Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-03-11

March winds. accompanied by an oc-
casional fall of rain or snow. are not
welcomed by the hundreds of sports
men who are anxious to start INC
spring fishing season on the river.
After ALL" remarked John w Hur-
lev. settled weather should not De en-
pected until after ST. Patricks day ana
that's only few days off.
est. Patrick's lay" added the veteran
angler, "is time for planting potatoes
in this section. and if farmers car!
spend the day in the fields pian'ihs
spuds why can't an angler speho my
day on the river in an eHort 10 e''e''
fish,"
scores of anglers already have beeh
on the river catching big and niue
Mississippi catfish and yellow perez
but none has made an eHort 10 i', ,a.,'
white perch White perch have been
caught in nets in nearby waters. II Is
stated. and anglers fail to understand
why they cannot be caught with NOOK
and line.
Fletcher. one of the many anglers VINO
is on the river early and late:
mi ht be only a question of bait. There
are no soft crabs to BE had, but IL Is
possible that the perch Will tax
shrimp. that are plentiful and cheap,
and intend to make a try for them as
soon as the weather settles.
1t is said that the first white perch
caught in this section last year were
landed on the tenth day of April Con
dirtons this season, it is stated. have
been much better than they were
year ago. and it is believed the perch
season will open earlier.
1t is only the older anglers who are
able to recall the catches of big rock
fish that were made in the deep water
above Aqueduct bridge many years ago
During recent years the catching OF
such fish weighing fifteen or twenty
pounds was looked upon as being some
thing new in angling.
But such is not the case, remar ked
one of the old-timers. telling OF q
catch made near Chain bridge fuiIE
TWENTY-FIVE or thirty years ago by Joe
Fletcher who conducted a boathouse at
Edcs MILL where he died a number of
years ago
Ii is related that Fletcher and Ed
ward Woody. neighbors and fishing
companions. were on the river at Tur-
key Foot one afternoon fishing for
rockfish. Both were rated as hrst-c!ass
sportSmen. il is stated, and they had
fresh herring for bait:
I'm those days" said the old timer.
"it was possible for a fisherman to
catch all the herring bait he wanted,
ed as a serious offenSe to catch them.
and such bait is necessarily hard to
get.
The two men ffshed from a boat seat
ed side by side, according to the
story related by the old sportsman,
hating with whole herring. but F'letch-
er was the only one to score. He
landed seven FISH. the largest weighing
forty and the smallest thirty
y know it sounds like fish story
he concluded, but il is true.
Local anglers are promised an album
dant supply OF bait this season Deal
ers have learned about what the
anglers need they say. and it is their
intention to see to the handling of all
kinds of bait A number of the hsher-
throughout the winter and some of
them report splendid success. Others
We're not so successful however, and
viii start digging as soon as the frost
is out of the ground.
J. r. Buckingham two weeks ago
had Il lot of fine worms dug on the
farm at the Government Hospital for
the Insane. They were presented to
John W. Hurley. who had arranged an
interesting trip to the vicinity Of
HITS bridge over the PatuXent river.
4 change in the weather caused a post
ponement of the trip, however. and
Ward Savage's brook trout got the
benefit OF the bait
Dealers are promising to handle all
kinds of bait soon the season is
fairly opened. Heretofore il has been
practically Impossible Tor local sports
men to get peelers. but an ample sup
ply OF them is promised as soon as that
choicest bait for white perch makes its
appearance in the vicinity of trisfeld.
Supplies Of Dloodworrs Will he on
hand early as April /. and in
creased shipments OF raw shrimp
promise to be of great assistance to
early spring anglers.
Some OF the dealers in bait have
large supplies of smelts on hand. hav-
ing made big catches during the past
month to increase tire stock they ear
ried over from last fall. Madtoms for
smallmouth bass fishing will come
later.
Joe Fletcher tells of a catch Of Mis-
siSSippi catfish made the second day Of
January which gave him fish enough
for several meals in addition to being
an interesting trip.
II was my way home and was just
| below Walker point, he said, w hen
/ the splashing of fish in the water made
me feel that rock6sh were there. /
| knew the splashing was being done by
mississippi catfish. however, but ] hur-
/ ricd home and Sot supply Of bait and
returned. 1t almost the last of
the favorable tide. but | had the bait
and ! made the effort to get a few
fish"
Fletcher said he landed five fish and
| lost a number of strikes.