that In, name NJ the mcm-
Der catching the largest game fish un-.
ing ~ Of America zach year was To-
be engraved on the cup, which was to
remain TIE property Of the club.
Louis sprung has the honor to he the
INST to have his name Inscribed on the
trophy. having caught "A striped bass OF
8 pounds 80. ounces. the heaviest game
ilsh entered by the members for the sea-
son ended oct. 81. 1915.
' call attention to Mr.. Ellsworth's
designation Of the la-ges, game fish.
The words game fish" seem innocen,
and plain enough. and while Mr.. Els
worth has a well DEVELOPED sens a.
humor. | doubt tina. he knew what
trouble he was making for us when he
used those words.
Cotton thieadcrs Are anglers. and
being anglers are followers OF Izaak
Walton. Angling j. said tn he conducive
TO contemplation. and az disciples OF wal
ton anglers have the reputation of
beiiig philosophers. PHILOSOPHERS asii
questions. Some Of our followers Of TX.
saw Their chance and ask d. what is y
game fish" and with malice aforc-
thought Thomas cleary. our president
appointed three victims, among them my
self. to answer.
Discussion of the subject Icy NJ mhers
made 1t apparent tina: to leave 1t to
anglers 90 decide what y game fsn IL
would result in almost as many view
points from which to Judge garncness as
there are anglers. To search among the
works of anglers and nautral!sts Of
recognized authority was the only
means lef' To reach AN impartial con-
clusion. Will review some of the
points revealed by such search.
suhjecs Of ln~ndimg ControY~rsy.
There appeared the proposition thai:
all hsh that will take the hook and fight
Al all are game. This was quite con
trary TO the general belief as under
STOOD II. but the principle seemed sound
But Anglers hava arbitrarily divided Ash
INTO W CLASSES. game fish and those
not game, and II is the dividing line he
tween these two classes which will ht
the subject ~ unending controversy. II
~ policy for us Ia recognize :he Gus
tonafy use of the word and select the
fish which VI viii call game"
That II ash to Il" ram, should .,
edible Ngs asserted ny several. II This
were the only les, picture the distress of
our hard wording pr.4r committee mem
her, john MrCullum, Wa-I an ola'iiL.
member, Wishing to enter "A big skate
~ a game fish, attempts to carry his
point br insisting or eating the reptile
IN the presence OF our John, Happily
4, %. John ana ouTsclvts) | found good
. authority for admitting other than edible
hsh. making II necessary to- apply other
tests to qualify an entry.
According TO the h.ghcs, cunccutiun OF
s"portsmanship "A man should catch and
keep only Such FISH as he aud his can
eat-huth from the standpoint Of ci!.
hility OF fish and that of capacity OF the
stomachs Of himself and those to whom
he may give some OF his catch. No mat
ter how a man ma" :a.l upon the ques-
ton ~ to a fish OF necessity being edible
IN order 10 ne game n" nevertheless must
Sonceie that the. observation Of the prtn-
ciplc Just e~Npounded T. something 10 he
recommended to all anglers.
Two features which cause u so-called
game FISH TO stand GU, from Others not
game ar" It's coyness n taking the ppit
or lure presented and is violent and
pro:ract"d efforts To- cscaue. How much
more highly nrized by the anglers H. IA
game iish which Nc can catch. hut with
which others are not az successful. why
is a salmon better than "A muskallunge .
q trout better than II perch u wcakh h
better than a fiukc a s'r!rcd bass bet
ter tnan = sea bass? Because the greater
ski! reHuircd %: the dng'nr to effect a
capture Of the better fsn makes them
more desirable to the true angler.